Tuesday: Polson Discourse, State Budget in Red, Lead Ammo Ban

By Dan Testa, 2-09-10

Good morning; on the Beacon today, a new budget forecast indicates that state coffers will run into a deficit by the middle of 2011 — a forecast the governor's office called irrelevant even as it makes plans to start cutting agency budgets. The Bonneville Power Administration on Monday cut its revenue forecast for the fiscal year by about $240 million — from nearly $232 million in net revenue by the end of the year to a $6 million loss. Polson city commissioners here recently adopted a resolution they hope will lead to better government communication and civility in public discourse. Congressman Denny Rehberg had a good week after a Federal Election Commission report showed his campaign coffers dwarf his challengers' and, Amtrak reported fewer Montana riders in 2009 in our weekly index of what's up down and in between.

Montana's Land Board will have to reconsider its price for developing a half-billion ton reserve of state-owned coal after receiving no offers during a lease sale that ended Monday. Montana has ranked consistently among the least economically stressed states in the AP index. Yet it's begun to show cracks. An SEC filing shows that Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. paid about $50.4 million in bonuses last year — including $8.1 million to executives — and the company still owes about $1.18 million in property taxes to Missoula County. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission meets Thursday to consider a controversial trigger-point: a proposal to ban lead shot at state wildlife management areas. A mysterious shortage of a popular thyroid medication has left patients feeling miserable, frightened and angry. [End of article]