School special session efficient

Our teachers and students in our schools are among the most talented in the nation. We are fortunate to have our kids educated in such a great state as Montana.

The 2005 Legislative special session, before Christmas, was efficient and businesslike. It was a refreshing change from the unfocused chaos of a regular session. This special session, Legislators had one issue sharply in focus — our schools.

I am very pleased the Legislature provided $230 million more in education-related funding in fiscal year 2007 for our state's public school students, teachers and schools.

We did this in an historic, two-day special session. We did it without raising taxes.

During the regular session, at the beginning of 2005, Montana increased funding for K-12 schools by appropriating more that $88 million in new money for 2005-07. This was an historic step and acknowledged a more reasonable per-student allowance paid by the state government.

It's true that not everyone got all that they wanted, or even what they deserved. Some lawmakers wanted more, some less. But we all agreed not to raise taxes. But this year, the state government share for education rose from 60 percent to 63 percent. That gives local property taxpayers a well-deserved break.

The Flathead has some 950 educators and 13,000 students of whom we should be proud. We must continue to recruit, train and retain high-quality teachers. The new school funding formula includes a built-in allowance for quality educators. The new approach to school funding honors both teachers and students and focuses on results.

I have met with many school board members in the Flathead. I am grateful for their accountability and attention to our teachers and students. These dedicated community members are the local control of our school system.

In July, Flathead schools will be eligible for an additional $5.5 million in new dollars. This is in addition to the nearly $69 million slated for Flathead schools in the regular session.

Another issue is pending costs over public and teacher pensions. The actions of the special session will reduce the local property taxpayer obligation of Montana by some $60 million dollars in this category. This, coupled with the new formula, equates to an average savings of $230 per Flathead household.

The framework is affordable, sustainable and provides an equitable on-going solution to schools. This is but a stepping stone in our journey to ensure that we adequately invest in our kids, schools and teachers in Montana. We need to do more to assure that our old-time homeowners are not taxed off their land — and ensure a prosperous future for our kids.

My father was a merchant marine who delivered oil from the Middle East. He taught me that it takes 10 miles to turn about an oil tanker. Steering the state's education bureaucracy is a little like steering a big ship — it takes a while to change course. We started that process by increasing Montana state government's responsibility toward education by 5 percent in one year without raising taxes.

Our biggest challenge in the days ahead is securing a local property-tax policy that benefits homeowners, schools and local services. It won't be easy, but it is possible if we focus on common goals and set aside petty differences.

Mike Jopek is a farmer and represents the Whitefish area in the Legislature as a Democrat. He can be reached at 250-1184 or mjopek@mt.gov.