Trego's Mountain Ear

There’s a saying that you need to take an interest in government, because it will certainly take an interest in you. I’m not sure how active that interest is, but it’s certainly willing to step in and change your life in inconvenient ways without consulting you.

HB814 is another example of that. Last legislative session left us with a tuition bill forcing all of the local school districts, which had previously had a choice on whether or not to charge tuition for out of district enrollments, to charge tuition regardless of school board and community wishes.

HB814 is even worse for ignoring the preferences of local voters. HB814 would force the merger of all elementary districts with their associated high school districts. Now, the thing is, consolidation has always been an option. Our district has voted on it (not recently)- Trego opposed the abolishment of LCHS and merger with Eureka Elementary into a unified school district. The vote passed elsewhere, as it happens, and that’s more or less why the high school board is the Eureka Elementary Board with add-ons.

Trego and Fortine could put a merger on the ballot whenever- all it takes is both school boards asking the county superintendent, or a petition of voters in both districts- not a huge petition, either. The option already exists.

HB814? Some condescending person elected into Helena has decided that it just doesn’t make sense for these little schools to be separate. So, they’re going to take that choice away from us. And Fortine. And Yak. And McCormick. And every other sufficiently rural community with a school in the state.

Can you ignore your government? Trust that your elected senator and representative won’t vote for something you believe is blatantly stupid, likely to negatively impact your community, or reduce freedom of choice for the population? You could. But if last legislative’s sessions tuition bill (which is going to increase school taxes all over the state, via permissive levies that you don’t get to vote on) is any indication, you probably shouldn’t.