House District 11

By CANDACE CHASE/Daily Inter Lake

Pat Estenson, a nursing home administrator, is challenging state Rep. Janna Taylor, a rancher and investor, to represent House District 11, an area including Marion, Kila and Lakeside that stretches south as far as Polson.

Estenson, a Democrat, said he wants to bring a moderate and civilized voice to legislative deliberations in contrast to the rancor of the last session. He said he wants to put the needs of people above party.

"I believe in a political process that is fair, civilized and not marginalized on the right or left," he said.

Taylor, a Republican, said her top priority is returning surplus state revenue to the taxpayers. She said recent reports point to another surplus but cautioned that could change in upcoming revenue reports.

"I'd like to see some permanent tax relief," she said.

Estenson said he supports returning surplus tax revenue if beneficial programs don't need the money. He said his door-to-door campaigning heightened his awareness of struggling people as well as some beneficial programs.

He described meeting a woman with severe disabilities who was able to support herself with the assistance of public funding for a computer that she uses for a business producing calendars.

"This is the kind of thing we can do," he said.

Estenson includes in his priority list facilitating decent jobs and wages to foster quality family life in the face of soaring food and gasoline prices. He also wants to guard senior citizen and veterans benefits as well as address health care and insurance.

"There's a proposal to expand CHIPS by modifying income eligibility," he said. "I support that." CHIP is a program to provide health insurance to children.

He also wants to protect hunting and fishing rights on public lands and the right to bear arms. Estenson also promises to support education, small businesses, clean air and water and alternative energy.

As evidence of his ability to work with both parties, Estenson cites his years from 1980 to 1999 working with the legislature as the administrator of the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

He also has experience working as an elected official.

"I ran successfully for the school board in Columbia Falls and served two terms there," Estenson said.

Taylor has served two terms in the Legislature representing House District 11.

During the 2005 and 2007 sessions, she received appointments to the House Appropriations Committee. In 2007, Taylor was selected as vice chairman of the committee.

Most legislators aspire to serve on this committee because it wields significant power.

"Any bill with spending in it goes through the Appropriations Committee," Taylor said.

As vice chairman, Taylor played a significant role in building the house bill from the governor's requested budget to pay for state government. She served as the chairman of the Local Government and Transportation Subcommittee.

In the upcoming session, she said she would like to rework the education funding formula.

"I'd like to see every location keep its own property taxes," she said.

If elected, Taylor said she would continue to put a high priority on funding for the Flathead Basin Commission, the Clark Fork River Basin Task Force and the Flathead Lake Biological Station at Yellow Bay.

Taylor said she wants to use Montana's energy resources to keep energy prices low for residents of the state. She also supports strong laws to combat child predator.

"We passed a version of Jessica's Law," she said. "But it needs some tweaking for Internet predators."

During previous sessions, Taylor sponsored laws on water rights and protection of victims of domestic violence.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com