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<title>Montana Policy Institute -  Roundup</title>
<description>Because Liberty Makes all the Difference</description>
<link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/</link>
<language>en-us</language>

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<title>Baucus Aims to Fight Supreme Court Ruling this Summer</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	U.S. Sen. Max Baucus&#39; proposed constitutional amendment aimed at undoing a U.S. Supreme Court campaign finance ruling is scheduled for a July hearing.

	Baucus says the amendment would restore the ability to regulate corporate political contributions and spending.

	The Democrat introduced the proposal in 2010 following the U.S. Supreme Court&#39;s decision in the Citizens United case which established that corporations and labor unions have constitutional speech rights. It undid past restrictions on their political spending.

	The proposal is an obvious long shot &mdash; it takes two-thirds of the House and the Senate and positive votes in three-quarters of the states to change the Constitution.

	Montana has been at the forefront of the issue. The Supreme Court earlier this year struck down the state&#39;s ban on corporate third-party spending in elections.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/citizens-united-baucus-takes-aim-at-corporate-political-contributions/article_0fe95f18-9e8b-11e1-b7fe-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1uyB4RR7W
]]></description><pubDate>May 15, 2012, 1:49 pm</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1052</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>GOP Gov Contenders Argue for School Choice</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Most Republican gubernatorial candidates want to boost competition in K-12 education by changing state law to give parents vouchers or tax credits if they send their children to private schools.

	The two Democratic candidates oppose the idea.

	The candidates were asked about education issues in a questionnaire from the Lee Newspapers State Bureau.

	All of the governor candidates from both political parties also said they support freezing or reducing tuition for students at the Montana university system.

	On public schools, former state Sen. Ken Miller, R-Laurel, said he wants to make sure every Montana child &ldquo;has the opportunity to get a great education.&rdquo;

	&ldquo;School choice through vouchers and tax credits would empower Montana families to get a quality education in a competitive marketplace, ensuring the best educational results,&rdquo; he said.

	However, Democratic Attorney General Steve Bullock said he opposes the idea, adding that Montana has a quality public education system, controlled at the local level.

	&ldquo;Parents and families have every right to choose to educate their children at home or send them to private schools,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I believe we can take steps to improve our public schools, but having taxpayers subsidize private schools, including those that operate for profit, is not the answer.&rdquo;

	Former U.S. Rep. Rick Hill, a Helena Republican, said he&rsquo;s been a lifelong advocate of school choice in Montana and supports public education, private schools and home schooling.

	&ldquo;As governor, I am committed to supporting reforms and other measure that will improve choices and the quality of education,&rdquo; Hill said.

	For more of this Helena Independent Record Story, Click Here
]]></description><pubDate>May 15, 2012, 1:46 pm</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1051</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Analysis of US Senate Campaign Spending Reveals Lavish Expenses</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Campaigning for a U.S. Senate seat can be a long, stressful ordeal &mdash; but it turns out some of the perks can be pretty good, according to an analysis of campaign finance reports for Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg.

	Campaign finance reports for Republican Congressman Rehberg show he has been reimbursed tens of thousands of dollars for expenses and spent lavishly on ritzy dinners.

	Incumbent Sen. Tester&#39;s campaign also appears to be eating pretty high on the hog. The Democrat&#39;s report, for instance, includes a pricey stay at the Hilton in Beverly Hills, hardly a usual stop for dirt farmers from Big Sandy.

	The campaign reimbursements to Rehberg, which indicate he first paid for the outing, include many &quot;volunteer appreciation dinners&quot; in Washington, D.C., and New York City &mdash; far from the campaign&#39;s big cadre of volunteers in Montana. One such event was held at the Russia House, which aims to attract socialites with its selection of caviar and vodka.

	Rehberg, who often talks about how he sleeps on his office couch in Washington as a show of frugality, was one time last year reimbursed $500 for staying at the Holiday Inn a short distance from his office.

	The Tester campaign has plenty of noteworthy campaign expenditures, too, in the race to seek out big-money donors to fuel the multimillion dollar slugfest brewing between the two candidates.

