Frank Garner and Ronalee Skees both say they are genuinely committed to the welfare of Kalispell’s residents, and that’s why the two Republicans are vying to represent House District 7.

The winner of the June 3 primary election will go on to face the winner of the primary runoff between Democrats Catherine Henderson and Alex Schaeffer.

Skees is the senior executive assistant at Immanuel Lutheran Communities. She is married to Derek Skees, a conservative who served a term in the Montana House and is now running for the Public Service Commission.

Skees said her first run at politics has been rewarding. 

“It’s been so much fun. It is an opportunity to be listening in a different way,” she said, adding that she listens to voters with a problem-solving mindset. “I have a desire to see people get to a better place.”

She has been attending recent Kalispell City Council meetings to learn about city issues, such as a possible interest in gaining the ability for city voters to establish a local option sales tax if they choose to. Kalispell is too large a city to have the option under current state law.

“I want to hear more ... but a lot of people are against a sales tax,” she said.

Skees emphasized that she is not a newcomer to the Legislature. She says she has been highly active in attending committee meetings on a variety of subjects and she is familiar with the legislative process.

Skees said she is concerned about ongoing unfunded liabilities for the public employee retirement systems.

Another big issue ahead, she said, are efforts to expand Medicaid enrollments in Montana under the Affordable Care Act.

Simply adding more people to the Medicaid system is not a solution, she said, because it will further stretch already limited reimbursements to medical care providers.

“I do not favor expansion. We need a real fix for our insurance problem,” she said.

She is unambiguous in her opposition to the water rights compact for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, saying that it abdicates state oversight of water rights by creating “federal reserved rights” that would extend well beyond Flathead Reservation boundaries.

Skees said her main interest is to represent the best interests of Kalispell residents.

“That takes listening and the ability to set my ego at the door,” she said. “I’m not in this for my ego. I’m in this because I believe  there are solutions.”

Garner is best known as being Kalispell police chief for eight years, but he is now the chief of security at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. 

Garner said he’s running partly because his youngest of three children, a daughter, is now grown and about to graduate from college, and his two sons are in the military.  

“I figure if I was ever going to do this now is the time,” he said.  “Part of why I’m running is I want to see them have the same opportunities that I did.”

Concerns about jobs and the economy are the main subjects that come up when he visits with voters.

Garner expressed frustration with the Legislature for ending the last session with a $400 million ending fund balance.

“I think we’re charging too much,” said Garner, who would prefer that taxpayers keep more of their income. He favors the idea of cutting payroll taxes, a move that would yield immediate economic benefits for Montanans.

“People would see that money here in Kalispell and not in some bank in Helena,” he said.

Garner said he believes the state’s economic potential would be best served with a business-friendly tax structure and an education system that produces graduates with the skill sets needed by employers in Montana. 

He said the education system should be judged on its outcomes for students rather than by how much money is directed to schools.

“It is not just about money. It has to be about outcomes,” he said.

Regarding the water rights compact, Garner said he is hopeful that negotiations will continue until there are agreements that make it is satisfactory to state interests. The compact as it stands “is not there yet” to get approval from the Legislature, he said.

Medicaid expansion will largely depend on the will of voters if the issue gets on the November ballot. If voters reject it, it shouldn’t even be a subject, he said, and if they approve it, then the Legislature will have to take action to meet the will of the people.

“I don’t think we need full Medicaid expansion .... I think there are other alternatives” to extend insurance to more people, he said.

Garner pledges to not take campaign money from people who do not live or do business in the Flathead Valley.

“I’m not waiting for someone from the Beltway or Helena to tell me how to vote ... and I think my record proves it,” he said, referring to his long commitment to the local community through a wide variety of organizations.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.