Parks tax well-intentioned, but…

Inter Lake editorial

The city of Kalispell is asking its voters to decide whether park maintenance should be paid for out of a separate fund created by a new tax or whether it should continue to be paid for out of the general fund.

The amount of money is not exactly set in stone.

As visualized in the ballot issue for city residents on Nov. 4, the tax would be based on a lot's square footage. Homeowners would pay $38.50 for a 7,000-square-foot lot, with a cap of $150 a year. Commercial lots would be capped at $500 a year.

But this ballot measure is "advisory only," which means that the City Council can actually shape the tax any way it wants to. Frankly, that's a bit scary. So too is the fact that if the parks maintenance district is put in place by the council, the tax rates can be changed annually at the council's pleasure.

Currently, the city is paying $567,570 for park maintenance.

It's understandable that the City Council wants to take advantage of a state law that allows park maintenance to be funded by a dedicated tax. It's hard to come up with half a million dollars in hard economic times.

But times are hard for all of us, and just as many voters have had to tighten their financial belts, make cutbacks and change priorities to make ends meet, so too it may be time for the city of Kalispell (and other governments) to think about shrinking. Asking for more money may seem like the best answer now, but it's more reasonable to live within your means.

Homeowners who have Zonolite insulation in their attics have until Oct. 31 to file a claim against W.R. Grace & Co. or they'll be out of luck for future compensation, the federal bankruptcy court says.

For decades Grace mined the toxic asbestos-laden vermiculite at Libby from which Zonolite was manufactured. But it's not only Libby area residents who need to make sure they get their claims filed. Zonolite was used in up to 52 million homes and businesses in the United States, and that includes many older homes right here in Flathead County.

Filing a claim won't guarantee you'll ever see a dime from the corporate giant to clean up the potentially hazardous Zonolite in your attic, but it does put you in the pipeline for future help.

While Grace has agreed to pay $250 million for asbestos cleanup in Libby and has covered some medical costs for many Libby asbestos victims, the company still has to answer to nearly 700 victims whose lawsuits were put on hold when Grace filed for bankruptcy. Those victims may be inclined to say don't hold your breath waiting for compensation from Grace.