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Barack Obama  |
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Rob Kailey is a working schmuck with no ties or affiliations to any governmental or political organizations, save those of sympathy.
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Thu Feb 15, 2007 at 12:33:48 PM MST
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| A bill introducing community benefit agreements (also known as "Good Neighbor Agreements") as part of the standard process for big box stores got shot down mighty quickly today in House committee, where Republicans were apparently troubled by a default standard that big box stores be good neighbors.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dave McAlpin, was pretty basic. It said big businesses coming into communities from the outside, expecting to put massive demand on public infrastructure (like roads and sewers), ought to negotiate with the county some basics, like pay and benefits packages (preventing low pay from rich corporations from turning employees into public assistance recipients) and an estimation of the environmental impact of building.
This stuff is common sense and Rep. McAlpin included baseline measures. But here's the thing - McAlpin's bill doesn't shove these measures down anyone's throat. If a community wants a higher bar or a lower bar, it is allowed to negotiate a separate deal with the business. The Good Neighbors bill simply changes the default from "do whatever the Hell you want, no matter the cost to Montana" to "be a good neighbor," while preserving the freedom of local communities.
Why was it shot down?
That'd be a good question to ask your GOP legislators. |
| Matt Singer :: Montana GOP: Bad Neighbors Welcome |
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