Guest opinion

Political platform

I am Bill Jones seeking re-election to the Montana Legislature House District 9. This includes the east shore of Flathead Lake to Kalispell on the east side of Flathead River and the Swan Lake valley.

Patricia and I are third generation Montanans, married for 40 years. We raised five children who graduated from the Montana University system. I grew up in Cut Bank, attended Montana State and graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry. After serving in Korea and Madigan Army Hospital I returned to Montana where I have practiced since 1966. I have served on the Cut Bank School Board and participated with many youth activities.

Today my routine involves practicing Dentistry with David, helping with the Salvation Army Dental project, Montana donated dental services, efforts to start a Community Health Center and legislative meetings that discuss Health and Human Services issues.

My daily routine when at the Legislature was up at 4 a.m., studying and reading bills until 6 a.m., breakfast and walk to the Capitol to read and answer e-mail. At 8 a.m., State Administration Committee would start up dealing with election laws, pension plans and the organization and working of state government. Usually noon was used to meet with citizens and their lobbyists to hear what consequences of the 2,000 pieces of legislation might be. Afternoons would start with Committee of the Whole and 10 to 40 votes would be made. At 3:15 I would report to the Health and Human Service Committee where policy and financial priorities for the biggest agency of state government are discussed.

Because many of the needy, disabled and their advocates attend, the meetings often lasted until 7 p.m. or later. Evenings were social with many presentations and treats by various groups. Most Saturdays were finished by 1 p.m., which allowed a quick visit home.

My political goals; improve our quality of life, encourage people to be self sufficient, help those who cannot help themselves and improve access, quality and efficiency of health care.

Legislative leadership selected me as a delegate to the National Council of State Legislators, as a Robert Wood Johnson participant (scholarship) for a three-year Health Leaders forum and a legislative team member to meet with the Montana Supreme Court and Governors office to improve relations and make government work.

I support highway safety legislation, more public access to our rivers, streams, lakes and public education. A constitutional amendment to allow the Legislature to freeze property tax valuations of resident's homes will be reintroduced.

Tax reductions must be balanced with the reality of a $1.5 billion unfunded liability for state pensions, the loss of our federal Medicaid funding that cares for our needy, rapidly rising university tuition costs, law enforcement, public safety, prisons and needs of public education. Much of our prosperity is directly related to low interest rates, a housing boom, deficit federal spending and federal spending in Montana that exceeds what we pay in federal taxes. This business cycle could change. We must be efficient, set priorities and avoid waste.

"No tax, no government" is great campaign talk when your life is going perfect but we have a moral responsibility to those who cannot help themselves. Each one of us may be a heart beat away from a cardiovascular accident and find ourselves or loved ones in a nursing home.

An estate of a home and three hundred thousand dollars of other assets disappears fast paying sixty thousand a year for long-term nursing home care. When your money is spent down to a modest amount you become a Medicaid recipient dependent on taxpayers. The demographics of our aging population create the reality of difficult decisions ahead for state legislators and state agencies.

My fellow Republicans have many diverse views but we are bonded together by our values of social justice, limited efficient government and individual responsibility. Elephants live under a big tent.

The majority of our elected officials, government employees, legislators, lobbyists, reporters and journalists are very bright, hard working, well informed and are dedicated to serving the public.

Practicing dentistry in Kalispell between three public elementary schools, a parochial school, many home school and Flathead High School recreates optimism for our future.

I am pleased to report our students are energetic, enthused, and eager to participate in civic affairs, thoughtful and realize they have obligations to others as they prepare for adult life.

I will continue to vote pro life, pro family, pro health, pro business, and pro education and pro-2nd Amendment.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Bill Jones

HD9