Dear Editor,
We are thankful that the One Big Sky District (OBSD) legislation failed to become Montana law. A special thank you to Pam Ellis and Larry Seekins; they have conscientiously persisted in spite of strong opposition, as they knew in their hearts that this would be harmful for us.
The 3/21/19 hearings on this legislative bill SB340 are recorded for all to hear on the Montana Legislative website. You can hear the sales pitch of the proponents versus the researched factual and evidence based arguments of the opponents. For example, it was disclosed that this bill as written, had removed and exempted Montana procurement laws. This would have opened up the project for fraud.
Another flaw is that these structures will be tax exempt, eliminating a tax base and tax revenue for local governments. Additionally, SB340 does not provide for the creation of primary sector jobs, such as natural resource jobs, upon which secondary jobs are dependent. Subsidizing the cart without a horse will not get us very far. Conclusions drawn are that this legislation and project is “too expensive for the state”, “too risky for taxpayers”, “unfair competition”, and is “backwards economic development.”
Based on these and numerous other findings, a Senate Committee member who is also a retired professor of economics declared the bill to be “deeply flawed and unworkable”.
Public-Private Partnerships, such as OBSD, are nothing new. They have been around for a long time in various forms and are based on a fascist relationship between government and private corporations.
Renowned sound money economist Murray Rothbard has exposed the nature of these partnerships. He wrote: “What’s needed is a corporate spokesman who embraces the government-business partnership with enthusiasm and joy, a kind of Big-Businessman-as-Philosopher. When such a champion emerges, Mr. and Ms. America, keep a sharp eye on your wallets – you are about to be fleeced.”
Mea Woo
Billings