	The Democrat&#39;s spending includes a couple $1,000 events at a Washington D.C. steak house, $230 for a meal at a premiere steakhouse in Austin, Texas, and plenty of other big tabs.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-senate-campaigns-living-high-on-the-hog/article_a10e0532-7d22-11e1-9a51-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1r0HtywXy
]]></description><pubDate>April 3, 2012, 12:33 pm</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1050</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Murdock Charitable Trust Gives $225,000 to Help Families of Ill Children</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Shodair Children&#39;s Hospital is one step closer to building housing for families to stay in while their children are in treatment.

	Jack Casey, hospital administrator, announced the receipt of a $225,000 grant from the Murdock Charitable Trust to help fund the Shodair Family House.

	Families from across the state travel to Shodair, the only facility for children&#39;s acute and residential psychiatric care in Montana. Many of these families are having a hard time financially without the added costs of hotels during their children&#39;s stay at Shodair.

	Casey said the hospital often assists families with housing and paid about $45,000 in recent bills.

	&quot;With the Shodair Family House, we can triple or quadruple the numbers of people we can help with the same amount,&quot; he said.

	The funds will be added to a $500,000 grant from the Montana Mental Health Settlement Trust, which was given with the provision that the hospital must raise additional matching funds.

	To date, a total of $1,117,005 has been raised, leaving an additional $159,195 needed to complete the project.

	The housing, which will have enough room for six to eight families at a time, will allow loved ones to be part of the therapeutic process in addition to being near their children. Casey said it is of utmost importance that families know how to interact with their loved ones who are being treated.

	&quot;Many families we serve are in financial need,&quot; Casey said.

	&quot;Thanks to the Murdock Charitable Trust, we&#39;ll be able to provide them with a place to stay when they visit their children and participate in family therapy, which is vital to the recovery of our patients. Shodair Family House will help provide the means to ensure long-term success and independence for our patients and their families.&quot;



	Read more:&nbsp;http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/shodair-gets-k-grant-for-family-housing-facility/article_c01252a5-0eb5-5859-b895-ee79d986f4a4.html#ixzz1r0HGEyyr
]]></description><pubDate>April 3, 2012, 12:31 pm</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1049</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Trains to Carry Increasing Amounts of Coal Through MT in Upcoming Years</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	The number of freight trains loaded with coal that pass through Montana could significantly grow in the next several years, thanks to the planned development of new ports on the West Coast with an eye on the abundant coal of Eastern Montana and Wyoming.

	The Northern Plains Resource Council estimates demand from Asian markets at the new ports could mean 20 to 30 additional fully loaded 120-car coal trains each day coming from Montana, and the same number of empty trains traveling the other direction.

	That means more noise, diesel fumes and traffic delays, as well as increased response times for emergency vehicles, say critics of the traffic.

	It&rsquo;s unclear how such an increase would be distributed between the state&rsquo;s two main rail routes from coal country, through Helena and Great Falls.

	Now, Montana Rail Link averages five coal trains per day through Helena (half full, half empty) out of about 15 trains a day total, said a spokeswoman.

	&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just going to be that much worse, when the number of trains increases,&rdquo; said Eric Regensberger, who as representative of the Midtown-Sixth Ward Neighborhood Association fought in favor of a &ldquo;quiet zone&rdquo; for trains through town. &ldquo;When you account for all the intersections and four whistles per intersection, it adds up.&rdquo;

	An engineering study on the quiet zone last year pegged the possible costs at $130,000 to $980,000 for the safety upgrades necessary if trains cut back on their use of loud horns.

	&ldquo;The general desire to have a quiet zone will just increase with increased train traffic,&rdquo; he said.

	The Sleeping Giant Citizens Council, an affiliate of the Northern Plains Resource Council, is holding a public forum on the issue April 25 at 6:30 p.m., at Helena&rsquo;s Gateway Center, 1710 National Ave.

