A Republican who has served three terms in the state House goes up against a Democrat new to politics in the race for Kalispell’s Senate District 4. Encompassing downtown Kalispell and stretching northeast to Evergreen. Senate District 4 has traditionally elected Republicans. In 2006, Republican Greg Barkus, who is now term limited, defeated Democrat Gerald Reckin, 4,113 to 2,481.
This year, Democrat Mary Reckin, Gerald’s wife, takes on Jon Sonju, currently the Republican representative for House District 7, for the open seat. Reckin managed her husband’s 2006 campaign, and this time around she intends to get out the vote in Evergreen.
“I believe that there are a lot of people in Evergreen that need to be paid attention to,” Reckin said. “People are so caught up in their problems today that it’s hard to bring their minds back to local level politics.”
Reckin wears a baseball cap declaring she is proud to be a Democrat, and said it was a gift from a woman she befriended while volunteering at the food bank in Evergreen, among the people she meets there, “who are in trouble and need help.”
“I wear this to remind me of her,” Reckin said. Her platform includes improving mental health treatment, expanding recycling programs, support for renewable energy and protecting education funds in what is likely to be a legislative session where nearly all areas of state spending face cuts.
“We can’t give these children less than they’re entitled,” she added. “It’s not their fault that they happen to have to go to school during this time.”
Reckin also hopes to build a base of support among women.
“The more women we can get involved, I think it’s going to be a very good thing for the state,” Reckin said. “I will listen, I will learn and I will lead.”
Her opponent, Sonju, is a business-oriented conservative who works for his family’s manufacturing firm. He sees the three big issues of the upcoming session as cutting spending to meet a potential $400 million shortfall, reforming medical marijuana laws and economic development.
“There’s going to be some programs that probably are not going to be funded, that’s just the reality of the situation,” Sonju said. “I think it’s a reality check for the executive branch and the legislative branch: We can’t sustain the growth.”
As for which programs should be on the chopping block, Sonju replied, “That’s the $400-million question.”
Sonju supports limiting access to medical marijuana to those with serious health conditions. He also wants the Legislature to base revenue projections off more pessimistic scenarios for the upcoming biennium, and he believes the long-term economic focus of Montana should be a manufacturing base producing value-added products.
“A lot of the politics need to be left at the door to focus on getting value-added jobs here, and to help them get every single tool possible to get these jobs here,” Sonju said, “because that’s what creates a healthy tax environment, when businesses are thriving.”
Reckin is unimpressed with Sonju’s record in the House.
“I can’t see that he’s accomplished a great deal,” she said. “It’s just time to have a different perspective in the Senate.”
But Sonju is proud of his work supporting bills of his allies, and believes opposing bad legislation is just as important, noting he opposed the property tax reappraisal bill.
“Sometimes the best legislation that you help get passed isn’t yours,” he said. “Or sometimes the best legislation is no legislation.”
Both candidates agree, however, that the Legislature must pass steeper penalties and tougher enforcement measures to combat Montana’s drunken driving problem – regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans hold a majority.
BEACON ELECTION 2010 CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE: Senate District 4
1. What’s the top issue facing Montanans in your district and how do you plan to work on it in the session?
2. How can the Legislature combat Montana’s drunken driving problem?
3. How should the Legislature handle the funding shortfall facing schools when stimulus dollars run out?
NAME: Jon Sonju
AGE: 34
PARTY: Republican
OCCUPATION: Business Development- Sonju Industrial Inc.
YEARS IN THE VALLEY: 30
1. The economy is the top issue facing Montana. We need to protect every business and job we have in the state and attract more. The state needs to take an active lead in providing access to capital for business retention and growth. One solution is to make capital more available to businesses through the Montana Board of Investments.
2. The Montana Legislature needs to send a clear message to repeat DUI offenders with mandatory sentencing requirements. It is shocking to see people driving with multiple DUIs.
3. Like most businesses and households schools are going to need to cut back on spending and look at ways to save money. I did not support using stimulus dollars for school funding because the dollars were used as one-time funding solutions. The long-term solution for school funding is to allow more local control to our local elected school boards and allow them to carry forward funds. There also needs to be the political will in Helena to consolidate our school districts and cut administrative costs.
NAME: Mary Reckin
AGE: 70
PARTY: Democrat
OCCUPATION: Director/Producer Down Home Productions
YEARS IN THE VALLEY: 18
1. Determining the top issue facing the voters of SD4 depends on whom you survey. Certainly, the economy, jobs and education are among those concerns. Montana has many assets that can promote economic growth and stability. Small businesses, clean energy industry and education must be part of the plan. The controlled use of our natural resources must also be part of the equation and educating our citizens to fill those jobs in a complex workplace is critical.
2. Getting to the root problem is best, but treatment programs can be costly. The culture of drinking and driving is changing with the loss of life so prevalent. Parents must be held accountable for underage children who drink and drive. Driving school could be required for all who are cited for DUIs, paid for by the perpetrators. After the first citation, the fines should be greater and ultimately result in a suspended license. Breath tests should be mandatory on every suspected DUI stop.
3. An educated electorate is vital to the success and progress of our state. Personal sacrifice in other areas may become necessary to preserve our present system of education. Some details within the system can improve efficiency. Numerous levels of administration must be examined and the integrity of the classroom must be protected. Unification of districts would bring smaller school districts under one administrator. The result would be better coordination and savings through smaller administration.