Session coming to a close early in Helena

The 61st legislative session is finally winding down. The state has no huge surplus so things are different this time. If you've read my weekly session columns in the past, you know that I'm pretty careful with the taxpayer's money.

In 2005 we spent the $300 million surplus and in 2007 we spent most of the $1.2 billion surplus. So after growing state government well over 40 percent we have no extra cash this time.

The current budget hasn't been finalized, but it still grows state government by about 6 percent. Has your income increased 6 percent? Remember when you hear that the Republicans in the Senate cut the funding, they only reduced the increases.

The way we budget, the base is NEVER reduced. Only the proposed increases are reduced. And everyone agreed that this needed to be done because our revenues have dropped.

The only exception is the Health and Human Services budget. Stimulus money is being used for food stamps and medicade. That could be a problem two years from now.

Lack of funding is the reason the Senate Transportation Committee gave for killing my House Bill 187. It stops the government from taxing the same used car twice in one year when a new person buys the car.

The same bill was proposed two years ago when we had the huge surplus and the Senate killed it then as well. Seems like there is no way to stop the taxing.

I was very surprised when my House Agriculture Committee nearly killed Senate Bill 343, the invasive species protection act. One house Democrat said that it was not in the budget. Not true. Both the House and the Senate kept it in the Governor's budget.

One committee member said that we need to fund the most needy Montanans. Another said private industry should step up. They have and are helping to fund information brochures. One opponent said that the program only helps recreationalists.

The testimony about the impact to city and towns in the Midwest was very compelling. There is no way to prevent the zebra mussels from entering the water systems of cities and towns once it gets a start.

Localities in the Midwest spend millions to clean pipes. If we don't stop these problems now, tourism and fishing will also see serious declines. The committee vote was 16 to 4, surprisingly, all four no votes were Democrats.

The bill calls for research into prevention as well as educational programs and spot checks. SB 343 specifies the zebra and the quagga mussel but the programs can be used for any invasive species or weed.

We all are aware of leafy spurge and knapweed, but there are several other that are threatening Montana. In spite of financial problems, Idaho is spending more than $1 million to fight the Eurasian water milfoil, also specified in our HB 343.

However, aside from these three aquatic invasives referenced in SB 343, the number and type of invasive aquatic weeds is increasing at a fast pace, including species like flowering rush, which is already present in the Flathead basin.

If we don't get a handle on this soon, we will have the same problem with the aquatic invasives that we have with the knapweed and leafy spurge. The Flathead Basin Commission says that the window to address aquatic invasives is small and continues to shrink a bit each day.

Here we are in the middle of April and I think we will be done a bit early. Please continue to contact me. I never forget that I work for you. Leave me a message at 406-444-4800, write Representative Janna Taylor, Capitol Building, PO Box 200400, Helena, MT 59620-0400, or email me at jannataylor@montana.com.