Three candidates are seeking the House District 3 seat, a 1,815-square-mile district encompassing Columbia Falls, West Glacier, the North Fork and the Canyon, which is typically controlled by the GOP.
Since incumbent Republican Dee Brown cannot run due to term limits, the open seat could tip the balance in the House, which is currently split 50-50.
This year, Republican Jerry O’Neil, Democrat Zac Perry and Independent Shawn Guymon are each vying for the open seat, bringing with them ideas for job creation, enhancing state sovereignty and funding education.
Jerry O’Neil, 67, returns to politics following two terms as a state senator from 2000 to 2008. He points to the uncertain economy as one of the most important issues in the state, as well as HD 3.
“I think that we are really in a serious situation as far as how the government is spending money,” O’Neil said. “It’s going to be my goal to give as much protection as I can to the citizens of Montana if the downturn continues and if the value of money falls off.”
This could mean pursuing legislation that would make it possible for residents to get bank accounts backed by commodities other than treasury notes, he said, something he is still researching.
State sovereignty is also high on O’Neil’s list of issues. One of his ideas for enhancing Montana’s sovereignty from the federal government is to allow for health care facilities run by insurance companies with high liability coverage. The facilities could then use other pharmaceuticals than what are allowed by the Food and Drug Administration, he said.
“It would be an effort to back them off on their overuse of the commerce clause,” O’Neil said.
The Republican also said he would like to repeal licensing requirements for people who would like to sell their wares at farmers’ markets.
If the GOP gains a majority in the House, O’Neil said it would be easier to pass legislation that would change the state employee retirement plan from defined benefits to a defined contributions plan.
“It would be easier to cut spending and tighten up government with Republicans in control,” O’Neil said. “(They) would be less prone to increase taxes, more prone to reduce government.”
As HD3’s Democratic candidate, Zac Perry said he decided to run for office primarily because he grew up in the area and, once he moved back after college, he wanted to make sure it has every chance to succeed.
“I’m going to live the rest of my life in House District 3 and I feel I’ve got a vested interest in the area, in making sure the people in this district have a voice at the state legislative level,” Perry said.
His primary focus is job creation, Perry said, which means promoting HD 3 as a business-friendly environment for small businesses and large industries alike.
“Industry is important, small business is as well, but when it comes to creating jobs we don’t want to create jobs that you need two or three of to survive,” Perry said.
To help attract these businesses, Perry said he would support a five-year holiday on the business equipment tax.
Perry also intends to concentrate on education funding, which he says is problematic because the taxes collected go to the state general fund instead of directly to the public schools.
As for medical marijuana, Perry said the laws should also be changed so the industry is more regulated.
Despite a termed-out Republican vacating the district seat and the potential for a swing to Democratic control, the 32-year-old candidate said party-line politics do not appeal to him.
“My primary focus relates to the people in House District 3,” Perry said. “When it comes to the interest in my area, I’d like to put the people above party politics.”
Party politics are why Shawn Guymon said he is running as an Independent.
Guymon, 48, said he does not believe politicians who are beholden to a party can truly keep the people they represent as their top priority. A misstep with party mandates could mean that person would be “taken out to the woodshed” politically, Guymon said, something he believes an Independent would not have to deal with.
He noted that when the House has tied up for votes in the past and there is a Constitutional or Independent representative, that person can bring a lot of attention to the needs of his or her district.
“Both parties, when there was a deadlock, had to go to somebody who could not be taken out to the woodshed,” Guymon said.
In regard to legislative issues, Guymon’s focus is working on pieces of the state Workers’ Compensation Act, specifically the provision dealing with non-liability of an insured employer.
Guymon contends this section violates state and Constitutional rights and would like to see it either amended or repealed all together.
Personal rights are also high on Guymon’s list of concerns. He believes there is a concerted effort to erode these rights from the federal government down to the state government.
“The people don’t have anyone to go to because of this concentrated attack on every aspect of their lives,” Guymon said. “I stand on principle; I stand on what made our state great.”
This includes getting Montana back to fundamentals in education and better preparing students with more focus on math, Guymon said. He also believes taxes collected for education should not go to the state general fund.
