Rosendale talks with commission about local issues

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., met with the Hill County Commission Monday to discuss a number of issues and to hear the needs of Hill County.

Among the issues Rosendale discussed was immigration and the possibility of undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers being brought to Montana for processing and possible release.

The last few weeks have seen conflicting reports that the Biden Administration may be considering transferring immigrants and asylum seekers to northern border facilities to address the issues of overcrowding at facilities on the southern border, and Rosendale along with many other conservative officials in Montana have objected to the possibility.

Rosendale said, based on what he has heard, immigrants and asylum seekers could be brought to Montana and released without a court date, which he said would be a bad thing for the state.

He said the state and local communities don't have the resources to relocate migrants and asylum seekers, or provide them the necessary social safety net.

As to whether these migrants would be become contributing members of these communities he said, "that is to be determined."

"When I'm sitting there with the county commissioners on a list of four big items and they are short to the tune of $10 million, I think it's a lot to ask them to continue to make other investments for people who, at this point aren't able to contribute to the community, they'd just be taking from the community," he said.

Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean brought up concerns about immigrants, as did Commissioner Jake Strissel.

Strissel specifically asked if northern border patrol agents would be transferred south to deal with the surge of immigrants, but Rosendale said all the northern border patrol facilities he's visited say they are sufficiently staffed so it's probably nothing to worry about.

He said he's working with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Gov. Greg Gianforte on the issue.

Rosendale and Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson also discussed northern border crossings.

The U.S.-Canadian border has been closed for nearly a year to nonessential traffic to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Peterson said the decrease in traffic from Canada has had a significant negative impact on the community's economy.

"No question, businesses are suffering from it," he said.

Peterson said the U.S. and Canada need to start talking more about reopening the border, but Rosendale said Canada has more to gain from keeping things closed.

They also talked about Operation Stonegarden, a program that funds increased border security in the region that Peterson said has been extremely helpful in Hill County.

"It's a very good thing and I'd like to see it continue," he said.

In the program, local law enforcement agencies like Hill County Sheriff's Office receive grants to fund their assisting Customs and Border Protection.

Another topic of discussion at the meeting was how funds from the American Rescue Plan, recently passed by the Biden Administration, could be spent.

McLean and Peterson said they weren't sure exactly what some of the funds could be used for, including possible matches for other grants.

Rosendale criticized the ARP calling it "a bunch of pork."

He said the ARP could be used to eliminate all taxes and run the state of Montana for 380 years and the money would be better spent investing in businesses.

He also criticized the Biden Administration's infrastructure bill, which he said contains far too much money meant to subsidize electric car-related infrastructure.

Peterson also raised his own concerns on the subject as well.

"Are electric vehicles going to pay a road tax?" he asked.

He also spoke briefly about renewable energy and the U.S. reliance on China for many of its resources, which Peterson also echoed.

Peterson and McLean said some of the biggest issues the county is dealing with right now are water-related problems including the repairs of the St. Mary Diversion and the Milk River Levee, both of which are critical to local water supplies.

Rosendale agreed that these were serious issues and said he would continue his support for the St. Mary Diversion project.

"In Glendive we have the same thing ... but frankly this is even more critical because it provides water resources to municipalities which we don't have," he said.

The commission also talked about staffing issues at the Hill County Sheriff's Office and where the money for remedying these issues might come from.

"We're tapped out in terms of taxes and going to the public," Peterson said.

He also said he hopes some military equipment could be given to the department once it is no longer needed overseas.

"They would really appreciate it," he said.

McLean also talked about the frustration of trying to give the deputies a raise because their pay is tied to that of elected officials.

Rosendale said that's ultimately the commission's battle to fight.

Rosendale also mentioned that he will be introducing legislation aimed at reducing prescription drug prices by cutting out middle men between manufacturers and customers within 14 days and he anticipates little resistance from Democrats.