Letters to the editor Oct. 2

Waste of tax dollars

Kalispell city leaders want us to believe that tax increment funding is free money and helps the community. Wrong!

In simple terms, TIF is when a city gives a private developer our tax dollars to build a project. It is paid back through the taxes paid after the project is completed. The original intent of TIF was to promote development in areas of “blight” where no one would want to build.

News flash! There is no blight in downtown Kalispell. Businesses and people are coming here by the truckload. We don’t need to pay them to come.

The $9,000,000 of tax dollars spent on the Charles Hotel parking garage could be spent on many other needed projects. Most of us will not live long enough to see that amount paid back with the taxes that would be paid. It is interesting that the rent amount of the apartments and the cost to park is not mentioned.

The developer is laughing all the way to the bank.

— Gil Conrad, Kalispell

Privatization of Montana

The last year brought a realization that access to our lands for recreation are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Modern day carpetbaggers, using “4th generation” Montana residents as front men, purchased huge tracts of land in the Flathead.

This year we are not only seeing Flathead Ranch and Southern Pines Plantation signs everywhere, but also trucks with Flathead Ranch Security painted on their sides. Who are these security personnel protecting?

In the past, I was able to walk out of my front door to hunt. Now I have to drive hours to find new areas. The area behind my home, where I have hunted for 12 years, is now off limits.

I spoke with the “4th Generation” person directly involved in the purchase of this land, asking permission to hunt the land. I was given non committal answers on several occasions. Finally, I assume, once the purchase deal was secure, I was told the area is for his family to enjoy and locals weren’t welcome.

This land was supposed to remain accessible to the public for recreation through a cooperative management agreement between the private owners and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Seems that agreement went by the wayside as we are being locked out. This whole sale process was shrouded in secrecy and negotiations were “sealed” from the information available at the time.

It’s becoming clear that outside interests want to turn Montana into their own personal playground posting the land to keep out the unwashed masses.

Rumors are circulating concerning establishment of hunting reserves like those in Texas; vast hunting ranches with elite clientele and exotic animals.

The realization that access to our lands for recreation are slowly becoming a thing of the past with the elite pushing out the residents. Montana has been sold to the highest bidder bringing an end to Big Sky country as we know it.

— John Mello, Kila