THINGS HEAT UP IN HELENA

This week has seen a lot of action at the state Legislature, as
controversial bills move out of committees and on the chamber floors
for full debate. We've received lots of letters to the editor
chastising the lawmakers for pushing their own agendas, and not
heeding the voters' collective voice of creating jobs for Montana.

Creating jobs is easier said than done. And one could question whether
it's the job of government to create jobs. Government can help, or
stay out of the way. It is up to the large and small businesses to
generate the jobs.

And remember, it is a citizens' legislature. We all have our pet
peeves with laws that impede our lifestyle. For example, we believe
that what constitutes an initial police report (and therefore open to
public scrutiny) is not the recorded call to a police dispatcher, but
the actual paperwork filled out by an investigating officer. We had
hoped a bill would be offered at the session to clarify this, but to
no avail.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer has vowed to veto any proposed laws that don't
help create jobs. He could be very busy with his veto bill from the
looks of what is heading to his desk. We think there is more to it
than that. We think there is some politics at play here,
and many Republican-backed laws may get the governor's veto as well.
Could make for a longer than usual session.

One burning legislative issue is the proposed repeal of the medical
marijuana law. It seems ludicrous to repeal a law passed by more than
60 percent of the electorate. This initiative has created jobs too,
though some appear to be on the shady side. Yet it would be best to
simply tweak the law to ensure it helps those in need, rather than
toss it out and start over. There are many shops doing legitimate
business in this field, so the lawmakers need to tread lightly on this
issue.

Rep. Denny Rehberg has jumped into the Senate race against Sen. Jon
Tester. It has been hailed as the "worst kept secret" in politics. It
opens the door for a very contentious race in 2012. But remember, it
is more than a year off, so let's keep the politicking to a minimum
for at least this year and give the voters some respite.

If you've been following our five-part Economic Outlook series in our
Sunday business section, you've seen some pretty compelling news about
2011. Optimism is up and local businesses are picking up some steam.
This summer, Harrison Avenue will get an extreme makeover. It's
important that shoppers make the extra effort to support local
businesses affected by the street closures. Just think of Harrison as
a large walking mall during this time.

We can't thank Town Pump Inc. enough for stepping up to cover the
costs of the annual July 3 fireworks show. That means $25,000 a year
for at least the next several years, perhaps into perpetuity. That's a
long-time commitment.

Thanks again.

And speaking of thanks, Colt Anderson, now a free safety for the
Philadelpia Eagles, signed hundreds of photogaphs and memorabilia
Wednesday night at Butte High School.

He'll have writer's cramp until next year's training camp.