A dangerous and deceptive initiative

Since I grew up in a rural community, and Froid was my hometown, I appreciate the importance of your local newspaper.

I am writing to you to warn you of one of the most deceptive and dangerous initiatives facing Montana this year, CI-97. This initiative, which proposes to control state government spending by adding three pages to the state constitution and limit state spending to the rate of inflation plus population growth, will hamstring our state legislature's ability to care for the people of Montana.

The same initiative, called TABOR, was passed in Colorado and has caused many adverse effects. Colorado's funding of K-12 schools has fallen from 35th to 49th in the nation, higher education funding has dropped by nearly one-third, public health funding for women and children has plummeted, and senior healthcare has dropped from 20th to 48th in the nation, Last year, Colorado had enough and voted to suspend TABOR.

In addition to funding decreases to public services, Colorado residents also experienced an increase in fees. And when a state cannot fully fund vital programs, the result is that local and county governments have to raise taxes to meet the need. In Montana, where property taxes are already too high, this would mean a further increase in local homeowner property taxes.

So please, don't let the out-of-state money backing this initiative influence your vote. Vote "no" on CI-97.

Verner Bertelson

Helena