Legislators talk school funding, Medicaid, retirement, drinking laws

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, and Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, covered a plethora of issues from Helena during a legislative video conference held in Havre Wednesday.

The first topic, raised by local rancher Ted Solomon, a director of the Montana Land And Mineral Owners Association, was a proposal by Gov. Brian Schweitzer to take oil and gas revenues now collected by school districts in the counties where it is generated and put them it in a state fund for all school districts.

"I'm a little concerned," Solomon said.

He said that the eastern counties tend to have much higher expenses per taxpayer...