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I was extremely pleased and quite surprised to hear of the State Democrats plan to travel to Eastern Montana for a listening tour on the heels of the non partisan legislative tour, I participated in, that just was conducted on November 5th through the same area. It seems that finally, the legislators have recognized that the eastern third of the state can, and is making a substantial contribution to the states economy. If they were truly there to listen, what they heard was that in order to continue to grow this economy the business community only needs a few things from the legislature. First is to build more predictability into the regulatory environment. We must move from a system that is punitive based or looking for reasons to reject applications and permits, to a system and departments which attempt to work with the consumer to identify and resolve issues. Agency review must be conducted in a timely manner so that prospective projects and developers are not held up for months on end. This does not require the elimination or disregard of any safety or environmental regulations which are in place now. Just a clear interpretation and predictable approval process. Additionally we need to make some changes to our legal system so that business owners and prospective business owners are not tied up and financially bled by frivolous lawsuits.

Next, in order to support the rapid development which is taking place, additional revenue must be invested in water and sewer systems to accommodate the increased population. There will be larger demands on our roads and schools as well and certainly they will require additional upgrades too. It is imperative to make these investments if we are to realize the full long term potential that the development of the resources offers to our state.

While I am pleased by the gesture that the democrats made on this trip, I can’t ignore the votes that their party, and the four Representatives who hosted the tour, have taken in the past which are completely contrary to the needs of Montana Businesses. All one needs to do is review the Montana Chamber of Commerce 2011 voting review which is available online.

But, as they say, tomorrow is another day and I plan to carry legislation in the 2013 session which will address several of the issues that have been outlined here and hopefully they will receive the bi-partisan support that everyone claims to desire.

Rep. Matt Rosendale
HD 38 Glendive-Wibaux