Hill, Bullock spar over donation issue at Kalispell debate

During a debate in Kalispell Wednesday night, Montana Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Bullock came out blasting his Republican opponent, Rick Hill, over accepting a $500,000 campaign contribution.

But Hill, who accepted the donation from the Montana Republican Party, defended the donation as the matter came up repeatedly during the debate at Flathead Valley Community College.

Bullock, who is currently Montana’s attorney general, asked former U.S. Rep. Hill how he could in good faith accept the money when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated the state’s campaign contribution limits, which set a maximum of $22,600 that can be donated to a candidate for governor by all political party committees.

That temporary stay was issued by the appeals court six days after an Oct. 3 ruling from U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell that found the limits to be unconstitutional, and the $500,000 donation was made in that unregulated six-day period. The 9th Circuit has asked Lovell to provide the reasoning for his decision.

“A federal judge has said that law is unconstitutional. I’ll take that judge’s opinion on that matter before I’ll take your opinion on that matter,” Hill responded to Bullock.

Hill said his campaign is responding to massive money that has been spent by political action committees on “vile” and misleading advertising, including ads that claim he supports a sales tax. Hill reiterated that a sales tax is not part of his agenda.

Hill said Judge Lovell found that the state’s contribution limits unfairly put candidates at a disadvantage to defend themselves from such overwhelming spending.

“It’s not a balanced playing field,” he said. “We have to get a system where everybody plays by the same rules and there is transparency.”

Bullock said the three judges on the appellate panel disagreed with Lovell. He repeatedly asserted that the state law is currently in effect, and did partially address the fact that the law was apparently not in effect for the six-day window, saying, “It might have been legal to accept that check, but the illegality might be in keeping that check.”

Hill contended that the appellate court only issued a stay, and arguments on the appeal haven’t been heard yet, so he doesn’t consider the matter settled.

Bullock had the last word on the matter in his closing statement: “No, (the judges) said that law is in effect right now.”

Attended by about 300 people, the debate was wide ranging. Another big topic was Hill’s proposal to provide about $100 million in permanent property tax relief, by shifting more education funding to what he saw as increasing oil and gas revenue.

“It’s a shell game, and that’s not how we improve our schools,” said Bullock, adding that part of the state’s current surplus should be used to “invest in schools.”

Hill said that schools rely almost entirely on property tax revenue, which can be a stagnant source of revenue, and the state could use a more “dynamic” source of revenue. Wyoming has had great success in using natural resource revenue to fund its schools, he added.

“It’s a sound way to fund education, using natural resource revenues to do it,” he said.

In rebuttal, Bullock cited Hill’s support for charter schools, a change that he said would “privatize” education. The state needs to improve education “with the public system,” he said. “We don’t defund it.”

Hill was asked whether he supports “right-to-work” legislation and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s collective bargaining reforms, to which he said yes.

“If you don’t want to join (a union), you shouldn’t be compelled to join,” Hill said. “I don’t have anything against unions. I just think this is a personal right that people should have.”

He added that “states do better with right to work... Half the major businesses in this country won’t locate to states that aren’t right-to-work states.”

Hill said he admires Walker’s reforms because they helped allow Wisconsin to erase a $3 billion deficit. 

Bullock cited statistics indicating Wisconsin is lagging badly economically, and he said teachers lost $4,000 to $5,000 in annual take-home pay because of Walker’s agenda.

“No one has to join a union. They just have to pay their fair share under it,” he said, expressing his opposition to right-to-work laws.

“I don’t think the answer to all the problems or all the problems the congressman wants to create is to be like Wisconsin,” he added.

Bullock challenged Hill for being excessively negative about Montana when he frequently says that the state has a poor business climate. Bullock contends that the governor needs to promote the state instead.

“At times I think I’m not running against the former congressman. I think I’m running against Chicken Little... I’m not going to say that the sky is falling and everything is falling apart,” Bullock said.

Hill responded, saying there are good things happening, but if Montanans want a more prosperous state, they need to consider what is holding the state back.

He cited U.S. Chamber of Commerce ratings in saying that the state is perceived to have a poor legal and regulatory environment.

Wednesday night’s debate was sponsored by Flathead Valley Community College, the American Association of Retired People and the Flathead Beacon.