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Montana citizens have right to local control
In his characterization of the need of the state to exert greater control over Montana’s local governments, Kendall Cotton (Missoulian, Feb. 27) gives short shrift to the ability of the people to govern themselves. Furthermore, he gives no attention whatsoever to the option counties and municipalities have for self-government as provided by the Montana Constitution and Montana State statute. This is a form of government the people can create for themselves in order to conduct their own local affairs their own way. Yes, it is true they cannot assume authority or power over areas the State denies them or that the State reserves for itself (such as wildlife management). As citizens, however, they have a Constitutional right to self-determination in creating and operating their local governments as they choose.
Since the adoption of the Montana Constitution 50 years ago, 32 Montana cities and towns as well as two consolidated city-county governments have adopted self-government powers with the adoption of their local charters. And it is not just the citizens of big cities who have availed themselves of the opportunity to practice self-government; small Montana communities like Saco, and Choteau, and Fergus and Troy have also adopted charters that assure themselves of local control over their government.
Politics is often referred to as a “contact sport.” Needs, desires, ideals and preferences are in constant tension. To carry the day, advocates of policies that affect the citizens must prevail in our municipal democratic republics. The representatives of the people, elected by them, conduct the affairs of government in an open manner as provided for in our state Constitution. They compete and debate and resolve local differences with their friends and neighbors able to observe what they decide and what they do.
Do local governments ever get things to the point that everyone agrees with them? Of course not. Our systems are set up so that decisions can be made, and, as citizens, we share a fundamental value that if our point of view does not prevail, we must work harder to make our arguments more persuasive and to make our candidates more attractive to voters, all within the boundaries of our municipal charters or local ordinances.
Here’s the good news: if citizens are dissatisfied with their form of local government, whether they have self-government charters or not, our Montana Constitution and Montana State statutes provide that every 10 years, the people of Montana’s counties and cities and towns will be asked whether they want to study and review their form of local government. The people can change it if they like. That vote will take place in June of 2024 throughout Montana. Citizens have ample time to educate themselves about the context of this vote and the solemn responsibility involved. For example, the League of Women Voters is sponsoring a program to help them do just that.
It is not enough to take shots at local government and call for “guard rails” around what they can and cannot do. Almost every one of these municipal charters forming local governments begin with the words, “We, the People.” Citizens who created their local governments and who live with them daily do not need to be told their governments are out of line. As it is always the case in a democratic republic, citizens who want things to change simply need to show up and make the prevailing argument to achieve the change they want. We, the People, as Montanans and as citizens of our counties and cities and towns have provided that for ourselves.
Geoff Badenoch is retired director of the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and community volunteer.
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