One health care solution

by Sen. Greg Hinkle

All of us are well aware of the ridiculously high costs of health care and insurance premiums. There are some ways to help reduce those costs. I have introduced a bill draft for the next session titled, "Health Care Sharing Organization Act" (HCSOA). Before I explain the purpose of the bill; I will give you a summarized personal experience that has prompted me to submit it.

Our family were members of a large group of people who shared each others' health care expenses.

by Patty Lovaas

I have put much thought into the political occurrences within this country in the last year and have tried to analyze how this degradation of our political structure could occur in my beloved country which I believed had an infallible solid political structure.

John Q Goes Public

by John Q. Murray

We received a press release this week from the Montana Policy Insitute-- MPI, as it likes to call itself. We printed it in its entirety, as we usually do with press releases from Montana groups and officials, because it is a good way to present people's thoughts in their own words, exactly as they wish to be represented.

(MISSOULA, Mont.) – Senator Jon Tester announced several proposed changes to his landmark Forest Jobs and Recreation Act.

The changes are based on feedback Tester received from thousands of Montanans since the jobs bill was introduced last July and referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

HELENA - The Montana Policy Institute has added a second full-time reporter to its journalism department.

"We're opening our Helena investigative reporter bureau and starting up a Montana Watchdog web site to give you an unbiased news source that does more than reprint press releases," said MPI President Carl Graham.

In January, MPI opened a Helena bureau and staffed it with veteran print journalist Phil Drake. Investigative Reporter Michael Noyes continues to work out of MPI's main offices in Bozeman.

Citizen Voices Must Overwhelm Lobbyists

by Rep. Mike Jopek

By now, most folks will attest that the Legislature does not have a clue about the pain caused by high property taxes. On many policy decisions, we’re mired in partisan argument with no appetite for fixes, listening only to lobbyists.

If the Legislature had the will, we could easily impose a fix. I voted against the way Montana mitigated property taxes; it was blatantly obvious that the final bill was bad for a whopping three quarters of Flathead homeowners.

Folks have asked me why I thought that lakefront homeowners are hopping mad about tax bills. The Legislature added a couple new policy paragraphs to State law that really sting, particularly lakefront homeowners.

West Valley Community Council
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Frenchtown Fire Station, 16875 Marion Street
AGENDA*

Citizens are needed to fill five positions on the new Evaro-Finley-O’Keefe Community Council.

Missoula County commissioners will appoint the initial Council of five (5) members to staggered terms of one, two and three years, with the members chosen by election thereafter, and with the intention of having one member from each precinct on the Council. Applicants must reside in Precincts 39, 40, 41 or 42, and be registered to vote. Precinct maps are also available at the County Elections or Rural Initiatives offices.

Residents approved the community council in the November 3, 2009 general election.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Robert A. Taron graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.