House has day of intrigue

HELENA - "Fifty-one to forty-nine" was the vote tally heard again and again Wednesday in the Montana House.

That was the partisan lineup on three spending bills that were debated on the floor, with Rep. Rick Jore, the Constitution Party representative from Ronan, casting the swing vote every time with Republicans to pass the bills.

"Here's the bottom line," Jore said after the votes. "I want as much [spending] reductions as I can get. I realize I'm stretching some Republicans, but this is the time for them to step up."

The proceedings on the House floor attracted the attention of senators who were not in session. They watched from the wings, and gathered around television sets, intrigued by the steady advance of controversial bills.

"They are assuming that they are going to be fixed in the Senate," observed Sen. Greg Barkus, R-Kalispell.

Others concurred, saying that some Republicans who are not agreeable to all of the reductions approved Wednesday are banking on the Senate to restore some spending.

The lock-step voting has raised suspicions on both sides.

Some Democrats, including Gov. Brian Schweitzer, are questioning how Republicans are holding their votes together in the narrowly divided House without caucusing. He said it has raised questions about whether there has been surreptitious gatherings that are prohibited under Montana open-meetings law.

But Republicans say they have not been holding meetings; rather, members are sticking together, knowing that the budget bills are going to the Senate anyway.

"They're going over to the Senate, and they are going to be amended big time," said Rep. George Everett, R-Evergreen.

Everett said he is simply doing all he can to reduce an overall spending increase of 22 percent proposed by Schweitzer.

Scott Sales, speaker of the House, R-Bozeman, said last week that there has been no "strong-arming" of House Republicans.

"It's all organic, right?" the governor asked sarcastically Wednesday.

Meanwhile, some Republicans point to staff memos indicating that Democrats are following scripted direction from the House minority leadership and the Governor's Office.

More budget bills are scheduled for debate today, and Jore says that his support will depend on how much those bills will reduce spending increases.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com