Clark

By ANDREW DUSEK Trout Creek Democrat Paul Clark says guiding Montana through tougher times will require cooperating with Republicans across the aisle. A longtime member of the state House of Representatives, Clark is running for the state Senate this year in District 7, which stretches from Alberton to Noxon. If elected, Clark said he hopes reduce taxes on small businesses, improve the environment through energy conservation and alternative fuels usage, and support K-12 education by reducing maintenance costs. Though he identifies himself as an introvert who often finds it hard to engage with people, Clark said that whenever he crosses the Legislature’s threshold, connection is effortless. “I like balancing different points of view, needs, and agendas for state compromises,” Clark said. That’s a flexibility his Republican opponent, Greg Hinkle, lacks, he added. “I’m not an ideologue,” he said. “I’m a relationship-builder and a solution-finder.” In the race for the Senate, he sees Hinkle will appeal to strong conservatives. He said he expects his experience as a legislator will give him an edge. He also cited his experience as a world traveler who has seen South America, Europe, and India. But Montana is of particular importance to him, he said, especially its constitution, which he interprets as strong on privacy, the environment and human integrity. He said the constitution’s guarantee that all Montanans have equal access to educational opportunities is crucial, but the present formula for funding the state’s K-12 schools does not live up to that promise. Montana needs to re-examine its formula for funding fixed, overhead costs such as heat and maintenance that take money away from teachers and students, he said. Clark added that he would like to see the state’s share of funding increase so local property taxes for schools can be lowered Though he doesn’t have a solution to the problem, he said he knows that the Legislature cannot ignore it. “We need to get back to the drawing board,” he said. Clark also said the biggest issues facing the state are the economy and the hardships facing small businesses. He said he hopes to help small businesses by providing tax breaks, by making workers’ compensation more cost-effective, and by providing health insurance to all workers. Though he hopes to help the state in a variety of areas, Clark is most passionate about the environment. He said he is most well-known to his friends and fellow politicians as a conservationist and an outdoorsman who educates children and teens about Montana’s natural heritage and resource conservation. A former member of the Legislature’s Environmental Quality Council, Clark said he wants to focus on energy conservation and the development of alternative fuels. He envisions Americans driving more fuel-efficient vehicles and living in well-insulated homes with energy-efficient lighting to drive down costs. Conservation has to be a part of Montana’s energy strategy. “We can’t consume too much and expect to drill ourselves into low energy costs,” he said.

However, Montana can pursue clean coal and wind power. “Montana is the Saudi Arabia of wind energy,” he said. “We simply need to do things cheaply and explore alternative energy sources.” -30-