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We face issues that at times seem to be overwhelming, climbing food prices, skyrocketing fuel cost, insurance premiums that run amok, and a national debt with no seeming end. A cooperative approach is needed to find practical solutions to these dilemmas, one that embraces Republicans, Democrats, Constitutionalist and Independents alike.

Over the past week, I went to Helena to continue our work on the Revenue and Transportation committee. While at the capital, I met with a lot of good folks from many political leanings and talked about our economy here in Montana, the nation and at the local community level.

During the drive home, I spent some time thinking about how best to assure that we retain our character and allow our communities to prosper, our workers have opportunities and our entrepreneurs undertake business ventures while offering our families hope for an even better tomorrow.

The many discussions lead to familiar themes; continue the elimination of the business equipment tax, decrease personal income taxes across the board, assure predictable property taxation for downtown businesses and homeowners, reform credit practices, advance opportunities for health insurance for small businesses and properly fund community colleges.

Many folks also talked about the how staggering fuel cost, extremely high food expenditures and credit crunches are increasingly problematic. Amongst all these conversations was also a theme of keeping a sense of place, retaining our character and heritage as Montana. Talking care of elderly, the young through education, and preserving our way of life and liberty continue to be paramount.

I’ve enjoyed a tremendous faith in what folks back home consider as solutions. I would very much like it if you could take a few minutes explaining to me how you feel we should best continue to move forward.

In this spirit, I welcome your input, regardless of any given party leaning. I have learned that regular Montanans, business owners, retirees and workers, know best on how to assure that we continue to prosper as a State and community.

I cannot thank you enough for your insight, passion and graciousness in helping to move us forward. I’ll continue to work with our good Governor and any willing Legislator or citizen toward solutions, but need a bit of insight; what’s on your mind.

Thanks,
Mike

mike@mikejopek.com
www.mikejopek.com
250-1184

Our grandmas were right. They fed us simple and wholesome food, kept raspberry jam in the cupboard and taught us to be kind to one another. It’s from their inspiration that I put this most recent email commentary together.

It is not submitted to the media as an oped or a letter to the editor. I simply thought you might enjoy the read. As always, if you have thoughts on the subject, feel free to share them with me.

Thanks,
Mike
www.mikejopek.com
mike@mikejopek.com
250-1184

One People, One Montana
Rep. Mike Jopek

The robins are sure out looking for those worms in the farm soil. The birds are plentiful but they’re still quite skinny. Today I saw the first flicker of the season. The mornings may be chilly but spring is in the air and the annual Creston Auction is but days away.

We’re blessed to live in the Flathead. A look into someone’s eyes, a smile and a handshake represents a lot to us as a people. Sadly, across the nation, this simple gesture of humanity is beginning to be an uncommon phenomenon. But there is plenty of sparkle on the faces of locals in the Flathead.

Many of us are workers or businessmen, living in a railroad and ski town. Some are business owners, other retired or personally wealthy. Most have families. But we share a common bond as people. We often forget this during our daily tribulations. But, in reality, it’s this simple caring for each other, our elders and children, which bring worth and joy into our lives.

Recently, some in our communities want to divide us for personal profit or power. Don’t let them. Remain one community. A people united by our common bond of appreciation.

This is no simple task in the days when we raise kids, care for elderly and try to pay the daily bills. With gas prices through the roof, insurance premiums run amok and food inflation beyond control, it’s easy to be sarcastic and pessimistic about the future.

Recall the reasons for living here; we all have our own stories and memories. Those days still exist but often are more difficult to visualize via the fog of growth. We may be the fastest growing area in the State but we are lucky that our landscape is still open, our air fresh, and our water clean.

Those who seek to perpetuate the divisive way need our help. If someone looks to argue, listen and say kind things about him or her as you explain your point of view. If they are angry, be patient. If we find our neighbors full of fear offer them hope by bringing them homemade cookies. Or if folks are hateful, find the love in your own heart to forgive and forget.

I know it’s a bit odd for citizen politicians to offer these words, but I’m a simple farmer looking for a bit of graciousness from our neighbors in Montana.

Whitefish, the Flathead and Montana are worth struggling for. One day we all will look back and be grateful that we defend our hometowns. It is in this togetherness that we will prosper and create opportunities.

Our biggest challenge is to create the atmosphere of cooperation. To allow people to come together and find those solutions, which move us forward. Montana is on the right trail and working with others, regardless of party affiliation, will keep us strong and united. Have faith in each other.

-Rep. Mike Jopek is a rural farmer and represents the Whitefish area in the State Legislature.

###

Rep. Jopek files for re-election
says. “Together, we must continue our labor of service.”

Rural Whitefish farmer, Rep. Mike Jopek (D) filed paperwork for re-election to stand by the folks of the Whitefish area, State House District 04, in the 2009 Legislative session. Jopek seeks to serve his third term from a maximum four terms.

