Cut Spending

The mantra to cut spending has landed on the front doorstep of the Montana State Veterans Home in Columbia Falls. An amendment to the spending bill for state services would cut funding to the home by 2.2 million dollars, and encourage the department of public health and human services to turn it over to a private contractor. John Fleming, in St. Ignatius, says his father-in law, doc west, is a world war two marine, currently receiving excellent dementia care at the facility's special care unit. He suspects the legislative move is a step towards dismantling the facility.

Fleming is a former State Legislator, and he says that puts him in position to question the motives, and he doesn't think it's really about any needed cost savings.

About 150 Montanans work at the home, and they are members of the public employee union, mea-mft.