If elected, my highest priority will be economic development and creating quality jobs here in the Bitterroot. And I believe this is doable. One reason I’m optimistic is because we’ve done it with our MAPS: Media Arts in the Public School program. (If you want to see what we’ve accomplished please visit www.mediarts.org)

Here’s how we did it: MAPS was the right idea at the right time in the right place with the right people. Add to that hard work and we got results. In 2003 our goal was to educate and create quality jobs for Montana youth. Now four years later we are a nationally recognized and profitable business and we pay our student filmmakers very well. It is important to note that MAPS was funded without taxpayer dollars: we raised private start-up capital, attracted fee-paying clients and built our business from the ground up.

At the risk of stating the obvious, employment (with good wages) can cure a lot of the challenges that face families today. It’s true that money doesn’t solve all of our problems but it sure makes it easier to put food on the table, educate our kids, be able to afford health care and fill up our rigs. And at today’s prices - that’s getting pretty spendy.

So here’s what we’ve got to change - in Ravalli County wages have stagnated and the cost-of-living has increased. In the Bitterroot, 2005 Individual Income averaged $24,758 ranking 35th in the state. (Source: federal bureau of economic analysis, Julie Foster: ED Ravalli County Eco Dev.)

Can we do better? Absolutely. But it’ll take all of us working together to accomplish it and if you’re good to go, so am I.