Councilmen should represent community, not ideology

Editor:

A few weeks ago, the Vibrant Futures Consortium did a presentation at the Havre City Council meeting. At that time, Councilman Rick Dow seemed to have problems with the issue of working with other communities and governmental entities in our region to acquire resources that ease the financial burden on communities of our region. The issue was tabled for a vote at the June 18 meeting. When it came to a vote at Monday night's city council meeting, Mr. Dow voted against taking advantage of this opportunity.

Dow talked about the consortium's similarity to U.N. Agenda 21.

This line of reasoning to turn down additional funding resources for our town seems to be very much along the lines of something from Glen Beck's world of Lalaland voodoo economics. It also seems to be a very unsettling approach to representation on behalf of the people of the third ward.

As of 2005, Montana received an allocation of $1.47 for every $1 paid to the federal government in taxes; in the 2010 Census, Montana gets $1.92. If people in Montana turn down those allocations, they are forwarded to other states; that is a fact. So it makes me wonder, do Mr. Dow and the people who voted with him want to see Havre prosper? Turning back the opportunity for increased revenue opportunities seems to suggest they just might not.

Are these individuals who voted to turn down this opportunity serving the best interests of the people of Havre or a national agenda aimed at depleting the resources our community already finds in limited measure? It seems that Mr. Dow is continually launching an agenda that is against the best interests of the people of Havre and, instead of working with his colleagues on the other side of the political spectrum, is creating a divisive atmosphere where the only losers will be the people of Havre.

I think that issues like this are a "no-brainer;" if it benefits your community, and you are a representative of that community, you should do whatever is necessary to acquire those benefits. What is wrong with working with other governments in our region toward common goals? Cut the affected behavior of the state and federal levels and do the right thing for your local community.

Bruce Patera

Havre