	The council&rsquo;s apprehensions about the traffic come as developers in Washington and Oregon seek permits for ports that the NPRC says combined could eventually export as much as 150 million tons of coal annually. At the same time, demand from coal-fired powered plants in the American Midwest has been dropping, said Shiloh Hernandez of the Sleeping Giant Citizens Council.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/asian-demand-for-coal-could-bring-more-trains-rolling-on/article_30984ea0-4d89-5a8c-96f5-6a4135153079.html#ixzz1quBeAlVB
]]></description><pubDate>April 2, 2012, 11:30 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1048</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>GOP Gov Pool Argues for Less Regulation on Energy Development</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	All seven Republican candidates for governor agree on the need to cut government red tape to simplify the state&rsquo;s regulatory process for energy and natural resource projects.

	Most of them also support reducing state taxes and holding down or reducing government spending, according to their responses to a recent Lee Newspapers State Bureau surveys.

	These candidates are facing off in the June 5 primary election.

	Neil Livingstone of Helena said he wants to launch &ldquo;an economic revolution. Here.&rdquo;

	&ldquo;I have a plan for getting Montana moving again, involving lower taxes, smaller government, less regulation and the comprehensive development of our natural resources,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The voters cannot elect the same old politicians, representing the same old policies, and expect real change.&rdquo;

	Former U.S. Rep. Rick Hill of Helena said his goal is to unleash Montana&rsquo;s economic potential.

	&ldquo;That means breaking down the legal and regulatory barriers that are holding us back, ensuring that our children are being educated for a 21st century economy, managing a government that we can afford and protecting Montana from an overreaching federal government,&rdquo; he said.

	Former state Sen. Ken Miller of Laurel said he will &ldquo;create a business environment that will allow a robust economy all across Montana, where business can thrive, caring for their customers and employees without being hampered by costly bureaucratic red tape and inefficiency.&rdquo;

	Miller called for reforming the &ldquo;failed&rdquo; workers&rsquo; compensation system and eliminating &ldquo;non-competitive taxes.&rdquo;

	Former state Transportation Director Jim Lynch of Kalispell also called for changing the regulatory environment in Montana and repealing the business equipment tax.

	&ldquo;State agencies need to work from a frame of mind that

	recognizes the private business community as their customer,&rdquo; Lynch said. &ldquo;There is no excuse for lackadaisical and somewhat confrontational attitude received from state legislators.

	&nbsp;

	For more of this Helena Independent Record Story, Click Here
]]></description><pubDate>April 2, 2012, 11:27 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1047</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Grazing Law May Undergo Federal Changes</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Last week, Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., co-sponsored a bill that would double the length of grazing leases on federal land from 10 to 20 years.

	The week before, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., introduced the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act, which guaranteed grazing access as a major component holding its coalition of ranchers, environmentalists and conservation groups together. And Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., sponsored Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, which made several changes to accommodate grazing leases in proposed wilderness and recreation areas.

	The Grazing Improvement Act of 2012 is needed, according to Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., because ranchers need protection from activists trying to block public-land grazing.

	&ldquo;The (Bureau of Land Management) and Forest Service simply cannot keep up with required (National Environmental Policy Act) analysis due to limited funding and a backlog of lawsuits by the anti-grazing, pro-litigation groups,&rdquo; Barrasso said at a Senate subcommittee last week. He claimed family ranches were being forced out of business by those groups.

	&ldquo;That would be us,&rdquo; said Tom Woodbury of the Western Watersheds Group in Missoula. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s who he&rsquo;s talking about.&rdquo;

	And the reason, according to Woodbury, is that public-land grazing makes no sense in arid mountains and prairies&nbsp;like Montana.

	&ldquo;It takes so much land to feed a cow in the West compared to more humid parts of the country, it&rsquo;s became a huge land issue,&rdquo; Woodbury said. &ldquo;They needed all that space to maintain their herds.&rdquo;

	In 2012, the whole United States had 90 million cows, of which 2.5 million were in Montana, according to the 2012 cattle inventory from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The top cattle producers were Texas (13.3 million), Kansas (6.3 million), Nebraska (6.2 million), California (5.2 million) and Oklahoma (5.1 million).

