Government-created crisis

The sole problem to the housing crunch in Bigfork is Bigfork zoning. Look at all the SAG 5 and AG20 zoning around the Bigfork “enclave.” I would suggest a story on how many Bigfork subdivisions reviewed by BLUAC actually got a favorable review.

The Jan. 3 article (Affordable housing crunch felt in Bigfork) attempts to blame-shift the affordable housing crisis on restrictive covenants placed on lands by the developer. Back off.

The cost of government in developing a lot is roughly $48,000 in Flathead County. The zoning demands minimum lot sizes, single-family dwellings, paving, utility services and sanitation before final platting. This is not done without a cost. There are 73 laws, rules and regulations that have to be complied with just to flush a toilet. You want affordable housing? Get the government out of the process and you have relieved the burden by $48,000.

One of the great mistakes is to judge zoning policies and subdivision regulations by their intentions rather than their results. When government, in pursuit of good intentions tries to rearrange the economy, legislate morality, or help special interests, the costs come in inefficiency, lack of motivation, and loss of freedom. Affordable housing is a government-created crisis.

—­Rick Breckenridge, Kalispell

Web of life

I made a concerted effort to outline why I disagree with the trail that is being supported by the USDA that is in Hungry Horse, the Glacier View Ranger District. The USDA will support a trail that will punch a hole in the middle of some fine canopy and food sources for our wildlife. Also, the logging sale will manage to increase the winds that will buffet the places that are neighboring this tree removal. East of the mountains they create wind breaks by planting trees, in the West we remove the wind breaks, failing to replace them.

The USDA has concluded that there will be no impact on the land and water. But they are ignoring the pleas by the very people who live in this area, that worry about the real chance of an unintended fire or a loose dog that will make sure what dogs naturally do, chase wildlife. The USDA is not concerned about the web of life, instead they support the Crystal Cedar Project.

­— Charles Overcast, Whitefish

Train of thought

Recently in the Inter Lake (Jan. 1) was a great story about rising Flathead home values. For nearly every reader, your home represents your greatest investment.

Then (Jan. 1) we see yet another story about a train derailment. Understand this: if a single car from a single oil train were to dump into the Middle Fork of the Flathead River by the time the authorities were even beginning to mobilize, at 3 miles an hour the oil would already be in Flathead Lake. By the next morning the value of your home anywhere in the valley would be cut in half for years, if you could even sell it.

Visitation to Glacier Park would grind to a halt and our local economy would be devastated. While we’re busy arguing inane national politics with one another, these trains continue to run.

Pick up your phone and call Sens. Daines and Tester, and Rep. Gianforte. Because a spill is not a matter of “if” but a matter of “when,” and if you chose to do nothing you will have no one to blame when your life savings is suddenly gone while some massive oil or rail company pays some minuscule fine and apologizes for the accident. Reroute. Keep the trains away from our water. Period.

­—Rachel Rubin, Kalispell

The jig’s up

Impeaching a president without alleging a single crime? Unprecedented. Democrats started impeachment investigations before Trump was even inaugurated and have since distorted the facts to fit their fictional narrative. Democrats have abused their power and no longer have the right to lead a country.

Pelosi fears Republicans would not be fair? Due process begins in the Senate, when they take up articles of impeachment. Jig’s up, and Dems are exposed if Pelosi turns them over.

Trump/Russia was a Dem hoax. A judge blasted the FBI for providing false information. Harowitz found 17 inaccuracies/omissions made by the Comey team to the judges. An IG report concluded a total of 51 false representations made to the court. The lying dossier was financed by the Hillary Clinton team.

POTUS should have told Ukraine to look into Biden corruption. Hunter Biden sat on hugely dishonest Ukraine energy board for five years but never stepped foot in Ukraine. VP Biden bragged he got the prosecutor fired by threatening to withhold a Ukraine loan. Yes, the Obama administration was aware.

Trump was forced to severe ties to family businesses. However, Hunter acquired a $1.5B loan from top financier in China at the same time VP Biden was meeting with China in the U.S. But Biden didn’t help his son, and Trump must not either! Geeze!

Trump talks like the contractors he works with, not like a politician, but he is hot after corruption in government and no politician wants to be exposed. So it’s a no shrug to believe they would start a bullying campaign. Bread crumbs lead to liberal media helping with “campaign hate Trump.”

­—Joanne Stern, Kalispell