What Will Ravalli County Tea Party Conservatives Do? Commit to the Free Market?
by jhwygirl
Champion the so-called free market? Walk the walk they’ve trumpeted down there for the last 4 years or so, spreading havoc on planning and development in the valley?
Today, Ravalli County commissioners were deciding whether to offer up county taxpayer funds to keep the Montana Rail Link line open (which would, incidentally, play a significant role is whether 200 or more people stay employed.
Already Greg Chilcott – who is now looking to be downright liberal in comparasion to his cohorts – is trying to soften the blow (it seems) by reminding everyone that MRL “didn’t come to the county looking for the money.”
Of course, Chilcott might be the lone drummer of that beat, I don’t know.
I will be very interested to see what they do down there.
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Pingback on Mar 20th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
[…] Caught this one last week, the day after I pondered whether the free-market Tea Party-controlled Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners would subs…. […]
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4&20 blackbirds 
March 15, 2012 at 10:22 pm
The commissioners already committed to the funds.
http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/ravalli-county-commissioners-ok-funds-to-ensure-continued-rail-service/article_361084ee-6f17-11e1-bace-001871e3ce6c.html
March 16, 2012 at 5:55 am
practical necessity trumps ideology? take note, Mr. Hertz.
March 16, 2012 at 1:41 pm
I strive to be a pragmatist rather than a zealot and will continue to do so. Thanks for the snarky jab though. :)
March 16, 2012 at 7:30 pm
and thanks for humoring me being a bit obnoxious. ;)
March 16, 2012 at 7:40 am
I have negotiated with MRL. Anybody that gives money to Dennis Washington is insane and proves once again that the government are terrible negotiators. By giving taxpayer money , through guarantees to the bean counter rethugs at MRL you are redistributing the wealth ….to the 1%.
MRL has refused to set aside an adequate portion of their budget for even routine maintainence and instead chose to reward their shareholders and C level execs with that money.
March 16, 2012 at 7:58 am
so you would stand against allocating taxpayer funds to save jobs in order to deprive Denny Washington of one red cent?
March 17, 2012 at 6:09 am
I am against stupid ideas that just piss money away. The article said MRL shut down the line because “a culvert washed out”. What will they do if they have a derailment or need to build a bridge?
March 17, 2012 at 7:00 am
good point Chuck, and thanks for the info.
March 16, 2012 at 12:48 pm
He is the 1% after all Liz.
And those shareholders, wouldn’t they include the 200 employees?
Their pensions perhaps?
March 16, 2012 at 1:10 pm
“We also have our own semi-trucks and trailers, which allows us to have complete control of the transportation of our projects.”
— Selway Corporation Official Web Site
So I guess that ends this bogus issue about jobs.
— Max Bucks
March 16, 2012 at 7:10 pm
I feel that giving money to Denny Washington is a bit over the top. I think the people of this country, State and probably of Ravali County have provided for Mr. Washington quite adequatly. One of those 200 people is a family member of mine but I do think if there is a true need for Montana Raillink, it will continue to operate. If there is money to be made some one will undertake it. We could just give everyone government jobs with no taxes, but gee who would pay.
March 17, 2012 at 6:46 am
Listen, I know the Greenies have visions of passenger rail service to the Bitteroot. It isn’t going to happen. The line has been neglected for too long. Here’s a 2004 study of at risk branch lines. 1,000 ties per mile needed. They had to run at 25 miles per hour with empty cars between loaded ones because the bridges weren’t capable of holding the loads. I doubt the situation has improved. It’s terrible. With the environmental issues along the line and sidings this branch looks like a huge liability.
Click to access branchlinestudy_phaseii.pdf
March 17, 2012 at 10:47 am
Let’s tear out the rails and put in an alternative transportation corridor all the way down the bitterroot–bike and ped trails and parks!