	Of those top states, all but California have no BLM grazing. California&rsquo;s BLM grazing supports $5.1 million worth of cattle, compared to Montana&rsquo;s $32.9 million, according to Department of Interior statistics. The total value of the U.S. cattle and calf production in 2010 (the latest year available) was $37 billion.

	The unaccounted cost, according to Woodbury, comes in ruined stream courses, weed-infested meadows, displaced wildlife and the loss of an ecosystem that used to dominate Montana&rsquo;s landscape.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/changes-to-grazing-rules-for-public-lands-contemplated/article_e2aaa80e-7c7a-11e1-b70c-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1qtYO7MfT
]]></description><pubDate>April 2, 2012, 8:55 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1046</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Montana's Natural Resources Future is Bright</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	A billionaire oilman who is widely credited for jump-starting the Bakken oil boom in North Dakota and Montana says energy independence for the United States is no longer a pipe dream.

	With the right energy policies, the United States could become energy independent within a few years, said Harold Hamm, founder and chief executive of Continental Resources, the nation&#39;s 14th-largest oil company.

	&quot;Somebody asked me why energy independence is important,&quot; Hamm said Thursday. &quot;I said it might mean that your son doesn&#39;t have to go fight in Afghanistan.&quot;

	Hamm is the youngest of 13 children born to an Oklahoma sharecropper. He developed a reputation as a successful wildcatter and then struck it big by discovering oil in places that others had overlooked.

	He delivered the keynote address at the statewide meeting of the Montana Ambassadors on Thursday. In an interview with The Gazette, Hamm said modern technology such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have helped drillers uncover major oil and gas discoveries throughout the United States.

	Continental Resources helped touch off the Bakken oil boom nearly a decade ago when the Elm Coulee field northwest of Sidney was developed. Hamm still refers to Montana as the birthplace of the Bakken. Much of the oil activity moved east into North Dakota in ensuing years.

	Geology has a lot to do with the rigs moving east. But activity is picking back up in Montana, with about 20 rigs operating, Hamm said.

	The nation&#39;s domestic oil production is running at about 10 million barrels per day but could climb to 16 million barrels per day within a few years, thanks to major new discoveries coming online, Hamm said.

	&quot;It depends on whether the emphasis is put on it.&quot; Hamm said. He explained that Congress passed energy independence legislation a few years ago, but never put any resources toward reaching that goal.

	Mitt Romney, the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination, tapped Hamm as chairman of Romney&#39;s Energy Policy Advisory Group earlier this month.

	&quot;This is a whole lot of people in a whole lot of different forms of energy,&quot; Hamm said the group. &quot;We&#39;ll have experts from a lot of different areas.&quot;

	He said a Romney administration would consider a wide variety of energy sources but would also emphasize increased development of domestic oil and gas.

	&quot;Everybody is concerned about the price of fuel, and basically the way to cure that is to increase supply,&quot; Hamm said. &quot;Supply will play a large part, and probably (a Romney energy policy) will be all inclusive, with different forms of energy.&quot;



	Read more:&nbsp;http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/bakken-oilman-says-energy-independence-is-possible/article_6a024d04-225b-594d-bc43-c85d5d2a5254.html#ixzz1pxYHuJSj
]]></description><pubDate>March 23, 2012, 10:51 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1045</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>More postal politics as Baucus calls on postmaster to visit  post offices threatened with closure</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	U.S. Sen. Max Baucus is telling the postmaster general that he should visit rural Montana post offices before making any decisions to close some of them.

	The U.S. Postal Service recently announced that it is closing three mail processing facilities in the state, perhaps leading to a net loss of 11 jobs in the state. The agency says cuts are needed to meet budget demands exacerbated by a 25 percent decline in mail volume since 2006.

	It is now looking at closing small-town post offices that it considers to be underutilized.

