It's time to get to work

First, I would like to thank you for your confidence and your vote in this last election. I am both humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent Montana Senate District 2 in the upcoming legislature as your state senator. True to my word, I intend to seek common ground on the issues and approach the legislative process with an open mind and a kind heart.

My comments during the campaign about being a Montanan first were not rhetoric. I meant every word. I recognize my responsibility of representing the interests of everyone in the district and will do my best to ensure that the working families can prosper here.

Second, as pointed out during my campaign, I do not believe Montana will have a budget surplus of any significance. The much-touted budget surplus was based on forecasts when revenues from such things as commodities prices and construction were at record levels.

Like our nation, Montana is likely to face tough times in the months ahead. Montana families are already tightening their belts, and the state government will have to do the same.

As such, this session will more than likely be about what are we going to save rather than what new programs we're going to add. Having said that, I fully understand that during periods of economic down turns, it's typically those who can afford it the least that are affected the most. I will work hard to ensure that funding remains available for those programs that provide a hand-up rather than a hand-out to those who need it.

Third, I was elected, in part, because of my philosophy of putting the working family first, ensuring we have an education system that prepares for the future, and making sure we have energy and conservation policies that make sense. As such, I intend to introduce the following legislation:

? Montana Horseman Bill: Increases penalties for the willful abandonment and starvation of a horse. Horses have a special place in our Montana heritage, and the recent trend of abandoning them to starve is just wrong. For those who understand ranching and horses, the closure of slaughterhouses with no viable alternative has had the unintended consequences of horses paying the price.

? Elimination of the Montana Equipment Tax Bill. A tax that penalizes equipment-investment works to prevent job growth and market competitiveness. This bill is not a tax break for the rich — it's simply Business 101. It's better to tax profit, not investment. The non-partisan Montana Chamber of Commerce agrees.

? Education and Residence Incentive Bill. Provides no-interest loans and debt-forgiveness for students who attend and graduate from our colleges or vocational programs and stay in Montana. The requirement for loan forgiveness is two years working in Montana for every one year of tuition and books provided.

? Small Business Workers Compensation Relief Bill. Provides relief for small businesses with 10 or fewer employees in regard to workers compensation rates. The bill will focus on ensuring that claims are directly related to job performance, validated, and that businesses do not get penalized for simply having a claim.

? Montana Change in Land Use Bill. Establishes a prudent review process for proposed changes in land use on properties greater than 20 acres. Exempt from this bill is any activity or improvement that supports or is related to the current land use. A transparent and timely review is warranted when changing the land use that addresses issues that are in the public interest, such as access to rivers and streams, environmental impacts and implications to publicly-funded services and required infrastructure.

Lastly, I do not pretend to know all of the answers or to be perfect. I have made mistakes in the past and will likely continue to do so in the future. As your state senator, however, I am always available, either in person, by phone or by e-mail to discuss the issues and share ideas on how to make Montana better.

I firmly believe that a public servant should always vote your constituency, your conscious and your caucus — in that order. I look forward to working hard in Helena and "fighting" for us all.

Ryan Zinke, of Whitefish, is the Republican senator-elect for Senate District 2.