LETTERS from Friday, Sept. 9, 2016

Sheets has right stuff to defeat Fielder

When Thompson Falls Mayor Mark Sheets announced he was going to run against Sen. Jennifer Fielder for the Senate District 7 seat, I was pleased, but surprised.

Having served our community for so many years, as city councilman and in numerous other capacities, I questioned him as to why he wanted to take on this race. His answer: “Governance by fear and misinformation is simply not acceptable. Our district deserves better.”

Yes, prior to Sheets’ announcement, everyone I had talked to in our Senate district thought Fielder had a stranglehold on the seat. Her alignment with the extreme right and her accepting the post as CEO of the American Lands Council are only a couple of reasons why voters need to take a close look at whether to hand her another term in the Senate. She has pushed her personal agendas throughout her term instead of representing the constituents she was elected to serve.

I have known Mark Sheets for a number of years and although I am not a Democrat, I whole-heartedly support him for the District 7 Senate seat. He brings intelligence, integrity, experience and a conservative fiscal approach to government. Equally important are his personal ethics, which allow him to be inclusive, logical and honest. He has also taken a firm stand against the transfer of federal lands to the state.

There are no hidden agendas with Mark Sheets. He is the right choice for the District 7 Senate seat. —Carolyn Marshall, Thompson Falls

Medicare payment cuts worry doctor

As a local rheumatologist who treats Medicare patients, I am deeply concerned by a recent proposal from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that could result in further payment cuts for Medicare Part B drugs. If implemented, this mandatory payment model test would wreak havoc on patients and cause massive access and safety problems.

Many rheumatologists have already been forced to stop administering biologic therapies to Medicare patients suffering from arthritis, lupus, and other rheumatic diseases because the current Part B payment structure does not cover the cost of obtaining and providing these complex therapies to patients. An additional payment cut would drive even more Medicare patients into less safe and more expensive settings — such as the patient’s home or the hospital — to receive needed therapies, if they can access them at all.

The proposed pay cuts are intended to incentivize physicians to prescribe less expensive drugs, but there are very few Part B biologics available to rheumatology patients to begin with, and their costs are all similar. Biologics are complex and cannot be easily interchanged or switched for less expensive options. Once a patient finds a biologic that works for him or her, it may be the only option.

Rheumatologists welcome meaningful reforms that will make biologics more affordable. However, the current proposed Medicare payment cuts will do nothing more than restrict Medicare patients’ access to safe and life-changing therapies. —Gail Andersen, Kalispell

Support Kalispell school bond

I am the proud parent of two daughters who attend Kalispell Public Schools and think they have received a first-rate education.

Full disclosure, I serve on the School Board and have seen the different metrics we measure our students’ progress. These high scores are despite the challenges that come with overcrowding at the elementary level. Our elementary schools have over 220 more children than they were designed for, with Kalispell continuing to grow at one of the fastest rates in Montana.

My family has experienced first-hand how the district has needed to deal with the overcrowding. When my first daughter attended kindergarten, she could not attend the neighborhood school. As a homeowner and taxpayer, this did not make sense or seem fair to me. Yet this is the reality for about 15 percent of families with children in our schools. Each year in our district, there may not be space in the school right across the street!

My second daughter had “super classrooms” in kindergarten and second grade. A “super classroom” is essentially two classrooms in one room. The challenge with this solution is not the teacher to student ratio, because a second teacher is brought in to address this, but in the lack of physical space since the size of the room cannot increase.

In all of the schools, administrators are creative in using halls, janitor’s closets, multipurpose rooms and anywhere else a seat can be sat to make instructional space. Voting “YES” to the elementary bond will alleviate our current overcrowding situation by building a new school and making more flexible educational space in all current elementary schools.

It is imperative our community supports the next generation of students by not only finding the best teachers to teach but space for them to do so. —Lance Isaak, Kalispell

Mountain lion killing symptom of bad policy?

The recent killing of a mountain lion by police officers in Whitefish is an unfortunate incident that could have possibly been avoided (“Whitefish officers shoot bold mountain lion,” Aug. 29).

Mountain lions are, on occasion, found passing through developed areas. Typically, they’re young animals dispersing and trying to find a mate and a home. They move through without harm to humans or domestic animals and avoid encounters whenever possible. Unfortunately, some lions mistakenly find themselves in the wrong place, causing public concerns. This often causes impulsive decision-making by officials who are not equipped with the best available information on how to handle such situations.

This disheartening situation demonstrates the need for Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to adopt humane wildlife management protocols that can be implemented by police officers. These should prioritize hazing, letting animals leave on their own and translocation of animals that are found in human communities before lethal control is considered.

Currently, mountain lions occupy only a fraction of their historic habitat. The death of even one lion sets back conservation efforts — especially a female lion, the biological bank account of the species. Additionally, killing a female lion can leave multiple kittens orphaned, left to die of starvation, exposure or predation.

Montana is the second highest mountain-lion-killing state in the U.S. because of high levels of trophy hunting. We must work harder to protect these animals in Montana and beyond. —David Pauli, Washington, D.C., senior adviser, Humane Society of the United States