Currently over 200 people have already contributed to the ’09 campaign. “Flathead County residents are telling me that Montana is headed in the right direction,” said Jopek. He plans an old fashioned campaign of listening and talking with voters.

Jopek is again not accepting any political action group (PAC) campaign money. “PAC money comes with expectations,” said Jopek. In ‘04 and ‘06 Jopek refused to take political action group money and some 400 individuals fueled his wins in each cycle by very comfortable margins.

Jopek notes good advances in state funding of K-12 education and steady advancements in local community college and higher education. Homeowner property tax rebates and property tax credits on income taxes are good steps in the right direction. He notes good advancement in clean energy development from wind power to bio fuels.

In ’07, he sponsored and passed laws to protect homeowners from debt foreclosure, clarify gravel pit laws, find property tax reappraisals tools during the interim, and enhance solution to keep public lands accessible and in public hands.

Next session, Jopek sees continued work on health care and assuring that property taxes are lower and more predicable. He stressed the importance of continuing to make the business climate even friendlier and all levels of government more accountable to people.

“I’ll keep working with our Governor and any willing Legislator or citizen to keep Montana the great community it is to raise our families and give our kids the opportunities to succeed,” said Jopek

Known as a hard worker and independent minded, Jopek is currently a member of the House interim committee on Revenue and Transportation. During the session he served on Taxation and Agriculture committees.

###

Hope, Fear, Property Taxes and Montanans
-Rep. Mike Jopek

In Helena, Democrats and Republicans are getting along nicely to mitigate the effects of the 2009 property tax reappraisal in a cooperative manner. The Revenue and Transportation Committee is entrusted with finding solutions for local businesses and homeowners to the property tax reappraisal. As one of the Legislators on this committee, I see folks rolling up sleeves to do the people’s work with an open ear.

On our farmstead, barn cats and farm dogs sometimes spat. Likewise cynics say that it’s not possible for politicians to be trusted to work on behalf of people. But Legislators, unlike farmyard pets, are coming together as people, not partisans, with a common interest in assuring that property taxes do not rise due to reappraisals. Our common bonds as Montanans are strong, a refreshing change and lesson from the bullying majority of the 2007 Montana House.

Our Constitution requires that Montana “appraise, assess and equalize the valuation of all property”. The next reappraisal should be implemented in 2009. By law, every six years the Revenue Department establishes and equalizes property values.

It’s understandable why homeowners and local businesses are saying that property taxes are unpredictable or too high; I agree. We are burdened by near $4 per gallon gas prices, overly high health insurance costs, skyrocketing interest debt, and home heating prices that have run amok; all causing elderly and folks to choose between gas, medicine, food or heat. Given this scenario, the people’s government is an easy target; at least some of us listen and act accordingly, which is more that we can say about unregulated insurance costs or gas prices.

It’s refreshing to see that there will be neighborhood modeling in the 2009 reappraisal. This will help to assure that tax valuations are equitably applied, and not by comparing “mc-mansions” to regular homes. Traditional homes should be valued next to other traditional homes.

We are beginning to see tax valuations in high growth areas slowing and even decreasing, while tax valuations in low growth areas have escalated more than expected. This is good, for tax purposes, because equalization is much easier when there are not wild differentials between the low and high growth areas of Montana. It allows for simpler and more equitable tax rate reductions and increased homestead and comstead exemptions from valuation.

We need more and better circuit breakers for anomalies in the system. Sometimes odd situations require targeted relief. There will be molding of concrete ideas in the coming days including expanded caps, and better income bracket relief.

But most exciting, is the Committee agreed to look at what other states have done in terms of reform. To model other states strategies upon Montana’s system using 2003 reappraisal numbers and real, new construction growth. This is good news for many of us looking to reform property taxes of Montana homeowners and local businesses. Other States have had great successes and there is no reason why we cannot utilize these successes.

We’ll see a lot more material in April, then again as the crop season advances. The Revenue and Transportation Committee meets all the way to the snow season of 2008, giving us the needed time to forge bonds and fully vet solutions to property taxes, and honor local businesses and homeowners with the deserved respect.

I’ve talked and listened to enough folks to know that if it looks like our optimism is too fancy, we have plenty of time to delay property tax reappraisal implementation in the 2009 session. Some may find there is no urgency or willingness to change the present tax structure and decide to pass the ball onto following session, thought the climate is right today for reforming the property tax reappraisal system.

I’ll continue to work with our Governor and any willing Legislator or citizen to assure that all Montanans are fairly represented in the process. Some of our best solutions are coming from the folks back home; this work would not proceed without continued good input. Keep the ideas coming as listening is the precursor to solutions.

