Big, Vague Questions
Flathead Ballots Will Feature Non-Binding Poll on Roadless Areas
By Kate Downen, 5-31-06
At the request of Flathead County Commissioners Bob Watne and Gary Hall, Flathead County's Tuesday ballots will feature the following non-binding language and 'poll' questions related to the hotbed issues revolving around roadless areas:"At the present time there are 64 million acres of national forest lands managed as roadless areas in Montana. Should that forest land:
A) Be managed by the Forest Service for multiple purposes including motorized recreation and roaded timber production;
OR
B) Be managed by the Forest Service for multiple purposes including non-motorized recreation and roadless timber production"
The questions, reports the Daily Inter Lake, are result of a task force appointed to develop a Flathead County position on roadless areas. They will be used to gauge public opinion on the roadless issue.
The language has faced debate and County Commissioner Joe Brenneman, Democrat, disagrees with the poll's inclusion on the ballot.
[End of article]
Kate, if I were a voter in the Flathead I would find it impossible to make an intelligent vote based on the "either A versus B choice" of this measure. The devil is always in the details and there appears to be 64 million acres of details missing as to the effects on the users and the environment for the A versus B outcome.
Comment By Kate, 6-01-06I agree with you Craig. The above information was from yesterday's Inter Lake, and I'm hoping discussion around the topic will prompt more information instead of hastily made decisions following ballot 'poll' results. In light of that, I hope anyone with Flathead roadless information or perspective will pipe up in the near future; there is so much more to be said on this issue....all 64 million acres considered.
This article was printed from www.newwest.net at the following URL: http://www.newwest.net/main/article/flathead_ballots_will_feature_non_binding_poll_on_roadless_areas/