Archive for Jobs and Economy
Helping Rural Health Centers
Posted by:The GOP budget, which was passed on Monday by the House, rejected millions of dollars from the federal government. This money was slated to assist Montana in maintaining it’s quality schools, roads and heath systems.
$35 million of the money the extremist Republicans rejected was set to assist rural health systems upgrade their technology to better meet the needs of their patients. This would help rural hospitals in Montana to better communicate with each other in order to ensure their patients are not receiving duplicate services or unnecessary, invasive procedures.
Today, Governor Brian Schweitzer called a press conference, where he was joined by approximately 50 rural hospital administrators, to discuss these cuts. At the press conference, he told the story of when his mother was injured. She want to the hospital near Georgetown Lake and had a series of tests and procedures run. Medicare covered the costs of those test. However, when she returned to Helena and went to the hospital to examine her injuries further, they ran many of the same tests and Medicare once again paid for those services.
The Governor used this example to highlight a problem that would be eliminated with the upgraded technology. The $35 million used to implement the system would quickly pay for itself by stopping Medicare from paying for the same tests twice.
The Governor also noted that the rejection of these funds will be devastating to jobs in these rural communities. These funds would have created 504 jobs in these communities. These jobs would have been a huge financial boon that these towns will not see without these funds.
The GOP maintains they rejected the funds as a means to help the federal government balance their budget. This excuse doesn’t hold water. These rejected funds do not go back to the federal bank account. Instead, these funds will go to other states to improve their health care system, making Montana’s health system less competitive.
The Governor urged the Senate to reinstate these funds for the sake of our rural communities and our state’s economy.
GOP Farm Subsidy Hypocrisy
Posted by:One of the things we’ve seen over and over and over this legislative session is the hypocrisy of Republican leadership in the legislature. First, it was increasing their health benefits, while trying to cut benefits for Montanans. Then, it was the hypocrisy of Sen. Lewis, who after years of serving as a state employee, he now wants to cap state employee pay.
However, the latest incident takes the hypocrisy cake.
A recent study released by The Policy Institute, examines farm subsidies that members of the legislature receives. It particularly focuses on those legislators that have railed against federal assistance to state government, while helping themselves to thousands or millions of federal dollars.
The study found that from 1995 through 2009, current legislators received more than $7 million in federal farm subsidies. Republicans received 98.8% of the money. The top recipient was Rep. Janna Taylor, who received more than $1 million for a farm that she is part owner of.
We need to be clear, farm subsidies from the federal government are an important thing. They help keep food prices low, provide an abundance of food for communities and help support local farmers who are integral parts of our rural communities.
The problem is (as it usually is with the GOP) hypocrisy. These extreme Republican lawmakers are demonizing federal subsidies that help rural hospital upgrade their technology to better serve their patients and federal dollars that help maintain our infrastructure, all while taking money themselves.
The Republicans who have received these federal subsidies have an obligation to make their deeds match their words. They either need to stop accepting federal subsidies for their own personal gain, or they need to admit the fact that these federal dollars play an important role in building stronger communities and businesses in Montana.
Dems Work To Move Main Street Ahead
Posted by:Democratic Sens. Gillan and Van Dyk (both from Billings) today had hearings on their bills that seek to reduce taxes on those families and businesses that need it most.
Sen. Gillan’s bill, SB 392, would exempt nearly 99% of Montana businesses from the business equipment tax over the coming years. This will allow Main Street Montana businesses to grow, expand and invest in their future, and create new jobs in the state at the same time.
Sen. Van Dyk’s bill would give every Montana homeowner a $150 tax credit over the next two years. This will put money directly in the pockets of Montana families and help Montana’s economy continue to improve.
One particularly notable thing about these measures is they are paid for in the Governor’s budget. This provides a stark contrast with Republicans who have sought to slash the Governor’s budget in a way that benefits wealthy out-of-state businesses.
Under the Republican tax plans, the the four largest recipients of tax cuts–all of which are over $4.4 million–are businesses based in other states or other countries. How does this grow Montana’s economy?
Republicans should not only the bills of Sen. Gillan and Sen. Van Dyk, they should also learn from their example and pursue legislation that will move Montana’s economy forward, rather than boosting the bottom line of companies halfway around the globe at the expense of Montanans.
Fixing The Worker’s Comp System
Posted by:Governor Brian Schweitzer today invited Republicans Sen. Jim Peterson and Rep. Mike Milburn to his office to discuss several issues the Montana Legislature is currently facing.
One issue they discussed was the much needed worker’s compensation reform. All three elected officials agreed the worker’s compensation system currently in place, that was spearheaded by current gubernatorial candidate Rick Hill, is not helping businesses or workers in Montana.
Governor Schweitzer also made it clear that we can’t simply accept any change, but must properly vet the system to ensure that it not only lowers costs but also provides adequate care for injured workers. When Rick Hill spearheaded our current worker’s compensation system, he did not properly study the changes and the system has been damaging for businesses.
Schweitzer went so far as to say that he’s not inclined to support a bill that doesn’t make the right changes to our current system. He was clearly talking about the current GOP worker’s compensation plan that does nothing to improve the system in the state, and instead simply cuts benefits to workers who are injured in the line of duty.
Half-time
Posted by:Today marks the beginning of the transmittal break for legislators and the half-way point of the legislative session. This is the point that most bills have to have passed through at least one house of the legislature and be passed to the other in order to continue.
During a press conference today, where Democrats talked about the status of the session thus far, Sen. Minority Leader Carol Williams said “I think it’s half-time too, but there’s no score, and they’ve gone wide right on a few field goal attempts.” Williams went on to talk about the wasted time and frivolous bills presented by the Republicans. She excoriated them for losing their focus on the things that actually matter to Montanans, such as job creation and economic development, and instead pursing bills that interfere in private medical decisions, toe the line of succession from the United States and legalize spear hunting.
Sen. Kim Gillan expanded on this point when she said, “The great thing about going home, is that everyone, whether you’re Democrat or Republican, independent or whatever, we’re gonna get one big reality check, and I look forward to that!” She continued to talk about how the Republicans wasted this opportunity to build on Montana’s strengths and continue to make our state’s strong business climate, and instead pursued their own pet agendas.
While we hope the GOP does get a reality check and returns to Helena on Wednesday ready to focus on bringing jobs to the state and building Montana’s economy, however we’re realists. If they ignored the will of Montanans at the start of the session, they’ll likely ignore it now too, and instead continue to push their radical bills. Sen. Williams returned to her football metaphor to address this point and our Governor’s veto power, saying, “On our team, we have a quarter back on the second floor (the governor), that is going to be brought in in the fourth quarter.”
Readers of this blog should take the opportunity of transmittal break to reach out to their lawmakers and let them know their feelings about the progress of the legislative session thus far.
"We believe that the current budget, heading to the Senate Floor next week, unnecessarily pits Montanans against, creating winners and losers” 