State reps ready for spring term
With the tightening budget for Montana on everyone’s mind, Representatives Steve Gunderson and Mike Cuffe are already bracing for the long session ahead.
The spring session begins on Jan. 2 and will run until April.
Gunderson, a freshman, will be sworn in on Jan. 1. He is hoping to learn from his fellow representatives, keeping his eyes peeled and on the edge of his seat. He will be working in the business and labor, natural resource, and local government committees.
He said that he’s already met with the Northwest contingent of representatives to prepare so he’s not a “deer in the headlights” when he gets to Helena.
Gunderson said that one of the biggest items on the agenda, the budget, is going to require a lot of tough decisions, and hopefully some agreements.
“I’m sure there’s going to be some interesting discussion from both sides of the aisle, and some agreements made,” Gunderson said. “There’s certainly, items on the budget right now that the legislatures are really not happy with and figuring out how we’re going to handle some of the cuts...some of it is going to be difficult to swallow.”
Gunderson said he’s also looking forward to working with his co-partners across the aisle, to build some bridges to work efficiently and effectively with the legislature as a whole.
“I’m looking forward to an educational experience and I hope that my voice and vote will help the people of Lincoln County and also the state of Montana.”
Representative Mike Cuffe said he’ll have a busy and interesting year ahead of him. Many of the bills that Cuffe works on deal with natural resources and infrastructure.
When it comes to the budget, Cuffe will be on the forefront, as the chair of the Appropriations Committee on for the past three years where every dollar that the state spends over the following years goes through.
“You never have to worry about getting bored,” Cuffe said in regards to the appropriations committee.
With the limited amount of money, Cuffe said many of the legislatures feel they need to be very careful on where they spend. Cuffe and the other legislatures will have to make the ultimate decisions on how to distribute money to school projects, roads, bridges, university campuses, museums and sewer systems.
“The big question that’s been rolling around for the past few years, is what is infrastructure and what is a necessity in that,” Cuffe said. “In the [budget] we know that we do need to make wise choices, that we do burden current taxpayers as well as future taxpayers.”
Cuffe will also be the chair of the joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Long-Range Planning in the upcoming session, which has emerged as a significant voice with the ongoing threat of invasive aquatic species. He is also the vice president of Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), a non-profit organization that’s mission is increasing the well-being and quality of life for all citizens while maintaining the natural environment of the region of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
“I think it’s definitely time to do some updating and perhaps some strengthening of the [invasive species] program,” Cuffe said.
Currently he’s waiting for the President’s signature on a bill he carried that will give one to five million dollars to match the expenditures the state has to provide to programs that help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Moving forward with the same work he’s done in past sessions, Cuffe hopes to work additionally with endangered species and grizzly bears.
In terms of resources, Cuffe said there may be some legislation in the realms of timber, mining, farming and ranching in the coming session. If they’re not proposed by him, they may be proposed by someone else.
“We all are going there wanting to do the best thing for Montana,” Cuffe said. “I think when finances are tighter, you get down to the basic issues and everyone starts working together more.”