	Baucus argues the closures will not create the kind of long-term cost savings sought, and will harm delivery standards.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/baucus-calls-on-postmaster-to-visit-rural-post-offices-before/article_48a992bb-fd23-524d-87ae-79ef4801ef2d.html#ixzz1pIsS7Qfm
]]></description><pubDate>March 16, 2012, 11:53 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1044</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Polson pays out $120,000 to Superintendent to settle discrimination claim</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	The Polson school board has ratified an agreement between the district and outgoing Superintendent David Whitesell that pays him $120,000 for emotional distress and ends his discrimination claim against the school board.

	The Lake County Leader reports curriculum director Bill Appleton will serve as the district&#39;s interim superintendent while the school searches for a new administrator.

	Whitesell filed a human rights claim against the school district&#39;s board of trustees about three weeks ago alleging one board member made remarks of a racial nature about Whitesell. He is Native American.

	Lake County commissioners sought an apology last year after Whitesell accused the county treasurer of illegally handling school district funds. This year, he wrote a letter to the board&#39;s chairwoman alleging she overstepped her authority and violated open meeting laws.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/polson-school-board-approves-k-settlement-with-superintendent/article_310ca520-6f82-11e1-8316-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1pIlSGlGn
]]></description><pubDate>March 16, 2012, 11:25 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1043</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Tester criticizes USPS executive pay</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., criticized the board that helps run the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday for what he views as exorbitant executive salaries during a time of organizational and financial restructuring.

	&ldquo;The Secretary of the Treasury presides over our nation&rsquo;s economy at one of its most turbulent times in history on a civil servant&rsquo;s salary,&rdquo; he wrote in a letter sent to the board on Tuesday. &ldquo;The Secretary of Defense is responsible for maintaining our nation&rsquo;s security while overseeing 1 million men and women in uniform who were until just recently, engaged in two wars.

	&ldquo;Both secretaries have accepted compensation that is likely much less than they would receive in the private sector and four times less than the Postmaster General&rsquo;s annual compensation package.&rdquo;

	According to Tester&rsquo;s office, the postmaster earned about $800,000 in pay and benefits in 2011.

	The postal service is in the middle of a billion-dollar cost-cutting effort and has announced plans to close or reduce operations centers and rural post offices around the country, including last week&rsquo;s announcement that it would close processing centers in Butte, Helena and Wolf Point.

	Tester has been a vocal proponent of keeping rural post offices open and has met with the Postal Board of Governors several times on the issue.

	Tuesday&rsquo;s letter was in response to one that the board sent him after a recent meeting to discuss the state of the USPS and an amendment to it Tester has been working on that could reduce postal executive compensation.

	In that letter, the board told Tester that reducing leadership pay would make it difficult to find qualified leaders and could impact management of the USPS.

	&ldquo;We are concerned that the proposed provisions would ultimately undermine the effective management of the organization,&rdquo; the board wrote in the Feb. 22 letter.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/tester-postal-board-exchange-volleys-over-executive-pay/article_a9570803-4caa-5178-8abb-84a87a241a5b.html#ixzz1nkhxRHgq
]]></description><pubDate>February 29, 2012, 12:09 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1042</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Not above the law: FWP biologist accidentally kills bull elk, turns self in.</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	A biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks who shot a bull elk by mistake reported himself to the agency he works for, was ticketed and paid the fine.

	Bruce Sterling was participating in a damage hunt outside Thompson Falls in January when he shot what he believed was a cow elk, according to FWP Warden Capt. Lee Anderson.

	&ldquo;Upon getting up to the animal, he found out it was a small-spiked elk,&rdquo; Anderson said.

	The hunt was authorized because a private landowner who allows public hunting was suffering damage to haystacks from elk, Anderson said. Sterling applied to be placed on the roster for the hunt as a private resident, and was one of the hunters whose name was drawn.

	Sterling contacted Thompson Falls-area game warden Tom Chianelli after shooting the animal, Anderson said, &ldquo;who in turn treated it the same way we would treat any member of the public in similar circumstances, and issued a citation.&rdquo;

	Thompson Falls Justice of the Peace Donald Strine said Sterling paid a $135 fine on Feb. 1.

