House candidate wants to jump-start local economy

Returning from talks in Victoria, B.C., about finalizing efforts to stop coal, oil and gas development in the Canadian Flathead, Will Hammerquist stopped by the Pilot last week to talk about his bid to represent Whitefish in the Montana Legislature as a Democrat.

He said he planned to run for House District 4 as a Democrat before learning that Rep. Mike Jopek, D-Whitefish, intended not to run for a fourth term.

"I didn't plan on running 'against' him," he explained. "I wanted to share ideas and do some good for the area."

Hammerquist, who recently turned 30, gave four reasons for running. First, citing the current recession, he wants to develop a "detailed plan to jump-start the local economy." That could include investing the state's coal tax fund, pension funds and other investment funds here in Montana instead of in out-of-state financial institutions. He also suggested a business-equipment tax "holiday" for perhaps five years.

"We have lots of untapped potential here in the Flathead," he said. "We need incentives so small businesses can invest in their businesses again."

Second, Hammerquist wants to see a long-term plan for protecting the Haskill Basin area, which includes the watershed for the city of Whitefish's drinking water, recreation on Big Mountain and timber harvesting on Forest Service and Stoltze timber lands.

"We need to bring the stakeholders together and see what can be done," he said, adding that he'd like to see oil and gas and leases on the west side of the Whitefish Range retired by the Forest Service.

Third, Hammerquist wants to continue backing education for public schools and colleges.

"We need to improve our work force so the U.S. can compete at the global level," he said.

But he wasn't happy about salaries recently awarded to the presidents of the University of Montana and Montana State University by the Board of Regents, "the fourth branch of government," he said.

"I'm an avid supporter of education, but I don't think those salaries are right," he said. "Everyone else is tightening their belts."

Fourth, Hammerquist wants to see something done about property taxes. The recent reappraisal coincided with the recession, and the Department of Revenue's figures don't accurately reflect property values, he said — especially in the Flathead.

Born in Cut Bank, Hammerquist's family moved to the Flathead in 1982. He grew up on five acres near the Old Steel Bridge while his father, starting with nothing, built a successful construction company. Hammerquist recalled 4-H projects and feeding calves at Joe Brenneman's dairy while in elementary school.

After graduating from Flathead High School, where he was an All-Conference cornerback, he played football for one year as a walk-on at Concordia College in Minnesota. After "pounding nails every summer" to help pay his way through college, Hammerquist graduated from Montana State University with a political science degree.

"I wrote my senior thesis at MSU on the Montana state budget," he said. "I've had a passion for politics since I was in high school."

While representing MSU's 12,000 students on tuition and access issues in Helena, Hammerquist first met Sen. John Bohlinger, R-Billings. He was 23 and getting his first taste of politics in Helena. Hammerquist went on to work for the Montana Contractors Association in member service and developing policy.

In 2004, Hammerquist landed a job with the newly elected Schweitzer administration as a policy adviser for Lt. Gov. Bohlinger.

"It was nonpartisan politics," he said. "We looked at what was best for Montana."

Bohlinger's small staff led an advisory council's task to save money for the correctional system, which was seeing a declining inmate population. They also worked with Sen. Max Baucus on landing $140 million to repair the St. Mary irrigation canal.

"It's the lifeline of the High-Line," he said.

Hammerquist said he developed a track record of getting things done. He met lots of people in Helena, listened to good ideas and interacted with people on both sides of the aisle.

"I like what works," he said. "I'm not dogmatic. I'm practical."

Hammerquist succeeded Steve Thompson as the Glacier Park program director for the National Parks Conservation Association in April 2007 after the legislative session ended.

"It was a big change," he said. "I really enjoyed the work in Helena, but I believed it was a good opportunity to return home to the Flathead. I also saw a good opportunity to help preserve water quality in the North Fork of the Flathead."

Glacier Park accounts for about 20 percent of the local economy, Hammerquist noted. He continued Thompson's earlier work for NPCA advocating for funding to repair the Going-to-the-Sun Road, use of renewable energy at Logan Pass and protecting the headwaters of the North Fork. If elected, Hammerquist said he would take a leave of absence from the NPCA while serving in the legislature.

Hammerquist also supports biomass energy development in the Flathead, which he calls "doable," and he promised not to take PAC money for his campaign.

"I'll knock on every door at least once," he said. "I want to hear what people want."z