Letters to the editor March 29

Choice of words

Regarding Mark Holston’s recent letter regarding hunting semantics:

I understand your strong emotion Mark regarding the use of “harvest” to replace the word “kill.” You mention the word “harvest” was intellectual insulating hog wash. The mountain lion was chased to the point of exhaustion by a pack of dogs and treed with no possibility of escape. The trigger was pulled and killed the doomed creature.

When a baby is ripped sometimes in pieces from the mother’s womb by a doctor with no possibility of escape the term “pro choice” is used to conveniently hide the fact that the baby is basically murdered. The term “pro choice” is meant to soften the act of killing. Semantics are conveniently used to hide the nasty agenda.

The term “pro life” is used in favor of a baby being born to full term. The opposite would be “pro death” or murder of a human being.

— Denise Grenier, Bigfork

Opposed to CI-121

As a small business owner and active Polson community member, I wanted to share my thoughts on why I am opposed to CI-121.

First, I believe that tax law change should not be a change from our constitution, but rather done through legislative process due to complexity tax reform creates. I am not opposed to tax reform but this type of change needs to be well vetted which can be accomplished through the legislative process. We have elected our officials to do what is best for Montana and not impact future generations of Montanans from a rigid constitutional change; we should let them do their jobs.

Second, the initiative will only shift taxes to commercial and agricultural properties not reduce taxes. With this shift, small business owners will have to increase their goods and services resulting in higher prices. Farmers will have increased taxes which can make or break small farms that have been the back bone of our state.

Lastly, it will result in an inequitable tax; over time first time home owners that already have a difficult time getting into their first house will have increased taxes making it even more difficult and empty-nesters that would like to downsize will have higher taxes on their new home making it more difficult as well. Please decline to sign any petitions to place this on ballot – C1-121 is wrong for Montana!

— Robin Wallace, Polson

Waterman dedicated to service

I am supporting Kyle Waterman for the Montana Senate. I have known Kyle since he was in third grade with my daughter in Helena. He has always impressed me with his leadership and his deep dedication to service.

Kyle served four years on the Kalispell City Council working effectively with people holding a variety of political views to focus on Kalispell’s needs. He worked well with Mayor Mark Johnson to get more multifamily and rental units built in Kalispell by lowering impact fees. Kyle has also worked within limited budgets to make smart investments. While he was on the Council, he worked to get the new Parkline Trail project going while ensuring it was fully paid for. Kyle also worked successfully on the Flathead Transportation Advisory Committee to improve public transportation by improving the Mountain Climber public bus service.

It’s now more important than ever to listen to each other. Partisan politics doesn’t give us solutions. Only leaders who focus on Kalispell can do that.

As that leader, Kyle has my full trust to represent our community in our Montana Senate.

— Maddy Etter, Kalispell

Parce for commissioner

What a breath of fresh air. Kalispell Police Officer Jason Parce is running for Flathead County Commissioner.

Officer Parce has been with KPD since 2008 and has proven himself a strong leader in our community in many ways. One of them is his founding of Kalispell’s Junior Police Academy. This innovative program gives teens an inside look into what it takes to be a police officer. Creating a program such as this shows Parce’s heart for serving and protecting the youth of Flathead County.

He will be a voice and a vote for them on our board of county commissioners. Vote for KPD Officer Jason Parce for County Commissioner on June 7.

— Brenda Hambrick, Lakeside