Unless you want the Flathead Valley to become one big resort community that focuses more on its tourists and second-home owners than its families, or if you care about education, the “doughnut” or business opportunities in the valley, then vote for Dee Brown.

Dee has the experience to get it done and to get it done right in Helena. Dee’s opponent, Dave Fern, may be right for liberal Whitefish, but not for this senate district.

First, he believes that Whitefish should maintain control over Whitefish’s planning and zoning “doughnut” area. In other words, he believes that “doughnut” residents should have to abide by the Whitefish City Council’s decisions regarding their property, even though we can’t vote for Whitefish City councilors. If he believes that, he will no doubt support legislation to impose federal mandates and requirements on Montanans, no matter how ineffective or expensive.

Second, Dave has served for many years on the Whitefish School Board. While I admire his willingness to serve, the Whitefish School Board has — in just this past year — voted to keep the high school principal beloved by the students, then got rid of him; passed a $14 million bond to renovate the high school, then grew the plans by 2,000-plus square feet, added a flashy new exterior and is now discussing integrating the independent high school without a clear plan for payment, and continued to lose kids to neighboring schools.

Dee Brown understands that government works for us, not the other way around. She supports greater opportunities for small businesses, and she has been a long-standing “doughnut” supporter. Dee believes we “doughnut” residents deserve real representation. She won’t sacrifice the rights of our families and our community to second-home owners, and she will make sure that Helena stays on track and on budget, doing more with less and meeting our needs in the most cost-effective way possible.

Vote for Dee Brown for Senate District 2.

Rick Blake lives in rural Whitefish.