Letters to the editor May 25

Wenz has earned our confidence

In every community, the position of justice of the peace carries enormous responsibility.

Over the past several years, Judge Tim Wenz has demonstrated exactly the kind of steady leadership our judicial system requires. He has conducted himself with professionalism, integrity and fairness while presiding over cases that often involve complicated legal issues and significant consequences for those appearing before the court.

The law is not simple. Judges are required to interpret statutes, evaluate evidence, apply precedent and understand complex case law. These responsibilities demand extensive legal training and courtroom experience. Quite frankly, serving as a judge is not a position where someone can simply “learn on the job.” It requires a deep understanding of legal principles and how they are properly applied.

That is why having a qualified attorney serving as justice of the peace is so important. Judge Wenz possesses the legal background and experience necessary to interpret and apply the law correctly and consistently. His opponent, while perhaps well-intentioned, does not possess the same qualifications or legal experience required for such an important judicial role.

Our courts should never become places for experimentation. Citizens deserve confidence that cases will be handled by someone who understands both the letter and spirit of the law. Judge Wenz has proven he can do exactly that while treating everyone who appears before him with dignity and respect.

At a time when public trust in institutions matters more than ever, Flathead County needs experienced, professional, and qualified judicial leadership. Tim Wenz has already demonstrated his ability to serve this community honorably and he deserves our continued support.

I encourage voters to re-elect Tim Wenz as Flathead County Justice of the Peace.

­— Keith and Sue Ori, Kalispell

Manufactured candidates

On one side, you have billionaire-backed money helping prop up a disc jockey turned candidate. On the other, billionaires, dark money and insider influence boosting a lobbyist. Different parties, same unsettling pattern.

That should concern all of us.

Montanans like to think for ourselves. We respect candidates who show up, answer questions, do the work and earn support directly from voters. What’s harder to stomach is the growing sense that powerful people behind the scenes think they should decide who has “momentum.”

If wealthy donors and political insiders are investing this heavily in certain candidates, voters should be asking why.

Who’s paying for the messaging? What do they expect in return? Why do they want them to win? And if these candidates do win, who are they really accountable to?

Montana elections should belong to Montana voters, not billionaires, dark money groups, or political insiders trying to engineer outcomes or even worse, creating manufactured candidates.

­— Robyn Wright, St. Ignatius

Sterling genuinely cares

As a longtime resident of the Flathead Valley and a current employee in the Flathead County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, I have had the privilege of working closely with Sheena Sterling and seeing firsthand the kind of leader she is.

Sheena is one of the most dedicated and capable people I have ever worked with. She is incredibly knowledgeable, hardworking, and fully understands all four divisions of the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. No matter how busy things become, she always knows what is happening throughout the office and makes sure her staff feels supported.

What stands out most to me, though, is the way Sheena genuinely cares about the people she works with. During one of the hardest times in my life, when I lost a close friend overseas, Sheena immediately stepped in and offered to cover my responsibilities so I could be with my family and take the time I needed to grieve. That kindness and understanding meant more to me than I can fully express.

Sheena leads with patience, humility, and professionalism. She does not seek attention for herself. Instead, she works hard behind the scenes to support her staff and help others succeed. She has earned the respect of the people around her because she leads by example every single day.

Flathead County would be well served by electing Sheena Sterling as the next clerk and recorder. I am proud to support her.

— Toni Popp, Kalispell

Silence from the delegation

We have grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of responses and responsible actions by the Montana congressional delegation. 

With Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke choosing to discontinue their service to the public, that’s probably not surprising. Sen. Tim Sheehy, being a newly elected Trump acolyte, sends us occasional messages proclaiming absolute fealty to boss Trump. 

We recently asked for opinions from all three representatives about the $1.8 billion criminal reimbursement fund that’s coming from taxpayer funds, and have received no responses. Here’s the message we sent today to all three. Any bets on whether we get a response?

“More than a year ago, we wrote you about Trump’s pardoning of the Jan. 6 rioters who caused chaos, damage, and destruction to the U.S. Capitol, and severely threatened the Constitution of the U.S. You never responded to our letter to you about whether you had an opinion on Trump’s actions to pardon those criminals. Now, he’s taking taxpayer money and setting up a slush fund to pay the legal fees of the criminals. We assume that Rudy Giuliani will also get some of our taxpayer money out of this action as well. We wrote when the establishment of this slush fund was announced, and have heard nothing from you. Do you support paying the Jan. 6 rioters’ legal fees using taxpayer dollars?

It is amazing to us that the insanity of Trump’s actions and rationale for anything and everything he wants to do is not called out by anyone in the Republican Party. We now have gas prices approaching $5 a gallon, and the price of food, goods and services will soon follow. We have heard nothing from you that indicates you are anything but a Trump lackey and sycophant. Stand up and do the right thing for the taxpayers in Montana.”

— Paul Bradford and Sherry Turner, Libby

Decline to sign

Be wary, Montana. Another bad ballot measure is circulating this spring that would impose California- style limitations on local government revenues. The scheme didn’t work for California, and it won’t work for us.  

Should this ill-conceived measure pass, not only would local governments be forced to make major cuts to city and county services like fire, police and sheriff protection, but our ability to even approve revenues at the ballot box would be diminished.  

Petitioners are out trying to collect signatures right now for this abomination that will cause fiscal disaster for our local governments. Montana voters should do what we’ve done in the past when faced with similar measures: decline to sign. Just say no when you are asked to sign this one. We don’t want to be California. 

— Erik Burke, Helena

Misinformed on public lands

Shaun Pandina stated he wants to “return full control of our public lands to Montana.” This is absurd and we should expect more from any candidate. He should know that if the Feds turned all federal land to Montana, our state government would be forced to sell the public land.

There is no way Montana could possibly pay to maintain roads or other necessary expenses on all that land. No possible way.

Please don’t support a candidate who states strong opinions when they haven’t even bothered to learn the facts. Too many voters are uneducated and misinformed. We don’t need elected officials to be equally lazy. Public lands are sacred to all of us and must be left alone forever.

Also, roadless areas need to remain roadless. The Forest Service already has $8 billion worth of back log on road maintenance. We can not maintain the roads we already have.

Montana would be responsible for building and maintaining roads for commercialization, such as logging, mining and oil exploration.

If the federal government turned its public land to Montana, one single forest fire would bankrupt the state.

— Jerri Swenson and Roy Jacobs, Kalispell