	&ldquo;I commend Bruce for the way he handled it,&rdquo; Anderson said. &ldquo;It was an unfortunate mistake, but the big picture is how it got handled, and Bruce and Tom Chianelli did the right thing and it&rsquo;s all been taken care of.&rdquo;



	Read more:&nbsp;http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-fwp-biologist-shoots-bull-elk-by-mistake-turns-self/article_913adf98-628f-11e1-a7cd-001871e3ce6c.html#ixzz1nkhbkIzc
]]></description><pubDate>February 29, 2012, 12:07 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1041</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>MT Gas Prices Spike 11 Cents in Last Week</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Montana, February 27- Average retail gasoline prices in Montana have risen 11.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.22/g yesterday. This compares with the national average that has increased 11.3 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.64/g, according to gasoline price website&nbsp;MontanaGasPrices.com.

	&nbsp;

	Including the change in gas prices in Montana during the past week, prices yesterday were 18.6 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 20.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 26.6 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 29.8 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

	&nbsp;

	&quot;2012 is looking increasingly like 2008,&quot; said Gregg Laskoski, Senior Petroleum Analyst forGasBuddy.com. &quot;Gasoline prices are climbing aggressively as speculation drives crude oil higher; and once again, it&#39;s an election year. But this time its the volatility in the Middle East that has everyone wondering &#39;How high is up?&#39;,&quot; he added.

	For more of this Helena Independent Record story click here
]]></description><pubDate>February 29, 2012, 12:07 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1040</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Montana Corporate Spending Decision may be heard by Supreme Court</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Corporations are asking the Supreme Court to allow them to spend freely to influence upcoming elections in Montana, despite a state high court ruling upholding a ban on independent corporate campaign spending.

	Three groups filed papers with Justice Anthony Kennedy on Friday, saying that the Montana court&#39;s decision in December is out of step with Kennedy&#39;s majority opinion in the 2010 Citizens United case that struck down a federal ban on independent campaign spending.

	The American Tradition Partnership and two other groups sued soon after the 2010 decision to overturn Montana&#39;s century-old corporate spending ban. But the state Supreme Court said the Montana law could remain in place because it was a response to political corruption and allows for some corporate spending.



	Read more:&nbsp;http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/high-court-asked-to-undo-montana-campaign-money-ban/article_cc498087-7055-56c5-8012-60236cd82f76.html#ixzz1m0TJue00
]]></description><pubDate>February 10, 2012, 11:53 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1039</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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<title>Long-time MT Politician Proposes New Crime</title><description><![CDATA[
	&nbsp;

	Jesse Laslovich, a former legislator seeking the Democratic nomination in the race for Montana attorney general, proposed a new crime Monday, child criminal endangerment.

	Laslovich said the current criminal endangerment statute is not specific to children, and can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony.

	Looking specifically toward cases in which a person commits a DUI with a child in the car, Laslovich said the proposed new law would make such crimes as a felony even on first offense.

	Erica Lawson, operator the Lil&rsquo; Griz Cub House drop-in day care center in Missoula, described such an episode. She said her staff called a taxi for an intoxicated woman picking up her child, only to see her return soon after to pick up her car. The woman then ran a red light and drove the car into a house with the child as a passenger.

	Such a driver with a blood-alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit would get mandatory jail time and have to successfully undergo inpatient alcohol treatment, Laslovich said.

	Laslovich proposed the new law at a campaign kickoff event at the state Capitol, where he was accompanied by about 30 supporters and family members.

	He is competing with Helena attorney Pam Bucy for the nomination in the race to succeed Attorney General Steve Bullock, who is running for governor. Jim Schockley of Victor and Helena attorney Tim Fox have said they will seek the Republican nomination for the attorney general seat.

	&nbsp;

	For more of this Helena Independent Record Story, Click Here
]]></description><pubDate>February 10, 2012, 11:49 am</pubDate><link>http://www.montanapolicy.org/main/news.php?news_id=1038</link><category>Blog Entries</category>
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