SD2 candidates talk taxes, drones and canning

State Senate District 2 candidates Dave Fern and Dee Brown both agree there needs to be collaboration in the state Legislature.

“One of the issues that is bothering people is they don’t like the gridlock they observe in Washington (D.C.). The want to see people work across the isle,” Fern said. “There is the opportunity for 150 people to go to the Legislature and collaborate together. That will be one of my key goals.”

“There is a lot of collaboration in the Legislation,” Brown said. “About 80 percent of all the issues we all agree on — it’s the other 20 percent that make the headlines. We all have a different vision of how to get to point B, but we’re all on the same team because we are a citizen Legislature.”

Fern, a Democrat from Whitefish, and Republican Brown are facing off in the open race in the Nov. 6 election. The senate district includes Columbia Falls and Whitefish.

While the two candidates agree on collaboration, their differences were on full display at a candidate forum earlier this month in Kalispell.

On natural resources development, Brown said that state lands need to be used to gain money for the state. She pointed to surrounding states, noting that oil and gas could mean a lot of money for Montana.

“Extraction of oil and gas on state lands is not what it should be. It’s not what it is in on private lands,” she said. “It would greatly buoy the money going to our schools if we would do more extraction on those state lands.”

Fern said there is a major investment by companies when they explore the development for oil and gas.

“The tangible thing we may want to look at is the relationship with state lands and accessibility with state lands,” he said.

Candidates were asked to speak about an issue where they intend to vote their conscience or for their constituents rather than with their party.

Fern spoke about maintaining forest service access. He noted that access is a federal issue and that he would strongly advocate for reasonable access even if it doesn’t match his party’s philosophy.

“I place the needs of the constituents over party issues and I will continue to do that as I gain more information on important issues,” he said.

Brown said property tax reform is a necessity and something that citizens are asking for.

“I’ve always recognized that taxpayers are paying the bills,” she said. “The surplus is really an overtax of the people and it’s time to give it back. It’s time to come up with other solutions. You vote your conscience with the people you are representing and if you don’t you’re doing them a disservice.”

Candidates were given the opportunity to discuss how they think the state government should fund its responsibilities and address taxes.

Fern said a key component of examining the tax structure is looking to remove regressive taxes. The property tax system, he said, needs to be examined.

“We should never have a situation where a person is forced to sell their property or be removed from the property because they can’t afford their property tax,” he said. “When you can’t afford a tax through no fault of your own then you have a regressive tax.”

Brown noted the success of the state’s tourism bed tax.

“I think I’m the only one here who actually collects the accommodation tax,” she said. “Those millions of dollars are targeted marketing and do quite a good job of brining more people into the state.”

She also said visitors, especially Canadians, like having no sales tax.

The state government is estimated to have a $457 million budget surplus as of the end of June. What should be done with the money remains a topic of debate.

Brown said she would like to give Montana resident’s the property tax relief they are craving.

Fern said he would look at property tax relief and shovel-ready projects around the state.

Candidates were asked to reveal an issue they plan to pursue even though it might not be a good campaign issue.

Fern said he is concerned with personal privacy.

“There is going to be licensing of drones for commercial use,” he said. “I thought it would be interesting to investigate this issue at a state level to see if it would be appropriate for any kind of licensing issue just to make sure those drones aren’t watching over citizens without their knowledge.”

Brown said she has a personal interest in home canning.

“I did promise I would put in a bill for the home canners of this state,” she said. “So that we can have a home canning exchange without the food police telling us we couldn’t exchange our canned goods.”