Grocer, former logger vie for open House seat

Neither Greg Hertz, a Republican, nor Bud Koppy, a Democrat, faced opponents in the primary election battle to represent House District 11.

The district covers part of Polson and follows the west shore of Flathead Lake into Flathead County and western parts of Kalispell.

Republican Janna Taylor, who has represented District 11 since 2005, chose to run for Senate District 6 in this election.

Hertz provided written responses to questions on four issues and added a fifth of special interest to his candidacy while Koppy was interviewed by the Inter Lake.

The question requested the candidates’ views on what to do with the state budget surplus.

Koppy, a former logger, said he would support spending surplus dollars on education and job stimulus activities if they must be spent at all.

“I don’t believe that because we have a surplus that we should run right out and spend it,” he said.

Hertz, a CPA and businessman, said the 2013 Legislature needs to continue reviewing the budget to eliminate waste and duplication of services and look for one-time infrastructure improvements. He also advocated properly supporting education and then returning the excess to taxpayers.

“Over-collected taxes need to be returned to the taxpayers and not spent on increasing budgets just because we have the funds,” he said.

For tax reform/property tax relief, Hertz wants to develop Montana’s resources to their fullest extent to provide more revenue for education, resulting in property tax reductions to local taxpayers.

He said the state’s six-year cycle of property tax appraisals needs to be adjusted to “a shorter one- or two-year cycle along with using purchase price as a possible base value.”

Koppy said he thinks property taxes are too high and the lLegislature should look into ways to lower taxes.

“We need to bring it down some,” he said. “At least stop it where it’s at.”

On solving the unbalanced state pension funds, Koppy said the Legislature should not try to tackle that until the recession lessens. But looking down the road, he said, he would support addressing the age at which state employees may retire and collect benefits.

Koppy, 69, said state employees shouldn’t be allowed to collect benefits until they reach 65.

“That would go a long way toward balancing that budget,” he said. “I had to wait until I was 65 to retire.”

Hertz, 54, said the state needs to inject more money to move the state pension fund on to a sustainable path by increasing employer and employee contributions along with extending the retirement age and looking at converting to a defined contribution 401(k) plan.

On expanding state Medicaid enrollment as allowed by the Affordable Care Act, Hertz said that “expanding an unsustainable government program is not a good solution for long-term health care reform.”

Hertz said that after a few years of federal subsidy that the federal government can’t afford, Montana must pay for the program, which the state cannot afford.

“We need to spend our energy on expanding Montana’s economy, which includes natural resource development so less Montanans will be dependent on Medicaid,” Hertz said.

Koppy said he completely disagrees with everything about the Affordable Care Act. He said people, not the government, should make the decision to buy health insurance.

He said government getting involved in forcing or providing health insurance will only cost people more in the long run.

“If the state ever got in the position where they could [expand Medicaid], then fine, but leave everything the way it is as far as far as insurance goes,” he said.

As far as a pet issue, Koppy, who logged for 35 years, said he would love to do whatever he could in the Legislature to “clip the wings of the EPA.” He compares the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to the Gestapo in Germany and the KGB in the Soviet Union.

“They have a stranglehold on this state. Mining is all shut down,” he said. “As broke as this country is, you’d think when someone comes up with a few precious metals like that mine in Libby that they would jump on it. The EPA keeps stopping them.”

Hertz, president of a chain of grocery stores, chose improving the economy as his top priority by making Montana the best business-rated state in the Rocky Mountain region.

“This will include developing all our natural resources, further reduction of our workers’ compensation rates, tort reform, an improved, less complicated tax structure and a well-funded, locally controlled education system,” Hertz said.

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