Supports Powers

Campaign flyers for the two candidates running in House District 3 showed up in my mailbox on the same day last week. One from Debo Powers, paid for by the POWERS FOR THE PEOPLE campaign, simply encouraged us to vote and mail our ballots no later than Oct. 24.

Meanwhile, her opponent’s flyer, paid for by the Montana Republican Central Committee, Mike Hopkins Treasurer (no relation), warned in bold letters, “Democrats like Debo Powers want to (then in red letters) TAX EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.”

This nonsense from the MRCC got me wondering if Hopkins has read Debo’s positions on taxation, bulleted on her powersforthepeople.us/issues web page. These include her commitments to: “a

property tax circuit breaker that would adjust property taxes based upon the ability to pay, with the deferred taxes paid once the property is sold; making out-of-state corporations pay their fair share of taxes in Montana ... by implementing income reporting for multi-national corporations that also earn money in Montana; (and taxation) based upon the ability to pay, which is achieved through graduated rates.”

As to that last point, Debo says when those in the top brackets don’t pay their fair share, middleand lower-income taxpayers end up paying the difference. Debo also opposes a state sales tax.

How governments, and how much elected officials, tax citizens is a crucial debate. As a former mayor of Kalispell and city manager of Columbia Falls, I also know that truthfulness about collecting the public’s money is essential for an honest discussion.

Debo has smart, common-sense plans for funding the essential public services we in Columbia Falls, the North Fork, and the Canyon rely upon. We need her wisdom, experience and leadership in the Montana Legislature. We also need honesty about her positions, not misleading rhetoric.

Roger Hopkins

Columbia Falls