Don't sign CI-99!

It's a bad deal for Montana.

April 2008 - We here at MEA-MFT have been fighting proposed constitutional amendments to gut shoot public schools and local governments in virtually every election year since it seems like forever.

Way back in 1986, we warred against CI-27, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have eliminated property taxes. We defeated CI-27 at the polls, but it was a very close victory.

Unfortunately, CI-27 was just the beginning of one proposition after another to destroy tax structures and/or to viciously cap state and local expenditures.

We have defeated them all: Most famously CI-75 in 1998 and most recently CI-97 in 2006.

But there is no end in sight. No light at the end of a dark tunnel of anti-tax, anti-government, anti-public school amendments to the Montana constitution.

For example, as I write, CI-99 has qualified for petition status. To read CI-99 click on http://sos.mt.gov/ELB/archives/2008/CI/CI-99.asp

Bottom line, CI-99 would embed in our constitution a 1.5% absolute cap on annual increases in residential property taxes. If CI-99 were to become law, public schools and all local government programs and services that depend on property taxes would quickly find themselves in BIG TIME serious trouble.

So, here is our immediate advice:

Watch out for CI-99 signature gatherers! Watch out for signature gathering fraud!

In 2006, signature gatherers working to qualify CI-97 for the ballot committed massive signature gathering fraud. As a result, the Montana Supreme Court threw three extremist initiatives -- including CI-97 -- off the ballot.

For a reminder of what was at stake in 2006, go to http://www.notinmontana.org

Fortunately, the 2007 Legislature significantly amended Montana law governing the signature gathering process. For example, signature gatherers must be Montana residents, and they must be in eye-to-eye, close physical contact with any one who might sign their petitions. And signature gatherers can no longer be paid by the signature gathered . . . or so the law now dictates.

But fraud and deceit are still possible.

Your personal attention to the signature gathering process will help protect our public schools and neighborhoods, and help protect the initiative process from fraud and deception. If you see something that appears suspect to you, contact Terry Minow or Sanna Porte at tminow@mea-mft.org or sporte@mea-mft.org.

And whether you see signature gathering fraud or not, please spread the word to family and friends that CI-99 is a bad deal for Montana.

For related information go to http://www.stopballotfraud.org.

-- MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver