Student lobbyists hold out hope for higher ed funding

HELENA — WhileMichael Dills and Blake Robertson may not have the pull of professional influence peddlers, the two student lobbyists from Montana State University said they have reason to hope the Senate will restore some of the $32 million cut from higher education budgets by the House.

As the budget heads into the Senate Finance and Claims Committee, the two said three Republican senators — Alan Olson, R-Roundup, Taylor Brown, R-Huntley, and Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish — have promised to help restore at least some of the money.

Those three votes, plus those of the committee's Democratic...