Today I watched our Gallatin County Republican Legislators, J. Hinkle, C. Hinkle of Belgrade and J. Gillette, West Yellowstone, Big Sky, Gallatin Gateway and Four Corners, vote for the COVID Relief Bill HB 362 which strips Gallatin County of its fair share of the Federal Covid money supplied by the Democrats of Congress. Gallatin County is not receiving its share because we have mask and distance protocols still in place.
The Republican sponsor of the bill was out front with this. We have had a small group of people here who have protested these protocols but in a democracy, majority rules. I think people have forgotten that fact. Many other bills of this session have hit at Gallatin County and our health department and these legislators and senators Vance and Sales have voted for them.
I know that not everyone has the time or interest in tracking our Legislature closely and I wanted to put this information out there. One Republican legislator referred to this Covid money as “socialism money” while another said if Montana doesn’t use it, Washington State would. No one suggested we turn the money back to where it came from.
Our $12 billion plus state budget is about one half federal money. A fact that is not loudly spoken. Please be aware of what your legislators are doing and how they are voting.
Lain Kay
Gallatin Gateway
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 4/9/21