Democratic state House District 12 candidate Susan Evans said she aims to support policies that benefit the "little guy."

Susan Evans sees her bid for House District 12 as an opportunity to represent the “little guy.”

The Democratic candidate from Polson said she supports progressive policies that provide long-term benefits to communities. From tax reform that targets working-class families to developing a renewable energy industry and promoting gender equality, Evans said legislators should to serve the entirety of their constituents. 

Evans said the state’s current tax system benefits the rich rather than the poor, adding that proposals such as implementing a sales tax or a flat rate would only add to the unfairness. 

“You can’t have any government without taxation,” she said. “But you have to tax the right people.”

Evans said the argument that taxing the wealthy kills jobs is unfounded and an attempt to scare the public into maintaining the status quo.  

“Anytime you play on peoples’ emotions, you need to look at the underlying elements,” she said.

The same, Evans said, goes for the criticism of renewable energy development. Evans said the state already possesses the groundwork for distributing power. 

“The infrastructure in place,” she said. “We just need to reconfigure.”

As for maintaining a workforce while transitioning from coal or other fossil fields, Evans said retraining programs represent a solution. She said the state offered services to retrain workers in the past when lumber mills were closed in the Mission Valley.

In addition to promoting a new energy future, Evans said the state should provide funding to fix aging schools. She said problems such as crumbling facilities and broken heater systems can negatively impact a student’s ability to learn.  

“I’ve heard of kids having to wear coats in class,” she said. 

As the mother of three children who served in the military, two in the Army and one in the Marines, Evans said veteran services are also a concern. 

She said that while supporting the troops is a common campaign slogan, she has first-hand experience with the issue. 

“Montana is one of the leaders of good treatment,” she said. “But we could always do better.”

She said veterans often have to travel across the state for services that local health care providers could easily offer. Treating non-visible injuries also presents a challenge. 

“We need to seriously invest in mental health coverage in this state,” she said.

Evans also supports women’s reproductive rights, likening a ban on abortion to a form of prohibition.

“You can’t legislate morality,” she said. “Every time people get hurt.”

While Evans has run for office before, loosing her bid for House District 93 in 2014, she said candidates this election season are faced with some particularly pressing matters. Evans, who runs a local engraving business, said she would work with a variety groups to tackle important issues. 

She noted her establishment of a free meal service at her local church. The program inspired other faith-based organizations to offer similar services, with free dinners now offered nearly every week of the month. 

She said the success of the program could serve as a testament to her abilities. 

“I’m fairly good at getting people to work together,” she said.