Only a handful of hardheads still doubt that the 2009 property tax solutions should target Montanans and not out-of-state corporations making record profit at the pumps. Democrats and Republicans can agree to do right by Montanans. Our common bond should be our farmers, local businesses and homeowners; the elderly, retirees and families striving to do right by our children.

Civility and respect go along way in politics, and hope is still stronger and more vibrant than fear. It’s common values, which will reform our statewide property tax system and assure no-increases due to reappraisals.

-Rep. Mike Jopek is an independent minded farmer representing the Whitefish area in the Legislature currently as a Democrat. He serves on the Revenue and Transportation Committee charged with mitigating property tax reappraisals under HB 488 and can be emailed at mjopek@mt.gov .

Montana’s Public Land; A Long-Term Asset
-Rep. Mike Jopek

Recently we acquired a terrier-mix puppy for farm duties, a handsome chicken dog. And as a result, spent countless hours walking, over open land, in an attempt exercise some of that new energy in our household.

These walks renewed my deep conviction that we, as a State, are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful areas of our County. Our public lands are open, our water is clean and our air fresh. How lucky we are as a people, a community.

One of the difficult tasks associated with training a dog for farm duties, has been the “leave it” command. Puppies have a tricky time leaving things alone. They are just so curious about everything and have endless energy to contribute to tasks like chewing.

Many years back the, City of Whitefish, Flathead County, Department of Natural Resources, State Land Board and countless concerned citizens joined in a collaborative planning approach to assure that the 13,000 acres of State public lands surrounding Whitefish would remain nearly development-free.

This was no easy task, but hundreds of folks from the KM area, Spencer Mountain, Swift Creek, Beaver Lake, Haskill Basin and Happy Valley all joined in this effort to preserve our public lands and keep the lands open for recreation, timber harvest, economic vitality and hunting.

Whitefish, the Land Board, and Flathead County jointly adopted a neighborhood plan, which has become a model across the State of Montana. It spells out in clear terms that the bulk intent of these forestlands is for the long-term economic benefit of conservation. That we should manage for traditional and recreational uses in accordance with community values.

In the past couple of Legislative sessions we have worked extremely hard on finding common ground on conservation legislation. This would be very good for schools, as conservation of these forestlands would bring into K-12 educations about a $1million per year for kids, and alleviate a load to taxpayers.

And as homeowners, local businesses and schools can attest, we need new tools to fund education and pull on the reins of the yoke on the necks of taxpayers. Looking toward approaches with overwhelming and broad community support is a great start.

In 2005 Montanans changed the law such that when the Land Board converts State lands for commercial uses, they must consider local planning in that process. To their credit the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation took it a bit further to consult with locals on all real estate projects on State land, a welcome change from the divisive politics of old.

In the 2007 House not one Flathead member of the majority would support even a simple 50-year termed conservation of public lands with 10-year reviews, never mind permanent solutions. Ironically, these same types of termed lease provisions are given freely to good corporations like Costco or Lowe’s on public lands right here in the Flathead.

As SB 391 was dead, our hopes squashed for the second Legislative term, 2005 suffering a similar fate with a lot of the same voices of opposition. A study bill, HJ 57, is currently conducting an interim study to find consensus amongst good folks and public land conservation will be back again in some form in 2009. And solutions look promising.

My hope is that cooler heads will prevail and a permanent or reasonable compromise reached, with an outreached hand across the aisle. I have faith and hope for a more post partisan majority in the 2009 House to proceed collaboratively, no tolerance for bullying.

The study bill intent for State public lands is clear; do right by our school kids, work with others interested in conservation of State lands, preserve traditional and historic uses like recreation and timber management, and find common ground on a multiple use strategy to keep these precious lands in the public domain.

No doubt that the partnerships to build public pathways throughout the forestlands around Whitefish will begin as the snow melts. This stride forward initiates a smaller portion on the comprehensive plan put together in the early days by the collaboration. Keeping these lands in public hands will be a task for years to come.

The State forestlands of the Flathead are the public’s largest asset and a driving force behind our local economy. We need more solutions to help fund our schools and conservation is a great long term and forward-looking step.

Just as we teach our farm dogs’ commands like “leave it”, we must also be observant in protecting the assets that we share in common; clean water, open public lands and fresh air. This is not a partisan issue, but it sure acts that way on the floor of the House in Helena.

As we continue to train our dog “leave it”, because no farmer can tolerate a puppy with a hen in mouth, we sure appreciate our great Flathead quality of life. The Whitefish area locals know our public lands should be historically and traditionally used while managed for the benefit of school kids. These public assets deserve to be conserved for long-term economic benefit.

State conservation of the local public forestlands of the Flathead will take local support. Let me know if you have some time and interest to spare.

Rep. Mike Jopek is an independent minded farmer who serves the Whitefish area as a Democrat.