Politics won out over sense

I noticed with great interest that some of the Montana newspapers were criticizing the actions of Republican House members who voted against Senate Bill 416. As one of the guys in the room — trying to get the deal done — I have a few observations to share.

Senate Bill 416 was a bi-partisan effort designed by Senate Democrats and Republicans, with direct input by House Democrats and Republicans, and then reviewed by the governor’s office. Along the way, everyone had to give and take and no one got everything that they wanted in the bill.

In the beginning, SB 416 was drafted with the potential of building $300 million of diverse infrastructure all over the State of Montana. In my heart of hearts, I truly believe this level of investment is what the citizens of Montana sent people to the Legislature to do — work together on big ideas that benefit the entire state.

In its original form, the bill passed out of the Montana Senate 47 to 3. On arrival at the House, SB 416 was sent to Appropriations Committee. Bill sponsors went to work, asking for input and making changes in the legislation to satisfy the demands of House members. After considerable effort, a compromise bill was sent to the House floor.

On its first vote in the House, SB 416 got 70 ayes, more than the two-thirds required to pass a bonding bill. Then the game changed when the bill failed its third reading vote. From then on, political gamesmanship of a minority of Republicans in the Montana House doomed the bill to failure. All you have to do is look at the third reading House votes (check the Legislative website).

Now these same irresponsible Republican legislators are looking for political cover to justify fleecing the people of Montana by not allowing a great infrastructure bill to move forward. They are saying the governor’s office wouldn’t negotiate — not true. They are saying projects should have been changed — why? All the projects were negotiated between all parties. They are saying not enough money was directed to eastern Montana — not true. In fact, the bill was specifically written to direct money to sorely needed eastern Montana infrastructure in new and creative ways. As further assurance, a late amendment included a guaranteed amount of funding to oil and gas impact areas.

So one has to ask: Why did so many eastern Montana Republicans vote against their constituents’ interests? Why did they choose to block the bill to improve the sorely needed infrastructure in eastern Montana? Why, instead, did they choose to hook up with a minority flock of extreme Republicans who had little or no interest in infrastructure? Makes me wonder.

So who are the big losers? First, all the workers who would have worked on the scores of projects that would have been funded. Second, all the contractors and engineers who would have designed and built the funded projects. Third, and most importantly, the citizens of Montana who would have been able to use the projects to their benefit for years to come.

(Sen. Jim Keane is a Democrat from Butte.)