Retired, miner, railroader in race

For the second election in a row, Mike Finley will be the Democratic candidate for the House District 33 seat in the Montana House of Representatives.

North Havre resident Finley, 67, said he has entered the race both times after receiving calls from the Montana Democratic Party asking him to do so.

"I don't know why they picked me, what the heck I did," he said.

House District 33 extends from North Havre into northeastern Hill County, and stretches east through Blaine, Phillips and Valley Counties. The seat is now held by state Rep. Mike Lang, R-Malta, who decided to forgo re-election to make a bid for the Montana Senate seat now held by the termed-out John Brenden, R-Scobey.

Finley will face Republican Casey Knudsen, a first-time candidate and rancher from Malta in November's general election.

He said he knows he is unlikely to prevail in the heavily Republican district and has not actively campaigned.

He said that as a lifelong union member, he has a lot of respect for people who come together to work toward shared goals.

"It's not unlike the Legislature in that regard," Finley said,

If elected, Finley said he will champion laws to improve education and protect access to public lands.

Finley said he wants the state to be able to meet its needs without raising anybody's taxes.

Revenue estimates predict that the state will have less revenue next legislative session. It's something Finley said he doesn't have a solution for.

"The only thing I can think of is to raise taxes and that would be pretty hard for me to agree to that," Finley said.

That aversion to taxes would also include the imposition to a state sales tax, he said.

Montana lags behind much of the rest of the nation in terms of wages. It's something Finley said needs to be remedied through better education.  

"Well there is just no way around it, you just have to have educated people. People have got to have some skills or education," Finley said.

Education however, doesn't necessarily mean all students should seek a four year degree after high school. Finley said skills could mean trades such carpentry and plumbing.

"Those things can never be outsourced," he said.

Finley said infrastructure upgrades should be paid for through state bonding.

The state should also consider soliciting at-will donations from people and organizations to finance infrastructure projects, Finley said.  

"If you can invest in a four lane highway instead of paying taxes you might do it," he said. The transfer of federal public lands within Montana's boundaries is something Finley is opposed to.

He said the state lacks the resources to maintain those lands.

"We can't do that in Montana; there is just too much land compared to the population," he said.

Finley said even the state could afford to maintain those lands on it's own, he would still be against it, adding that he  worries such a transfer could lead to private interests buying those lands.

"I don't want it sold off to some Texas billionaire," Finley said.

---

Mike Finley, Democrat

Date and place of birth: Dec. 20, 1948, Butte  

Professional history: Dishwasher, Anaconda Copper Company mine, Mountain Kahn Mines, BNSF Railway clerk

Education: Boys Central High School, 1968

Military service: None

Previous political experience: Unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the Montana House of Representatives, 2014  

Community affiliations: None, union member