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I guess I just don't understand politics because the Montana Legislature has me confused again. You might note that i have been talking about Montana politics a lot lately. The Montana Legislature meets every other year for a 90 day session and it's probably the most scary thing in the world to me. You never know what hare-brained scheme they are going to come up with so I really focus on it when they are in session, out to screw up my life.<br />n<br />nToday's confusion stems from the Senates passage of a bill that <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/01/22/build/state/25-senate-education.inc" target="_new">defines a quality education</a> in the State of Montana.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>Fiscal analysts have said the bill could cost the state up to $450 million a year.</blockquote><br />n<br />nWhere in tarnation do they think they are going to come up with that kind of money! Coming into the legislative session there is an extra $293 million dollars in the treasury but <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?display=rednews/2005/01/04/build/state/51-surplus.inc" target="_new">Governor BS's budget</a> all ready spends all but $80 million of that, so where's the money. They will just have to raise taxes I guess. But the <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?display=rednews/2005/01/20/build/state/25-state-state.inc" target="_new">Governor has pledged</a> not to increase taxes. <br />n<br />n <blockquote>"A better Montana begins with the best business climate a state can have because a better business climate means more good-paying jobs," Schweitzer said. "It is time to say that Montana is open for business. This means keeping taxes low, growing existing businesses and marketing Montana to the world." <br />n<br />n"We will grow this state's economy, and we will do it without raising taxes."</blockquote><br />n<br />nSo, does anybody see where the $450 million is going to come from under these circumstances? I sure can't. They must plan on conjuring the money up from thin air. The only other solution is the taxpayer's pocket. I personally think the Governor will have to break his pledge and raise taxes to do everything he has planned and pay for things like this education bill. The problem is the taxpayers, buisness or personal, can't afford it but I don't see any other solution to the fiscal crisis the legislature is going to put the State in.<br />n<br />n<b>In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. Voltaire</b>