Letters to the editor May 25

Growth in the Flathead is poorly planned and parts of the valley are starting to look like an L.A. suburb; just look at alternate 93 for an example. The existing growth plans are either insufficient to manage the growth or are being ignored. This may be the only time I say that we should look to other states and the growth mistakes they made so we can avoid making them here. This runaway and poorly planned growth has resulted in homes being priced beyond the means of most Flathead residents. Most of the houses are now priced for out-of-state buyers. If we don’t fix growth policies we will no longer be called The Last Best Place within a decade.

Here is some things you should understand about developers.

They use our strong belief in property rights against us. That is, they usually don’t buy the land from the owner until their development plans are approved. If there is opposition to their plans they whine and say “Doesn’t the land owner have the right to develop the land the way he wants”? Truth be told the land owner just wants the sale to go through and get paid.

Developers are in it for the money. That is no surprise to anyone, they take the money and run and leave the area in a mess. Then our taxes go up for road improvements, water, sewer, etc.

Development organizations have websites with lots of materials to teach their members how to manipulate citizens, city council members and county commissioners so they get what they want. They also teach them how to get developer friendly people elected.

Elections are this year. You should look at who is running and what their stand is towards growth. Growth can’t and shouldn’t be stopped but it should be managed much better. We need city and county leaders who will revise the existing growth plans towards lower density. Leaders who will not ignore neighborhood plans. Leaders who will resist changing land use designations to high density during the development approval process. Leaders who will push for medium density developments and more apartments and condos for lower income residents of the valley.

—Joseph Ruffolo, Kalispell

Montana is facing major critical issues within the healthcare system, land and water management and the general economy.

We need people in Helena who will act with sincere concern, integrity and honesty. Those who will seek to make the right, common sense decisions on behalf of all Montanans.

The health care field, particularly, is in a state of flux and demanding active involvement of legislators.

As a nurse, Amy Regier has become well aware of the issues that are impacting staff and patients as well as the doctors and other professionals now dealing with unique challenges. There will be much decision-making on new policies, procedures and corrective measures. We need Amy Regier in office as Representative for HD-6. We know she would vote wisely in the interests of retaining our security, health, happiness and security.

—Clarice Ryan, Bigfork

I support Melissa Romano for Montana’ next superintendent of public instruction. She is an easy choice.

Our state and local governments holds several vital trust responsibilities, including funding basic services like police and fire protection, wildlife management, water quality, and other resources held “in trust” for all of us.

Public education is one such trust responsibility. Nothing is more important to protecting our Montana public schools than electing a superintendent who will work to make our public schools as good as they can be. Our kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews all depend on a strong public school system.

Melissa Romano has served as an award winning public school teacher for 15 years. She’s demonstrated her commitment to the idea that our Montana public schools should and must excel.

Ms. Arntzen, by contrast, has used her position as superintendent to weaken our public schools by siphoning off public tax dollars to private schools.

There’s nothing wrong with the private schools. It’s a parent’s choice and can be a good choice for a child.

But the tax-paying public should not subsidize private education at the expense of the vast majority of Montana’s public school students.

Please vote for Melissa Romano.

—Dave Hadden, Bigfork

I write with regard to the May 21, front page article about Nick Ramlow and his grievance against Montana’s governor. It is Mr. Ramlow’s belief that the governor’s business closure orders are criminal pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 242 in that they willfully deprive people of their Constitutional rights. He suggests that “citizen’s arrest” is an appropriate remedy.

For those of us who agree with Mr. Ramlow’s premise that Constitutional rights are being infringed upon by the governor, I believe there are additional remedies that are available. There is a civil rights deprivation remedy based upon the 14th Amendment and provided for in 42 U.S.C. Section 1983. There is a “taking” remedy provided in Article II, Section 29 of Montana’s Constitution.

The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, made it clear that the states cannot deprive their citizens of rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The 14th Amendment states:

“No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the law.”

In 1871, Congress provided a remedy when the rights guaranteed by the Constitution are infringed by the States in violation of the 14th Amendment. In 1979, the remedy was rewritten as 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 which states:

“Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceedings for redress . . .”

Pursuant to Section 1983, the remedy for Constitutional deprivation by the governor is a civil suit against the governor, personally, in federal court, for monetary damages.

Another remedy is just compensation for a taking of private property, provided in Article II, Section 29 of Montana’s Constitution which states:

“Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation to the full extent of the loss . . .”

Section 29 allows for recovery against the government if a person can prove that the closing of their business amounted to a taking or damage by the government for public purpose. Private property is anything that is ownable, which includes a business. This suit would be filed in State Court against the State of Montana for losses caused by the mandatory closures.

I personally prefer the civil rights violation suit because it would be against the governor personally.

Democracy dies in darkness.

—Mickale Carter, Columbia Falls

The households in the Whitefish Fire Service Area Board District received the position paper dated May 1 from Mark Carlson et.al. In their note they focused on the $54 rate increase that we would be charged if the city of Whitefish fire department service agreement were to be renewed. Since then we have learned that most of that increase is really just a reallocation to reflect an accurate cost allocation to our district versus a subsidy from city residents.

In these times we all have concerns about the creeping costs that we incur, particularly from government organizations. That said, we all need to pay more to raise our fire response time and resources to ISO standards expected by the insurance industry. Most of the Whitefish Fire Service Area is non-compliant to the ISO standards which means our insurance rates are higher and many have trouble getting or sustaining insurance coverage. The debate should be about how many additional fire stations can be built and staffed across the district and as taxpayers we find ourselves net even due to our insurance savings. The resulting improved EMT response time and coverage would be a windfall.

It’s great that the Whitefish Stage Road fire station is debt free, but I look forward to the story telling future when we have five to 10 more stations celebrating the many lives saved due ISO standard response capabilities. If the district stays focused on the $54 red herring issue and rejects the city of Whitefish proposal many of us will be worse off in the eyes of our insurance carriers and our rate increases will dwarf this pittance. Hopefully rational thinking will kick in and leadership to address the big picture opportunity (an expanded network of stations) will emerge.

—Joseph Raudbaugh, Whitefish