The Medical Marijuana Act also needs to be re-examined, he said.
If elected, Guymon said he could provide better leadership than some officials already in power.
The general election takes place Nov. 2. Absentee ballots will be available Oct. 4 through noon on Nov. 1.
BEACON ELECTION 2010 CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE: House District 3
1. What is the biggest issue in your district and how do you plan on addressing it in Helena if elected?
2. How should the Legislature handle education funding when one-time stimulus dollars run out next year?
3. How, specifically, should the Legislature address DUI law, if at all?
NAME: Jerry O’Neil
AGE: 67
PARTY: Republican
OCCUPATION: Mediator, advocate and counselor, paralegal
YEARS IN THE VALLEY: Born in Kalispell in 1943
1. Jobs are the biggest issue in House District 3. With our unsustainable national debt and high unemployment rate it is unconscionable for us to allow our natural resources to be locked up. Instead we need to show the world that we can manage our natural resources and yet maintain a clean and healthy environment to be enjoyed by us and our guests for generations to come.
2. The state budget faces a 10 percent shortfall. Funds will have declined about $400,000,000 from January of this year until January 2011. While I would like to find some programs we can eliminate, it is more likely we will need to cut all existing programs to remain solvent. I am willing to transfer funds between existing programs but, since increasing the size of government will further depress the economy, I am not willing to increase taxes.
3. Fatalities on our highways related to alcohol declined between 1982, when we had 171 deaths, to 2008, when we had 103 deaths, or from 67% to 45%. Last year the number of deaths due to drunken driving was 91 people. One life is too many, but I believe our past strengthening and enforcement of our drunken driving laws is changing the public attitude and saving lives. We should continue in this direction.
NAME: Zac Perry
AGE: 32
PARTY: Democrat
OCCUPATION: Substitute Teacher for School District 6, Manager of the Ox Yoke Inn
YEARS IN THE VALLEY: 31
EDUCATION: University of Notre Dame, BA Political Science
1. The top issue I hear brought up most frequently when knocking on the doors in HD 3 is jobs. Small business creation in our area is vitally important, but we must also focus on attracting industry. The loss of the aluminum plant and the significant number of layoffs in the timber industry have hit our area extremely hard. We must find a way to bring industries like cross-laminated timber and other value added wood products to our area. I think a five-year business equipment tax exemption for new businesses would be a step in the right direction.
2. Funding for public education is no longer just a problem. It is a crisis. One need only attend a school board meeting to understand the reality of this crisis. The Legislature needs to address this issue head on by focusing on the loss of education dollars as a result of uncollected taxes. When these tax dollars are eventually collected, they go back into the general fund. We need to ensure that these dollars go where they were intended in the first place: Education.
3. Montana ranks near the top of per capita drunken-driving deaths in the United States. This is not an opinion but a fact. I think the 24/7 Sobriety Project that makes those accused of a second DUI submit to twice-daily Breathalyzer tests, at the expense of the offender, needs to be considered as one way to address our problem statewide. From 2006-2008, South Dakota had the nation’s largest decrease in alcohol related fatal crashes after implementing this program. We need to take action.
NAME: Shawn Guymon
AGE: 48
PARTY: Independent
OCCUPATION: Retired, business owner, disabled veteran
YEARS IN THE VALLEY: Born and raised
1. A discordant effort by certain officials (locally and state) to deny (in a systematic process) the people their inalienable rights. Including access to justice in this county and “voice” to be heard in the state as well. We are not third-class citizens and are tired of being treated that way. We have been left behind and our towns have suffered in economic and structural “distress” for over forty years. Enough is enough!
2. 1) Take the education funds out of the general fund “now.” It must be protected much like Montana’s coal severance fund. 2) Ensure the “already agreed” funds from the monies that the state brings in from gambling stays this time in the education funds. 3) Get back to “tried and true” fundamental education practices, while also incorporating new programs of fundamental learning that have “proved” to improve learning with all students in areas in our country where they are being used. Programs such as 1. Math Made Easy 2. Flocabulary and 3. New Technology Program Institute and 4. More Trade Schools.
3. Stop the “double standard” of the DUI process.