The Montana speaker of the House, Republican Mark Blasdel, aims to pit his political experience against former educator Diane Taylor in Senate District 4.

The district encompasses the city of Kalispell, as well as areas to the south and west of the city.

Blasdel and Taylor have considerably different priorities in this election.

Blasdel’s top focus is on tax policy. Blasdel said state cash reserves could be returned to taxpayers in the form of reductions to income and property taxes.

“I believe we first need to look at long-term, permanent income-tax and property-tax reductions,” Blasdel said.

He said state cash reserves could also be used on infrastructure but emphasized that, “Tax cuts need to happen.”

Blasdel, owner of Vista Linda restaurant and catering in Somers, also spoke to a priority in the area of business.

“We still need to work on workers’ comp. I think we can do a lot there,” Blasdel said, adding, “We can focus on continuing to work on lowering the business equipment tax” as well.

As a former educator, Taylor said one of her priorities is maintaining adequate funding for public schools.

“I’m a big proponent of quality public education,” Taylor said. “We have a wide range of available public school options in the Flathead Valley. I don’t see why money needs to be siphoned off to go to private or charter schools.”

Other priorities Taylor supports are living wages for workers and providing the same protections to small, rural farmers that commercial farms receive.

While Blasdel would like to see the cash reserve go to reduce taxes, Taylor envisions reserves being used toward infrastructure repair and retrofitting public buildings for energy efficiency. She also proposed a state bank.

“This is just an idea, but North Dakota has a state bank. I think a surplus could be used as seed money to start a state bank in Montana. The bank would offer low-interest rates and loans for businesses, agricultural operations, primary residences — basic loans for Montanans,” Taylor said. “That would give money back to taxpayers through reduced interest and the interest they do pay goes back into the bank to help future Montanans.”

The Senate District 4 candidates were also asked about election issues such as Medicaid expansion, forest management and the proposed water compact involving the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes.

Both candidates had a strong stance on state Medicaid expansion. Blasdel opposes expansion, with concerns that the state’s percentage in funding the measure would increase over time.

“I’m opposed to it on the grounds of the long-term ramifications to the state budget. This is getting into an agreement with a federal government that is $17 trillion in debt and is promising a funding source that’s not there,” Blasdel said. “I believe there can be more emphasis on our local county health clinics and so forth for a lot of this care.”

Taylor, who is in favor of Medicaid expansion, said that the fear of the federal government pulling back its share of funding can be addressed, when, and if, it happens.

“It doesn’t make sense to me to limit something now for something that might happen in the future,” Taylor said. “Without it, 70,000 Montanans are denied access to preventative and primary health care; so when they do become sick enough, they end up in the emergency room and the cost to treat them is much higher. Those costs are shifted to everybody else.”

The two candidates also sounded off on whether or not management of federal forest lands should be transferred to the state.

“I believe it’s a viable option,” Blasdel said. “We have diseased and dying forests. We’re losing access to our federal forest lands. We have a federal Forest Service that’s been forced to manage against litigation instead of production, where the production end would decrease forest fires and help fund our education and infrastructure instead of the local property taxpayer.”

Taylor, on the other hand, opposed transferring management to the state, and said public access may be reduced if the state had to sell off land to cover expenses.

“I don’t think we could afford to take it on,” Taylor said.

Both candidates differed on the proposed water compact. Blasdel said he had serious concerns with the water compact as it’s written now and the long-term impact in Western Montana. Taylor said she hasn’t been given any concrete reasons not to support the compact after talking to various experts and attending a couple of workshops on the issue.

Blasdel and Taylor had a variety of reasons why they decided to run for office. Blasdel cited his experience in the Legislature and as a small business owner.

“I believe I have a lot of knowledge in the system and a lot of knowledge on the issues to make Flathead Valley and Kalispell thrive in Montana’s economy,” he said.

Taylor said she is running in hopes to mend divisiveness between parties.

“I want the America where people can have different positions and not be vilified,” Taylor said. “I think I’m good at listening to the other side and coming up with a solution that recognizes all of the needs and all of the potential benefits.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.