Comments on: PSC: High Stakes in Obscure Race
By Kalispell Native on 09-02-10
Gallagher’s, and his wife’s, financial arrangements with the Aqua named companies scream “Conflict of Interest”.
By sunrise6 on 09-02-10
Ken Toole’s voting record on behalf of extreme and blatantly liberal government control is what is wacky here. All you have to do is look at that history and compare the results to the continually growing burden of taxation on your wallet & you too will see that we have to impose some balance on the PSC. The only way I see that can happen is that we bring new, conservative thinking into the mix by sending Ken Toole home and give Bill Gallagher an opportunity to serve the people of Montana.
By sunrise6 on 09-02-10
It is Ken Toole’s voting record that is wacky - blatantly liberal, all for government intrusion and that all-too-familiar by now, wealth redistribution philosophy that discourages all of us that actually believe in self sufficiency. As I see it we have to have a conservative presence on the PSC and the only way to do that is to send Toole home and put Bill Gallagher in there to do his best to serve the people of Montana. And, OK, if his tiny Aqua company in the Helena area is a conflict, then he needs to fix that, but I don’t see it that way. To me it seems like a good thing to have someone serving on that board that understands how these companies work.
By MTHalling on 09-02-10
Uh- note to Democrats:The gig is up, Americans are sceaming loud and clear that we’ve had it with your good ole boys club. Unfortunately for you, we are not drinking the kool-aid. When you tell us you have our best interest at heart, we now know that is code for: “Trust me and my friends, we can make much better decisions with YOUR money than you can” And a CAREER POLITICIAN like Ken Toole fears nothing more than an informed voter- he can’t use logic and reason, so he must resort to innuendo. Somehow we’re supposed to believe that Gallagher will be held captive by his role in a utility company with a little over 100 customers, when it comes to decision making for the rest of us. This makes sense to a Democrat because that’s how they conduct themselves-
By MtGirl on 09-02-10
Toole thinks the whole idea that he wants to regulate co-ops is “nutty”? What about his voting record? He clearly supported giving the PSC authority to regulate and charge fines on Flathead Electric if they didn’t charge their customers enough for conservation mandates! Seems to me that Toole is trying to muddy the waters and create confusion, thus avoiding the real energy issues and concerns currently facing the Flathead. Toole also reviewed and approved the water utility sale that Gallagher is involved with, so obviously he thought it was a perfectly legitimate and ethical business entity at that time. Why is he now suggesting something is amiss with this company?
By Kalispell Native on 09-02-10
Mt Girl: The problem is not that something is amiss with Gallagher’s company.
The problem is that Gallagher has had, and quite possibly may have more, business before the PSC.
To have a principal of a company making decisions about that company while sitting on a regulatory board is a clear Conflict of Interest.
By gallagher4psc on 09-02-10
Would it help for you to know that the business structure, that Ken infers as dubious, was fully reviewed and approved by the Secretary of State, the legal staff of the Montana Consumer Counsel, the attorney for the Homeowner’s Association that the water system serves, the legal staff of Public Service Commission, and unanimously by Commission, including Ken Toole, in 2007.
Complaining now about something he himself reviewed and approved suggests that, either everybody charged with reviewing the company structure was asleep at the switch or, more likely, the simple and honest explanation given to the PSC then was perfectly acceptable; That an out of state Company, Aqua Sierra, seeking to buy the small (143 customer) water/sewer system, created a subsidiary, “AquaFlo” as a stand alone Montana taxpaying entity so that there would be absolutely no hint of tax avoidance or shifting assets out of state. AquaFlo pays both Montana and federal income taxes and its returns are on file at the PSC.
By RussCrowder on 09-02-10
Ken “the fool” Toole was once referred to in a book written about the history of the leftist terrorist organization Earth First, as, “a wacko calling others wacko’s.” This was when this former Earth Firster was heading the radical group, Montana Human Rights Network. This is a Marxist group that specializes in trying to brand anyone that is even slightly to the “right of center” politically, as “Raciest.” Ken the Fool even branded George Ostrom a raciest once. This guy is a real nutcase that has used his position to funnel millions in taxpayer dollars to radical “Green” groups throughout the state. SEND THE FOOL TOOLE DOWN THE ROAD !
By Kalispell Native on 09-02-10
If you are elected, will you divest yourself entirely of any interests you hold in Aqua Sierra and Aqua Flo so has to remove any possible appearance of a potential conflict of interest?
Will you ask your wife to do the same so that even “pillow talk” is removed from concern?
I would think there is a blind trust arrangement that could be arranged and found acceptable by law.
By MTHalling on 09-02-10
yes Bill Gallagher, divest yourself and divert your holdings into a non-profit with a fluffy name like Puppies and Kittens for World Peace. You can’t use Montana Human Rights Network, that one is currently being used.
By Mayor on 09-02-10
so Toole thinks that it is wrong for one to own a water company and at the same time run for the PSC which regulates rates, I think all one needs to do is recuse ones self from any action that may benefit his company specifically. But that being its the pot calling the kettle black because as president of the Montana Human Rights Network he proposed and voted in favor of bills that benefited the goals of his organization in which he was paid, Ken quite being a hypocrite Dude and just talk about the higher electrical rates that are coming due to your expensive green habits.
By Westside2 on 09-02-10
Wow Russell. What a great job of violating the Beacon’s comment policy.
By reborn on 09-03-10
Looks like Gallagher is yet another political embarrassment for the Republicans in the making. I’m so tired of people running for office just to try to line their own pockets, which Gallagher is obviously trying to do! Ken Toole has a record of standing for consumer protection, not corporate profits. Ken Toole for PSC!
By reborn on 09-03-10
gallagher4psc - trust ya as far as I can throw ya. You’re in the business of self-service, not public service. If you weren’t a lawyer, I’d say you should be ashamed of yourself.
Which reminds me of a joke - How many lawyers does it take to screw us all over at the PSC?
By Paying Attention on 09-03-10
We need more people like Ken Toole in office. He is a champion of consumer protection. He’s possibly the most ethical person in public office today.
By Kalispell Native on 09-03-10
Why isn’t Gallagher answering a voter’s question?
It’s a perfectly reasonable and legitimate question.
By gallagher4psc on 09-04-10
The short answer is the very same reason the Flathead Beacon will not give me “Kalispell Native’s” true name and contact information. He has a constutional right and expectation of privacy, and the Beacon would be violating that right by doing so..
By Kalispell Native on 09-04-10
gallagher: Are you saying that you are so stupid and arrogant as to go the Beacon and demand that they identify me to you? Really?
You are now in the realm of being a “public figure” and you have an obligation to state how you will conduct yourself, to include financial entanglements, if elected to office.
Don’t try to weasel out of giving a direct answer to a direct question.
And, no, I will not voluntarily disclose who I am. But I will tell you this much, I am in no way involved with, or a contributor to, Ken Toole’s campaign.
By Web Master on 09-06-10
This thread is being shutdown for violating the Beacon’s comment policy. Comments have been removed.
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