Rejects federal land transfer

The plan to transfer federal land to the state is a fool’s errand, based on wishful thinking and misinformation and funded by self-serving private interests. Here’s only one of many reasons this is a bad idea for Montanans. Even if state Sens. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, and Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse, and other supporters are sincere when they proclaim none of those lands would be sold, the facts tell a different story.

Consider the Montana State Parks Draft Strategic Plan (Creating a New Tomorrow Public Draft 2015-2020). This plan acknowledges that Montana state parks are underfunded and unable to fulfill their mission. Among the proposed solutions are to raise revenue (increase the general fund allocation, raise user fees) and/or reduce the size of the State Parks system. In fact, a survey of Montana legislators identified among their top priorities the selling, transferring or donating of state park lands. Remember this when a legislator makes an empty promise not to sell state lands.

If all the campgrounds, picnic areas, boat access sites and other recreation lands on the Flathead National Forest were suddenly managed by the state, how could they afford to maintain them if they can’t fund the current state parks? The answer is pretty simple. The state would either be forced to raise user fees, raise taxes (good luck with that one) or start selling off prime recreation sites.

The out-of-state billionaires backing this land transfer scheme will expect some payback for their support. They’ll be waiting to scoop up these sites and exclude us from our (formerly) public lands.

If we allow this fool’s errand to proceed, we the taxpayers who enjoy recreating on our public lands will be the real fools.

Steve Gniadek lives in Columbia Falls.