Keep faith after school trust setback

Last week, Republicans killed plans for the Whitefish community to purchase the development rights off school trust lands. This sets back the implementation of major sectors of the Whitefish State Lands Plan. Not a single Republican Representative from the Flathead delegation supported the concept of preserving the engine of the Whitefish economy.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that preserving these lands for future generations is deeply rooted in my heart. My eyes swelled once I discovered that not only did the naysayers object to conservation of public lands, but also each one of them individually lied to my face. Call me naive but I still believe that people should honor their word. It is the power of our word, which directs our intent, our dreams and our wills.

SB 337 was the noble effort of Sen. Dan Weinberg to increase funding for schools by $2-4 million over the biennium. It would have allowed the purchase of development rights off the state public lands around Whitefish, Billings, Bozeman and areas like Missoula.

This legislation was a pilot project limited to 25,000 acres of the total 5.2 million in the state, that's less than one half of one percent. It would have required that the state retain ownership of the land that the state preserve the mineral rights as well as the ability for timber management and recreational access. There were many options on the table including limiting easement terms to 99 years.

After three local Republicans killed the proposal in committee, all 50 House Democrats supported a full House floor debate. Only Republicans Noennig from Billings and Republican Maclaren from Victor were willing to offer support on this effort requiring 60 out of 100 votes.

Four out of five State Land Board supported the pilot project concept and provided testimony in favor during both the Senate and House hearings. The fifth Land Board member came on board during future discussions. Trout Unlimited, Stockgrowers, Audubon, and a landslide of citizen and business support testified in favor. There was NO opposing testimony in either the House or Senate.

Republicans made many veiled excuses for not supporting Whitefish. They cried about perpetuity, which is dismissed by the 99-year term option. They whined about the lateness in the session, which is dismissed by the plain fact the Republican chair of Natural Resources stalled until the very last day for executive action.

Somehow, sometime we must begin to acknowledge that we are one Montana. That certain areas of our great state are growing like the dickens while other areas are faced with stagnant and declining growth.

If I have learned anything during my stay in Helena, we have a tremendously difficult time understanding the relationship between urban and rural people. The challenge for our generation is to bridge this gap. We must begin as a state and community to embrace the simple fact that humanity, humility and compassion for each other far out weigh political rhetoric.

I'm unsure if House Republicans, led by the Flathead delegation, wanted to deal a blow to the Governor's or Auditor's hometown or if they objected to the $2-4 million dollars of new school funding. Maybe they objected to purchase rights only being for 99 years, though perpetual rights were discussed at length in committee.

There are some realities as a result of this stinging setback. The Land Board cannot move forward with increasing school funding from Trust Lands. The DNRC will have to find another venue for setting aside contentions lands prior to implementation of the Real Estate Plan currently before the Land Board.

So if you live near Happy Valley or recreate on public lands in Haskill Basin, Spencer Mountain or Beaver Lake, I urge you to focus on some of the other implementation aspects of the Whitefish State Lands Plan. Be creative, have hope and faith for old 99 has left the station. We can either be on the train, or off the train but being on the tracks will affect an entire community for generations to come.

One way or another we will be back in Helena with this issue again. Whitefish Democrats, Independents and, yes, Republicans must continue to let the naysayers know that selling public lands is a bad option. The next generation has rights and needs that we, as a community must protect. We can generate millions of dollars off these lands for our schools and still keep the lands public.

We've addressed a lot of issues in Helena. Small business health insurance, property tax relief, education funding and will end with a budget with a huge surplus while proving many good services in the health and human sector. We are truly living within our means.

I look forward to getting my hands back into the soil. I'm a farmer at heart and miss Whitefish, my family and friends deeply. We'll fight again to protect our traditions, heritage and way of life. Whitefish is worth fighting for and the many lessons will pave the way to future victory. Have faith.

Rep. Mike Jopek (D-Whitefish)