Money matters

I think it's time to tell it like it is the "quality education" flap going on in Helena is not about education-it's about money!

Quite frankly, in the eyes of the bureaucrats and paid lobbyists (who are paid with taxpayer dollars), they will never have enough money. Our Legislature will use up valuable time appeasing these bureaucrats and lobbyists today, knowing full well that they (and the taxpayers) will be sued again and again, not about a quality education, but about money. Our schools and fine teachers have been and are providing a quality education so let's call a spade a spade!

But wait! What if the Legislature passed a law preventing the use of taxpayer dollars to sue the state? If these people had to dig in their own pockets to pay for these lawsuits, we would likely not see nearly as much altruism from those folks.

On the same subject (money), representative Butcher (Winifred) presented a sales tax bill last session that would have eliminated property taxes. The Martz/Depratu regime and the lobbyists wouldn't let it out of committee. It would be nice if the Legislature would at least put this concept on the table and let it be debated, both in Helena and across the state. The Butcher Plan makes sense and would put an end to the on-going property tax "band-aids" we see each session. It's time to remove property taxes from the never-ending school funding battle and let sales tax fund schools.

Wes Higgins

Kalispell