Incumbent challenged by fifth-generation Montanan

Democratic candidate Brittany MacLean faces Republican incumbent Randy Brodehl in the race for House District 9.

Brodehl is an experienced politician first elected to office in 2010, while MacLean previously ran for Senate District 2 in 2008 and for House District 8 in 2012, but ultimately didn’t win either seat.

MacLean, 47, a fifth-generation Montanan, is hoping this will be the year she is elected.

“One of the most important reasons I’m running is that I care about Montana staying Montana,” MacLean said. “It’s critical with growth that the state maintains its characteristics and its identity. If we make the wrong decisions right now, Montana won’t look like Montana, it will look like the very states people are moving from.”

Brodehl, 62, is planning to continue his efforts for House District 9 into a fourth consecutive term. “At least that’s the plan,” said Brodehl, a retired Kalispell fire chief and owner of a cabinetry shop.

Brodehl is chairman of the Audit Committee and Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement, and Justice Committee and is vice chairman of the Task Force on State Public Defender Operations Committee.

“Economically we’re deteriorating,” Brodehl said about the state. “Even though we’re [Kalispell] in a bubble, that bubble is thin. The governor’s war on coal has been significant. Oil and gas revenues have dropped.”

The bigger concern is a surplus that is less than initial projections and expenses that are higher than estimated, said Brodehl.

Alternatively, MacLean sees Montana poised to serve as a role model to the rest of the nation in handling economic and population growth if “smart choices” are made.

In separate interviews, the House District 9 candidates were also asked about election issues such as the state’s cash reserve, funding infrastructure, federal management of forests, raising the minimum wage, property taxes and publicly funded education.

When it comes to a “rainy day” fund, both candidates agreed there should be one in place, but Brodehl said it shouldn’t be more than $150 million. If there’s more, he said, “It’s the taxpayers money. Even if it’s giving back $10 or $100, it belongs to you and me.”

MacLean said there should be a balanced approach to maintaining a state surplus.

“It should be a combination of a rainy day fund and investment in the most important issues we face in the state,” MacLean said, such as training a workforce in new technology fields, particularly in renewable energy.

“There are incredible opportunities in state. It’s important to not hurt families in the move to more clean renewable energy,” MacLean said.

When the Legislature ended the 2015 regular session without passing an infrastructure bill MacLean said it failed in part due to division between policymakers and disagreement on the definition of infrastructure.

“I think it’s critical to remember infrastructure means bridges and roads,” MacLean said.

Brodehl saw it a different way.

“We passed infrastructure bill and the governor vetoed it,” Brodehl said, referencing a 2013 infrastructure proposal.

In the most recent bill, Brodehl was concerned about funding infrastructure with a mix of bonds and cash.

“He wanted to borrow money from our grandkids who don’t get the opportunity to vote. He wanted to bond 20 years,” Brodehl said of Bullock. “We tried to give budget authority to use surplus. Our infrastructure needs keep growing.”

Making note that constituents in Evergreen include many people on fixed incomes, Brodehl offered a perspective other than raising taxes to pay for infrastructure.

“I’m not going to ask them to reach in their pocket to build a bridge in Ekalaka,” Brodehl said. “I will support decreasing the size of government and using those funds to pay for infrastructure.”

Both candidates agreed that federal lands should be transferred over to state control.

“We would need to have a time frame long enough for us to ramp up management and the feds to ramp down. The state would also need money the feds have used to manage it and transfer that to the state,” Brodehl said, adding that a stipulation would be that land couldn’t be sold off.

“I feel strongly that Montana should control Montana land,” MacLean said. “We need leaders that control Montana land with an eye toward protection and preservation.”

When it comes to the minimum wage, MacLean was in favor of raising it while Brodehl was not. Brodehl said raising the minimum wage is not something government should be involved in and that it would “drive costs up more for the very people that we’re trying to fix their wages.”

MacLean said raising the minimum wage would “be in step with the rest of the country.”

In addressing property taxes in western Montana, MacLean said the Legislature needs to look at additional ways to raise the revenue and “not put undue stress on property owners.”

Brodehl said he prefers a “flatter tax, not a flat tax.”

“Something that doesn’t penalize you for owning a piece of property that was passed down from family,” Brodehl said.

The candidates also differed in supporting a state-funded preschool program.

“I think the education of the child is the responsibility of the parents,” Brodehl said, likening education at that level to a daycare program.

Brodehl, who home schooled his children up until high school, said publicly funded education was “probably a mistake 200 years ago, but here we are today. So I support that it’s law, but I do not stand for expanding into preschool.”

MacLean didn’t provide a specific stance on the issue.

“I support quality education,” MacLean said. “Families need options. “It should be on the option table.”

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.