Montana moving in the right direction

Over the past few weeks I have had the privilege of visiting with many residents who live in House District 9. I have been very encouraged by the fact that most of my unsolicited visits have been greeted with sincere Montana friendliness. It has been gratifying to discover that my concerns about protecting the water quality of the Flathead Basin and preserving the attractive physical attributes of our "Last Best Place" are shared by most of my neighbors. The fact that so many of the people I talked to are in favor of quality, affordable education for our youngsters and quality, affordable health care for us all, convinced me that I will be able to be a strong voice for these issues when I am elected to represent them in the next legislative session.

My conversations have confirmed the fact that middle class, working Montanans are in need of property tax reform and good paying jobs, with benefits, that respect traditional Montana values.

It is also apparent that the deregulation actions taken in previous legislative sessions have had a negative impact on Montana's economy, creating unnecessary rate increases, and that it is time for us citizens, along with the Public Service Commission, to regulate electricity rates for Montana-not the corporate CEOs. We need to encourage the development and use of alternative energy sources.

I am optimistic about the direction in which Montana is moving. Steps have been taken, and more are in the works, which will keep Montana's economy moving in a positive manner. If each of us accept the role of "We the People," and participate in our system of government, the results will truly be "For the People" instead of "To the People." Absentee ballots will be available after September 22nd.

Edd Blackler

Bigfork