Each candidate was asked to provide autobiographical information, and answer the following questions. Some responses were edited for length. All legislative Q&As will be available on Missoulian.com; just click on Elections 2008.
Gravel pits: How would you deal with the issue of gravel pits being located next to subdivisions? Do you think environmental studies and public input should be required of all gravel pits? Should the state have the authority to put limits on gravel operations based on those things?
Prescription drug abuse: Recently, the Missoulian printed a series of articles detailing a sharp increase in the abuse of prescription drugs. Do you support or oppose a prescription drug registry and why? What about allocating state money for treatment programs?
Energy costs: Montanans could be facing record-high energy prices this fall and winter. Is there anything the state can or should do to mitigate those prices or help people who may have difficulty heating their homes?
Top priorities: What is the single most important piece of legislation you would introduce, and why?
Yvonne Gastineau Gritzner
Office sought: House District 90
Political party: Democrat
Age: 67
Birthdate, place: May 13, 1941, Bozeman
Home: 378 One Horse Creek Road, Florence, MT 59833
Occupation: Retired; volunteer on Board of Friends of Montana PBS and program committee of Montana Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Family: Husband of 39 years, Jeffrey, University of Montana professor of geography; three children, Jason, Ingeborg and Justus; three grandchildren, Maya, Iris and Taj
Education: bachelor's degree, Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.; master's degree, Middlebury College in Vermont
Past employment: Program officer, Montana Committee for the Humanities, 16 years; former teacher, bilingual administrator and interpreter
(Non)military service: Peace Corps volunteer, English teacher and youth camp director, Cameroon 1963-1965; Peace Corps volunteer trainer, 1965, 1967-68
Political experience: President of student council and student body vice president in high school. In adult life, citizen advocate helping to pass important legislation in Helena and in Washington, D.C.
Gravel pits: Gravel operations are a vital industry in our state. Much development depends on them, including the creation of subdivisions. Montana needs laws and standards that allow for appropriate use of land with respect to impact on existing and future populations, on the natural resources, and the health and beauty of our state. Fair and reasonable land-use laws avoid the need for an environmental study and public hearings for every gravel pit. In cases where the proposed location for a gravel pit is not clearly appropriate or inappropriate, the decision must take into consideration the interest and rights of the property owner, the science on the environment, and the desires and needs of the community.
UM funding for buildings: The University of Montana has undergone a series of major building, as well as repair and renovation, projects over the last 15 years. I would be open to hearing the university's case for the proposed future construction and would give it due consideration, particularly if it focused on requesting some state funding to combine with the private funding for building the Native American Center. This center will provide a significant facility for educational services to Montana's tribal people. However, because of projected lower enrollments at UM and many urgent needs facing Montana, including health care, strengthening schools, and solving the state's energy needs, other UM building projects would not be a priority for me.
Prescription drugs: This is a major problem in Montana that needs to be dealt with. Every 2 1/2 days, a person dies in this state from prescription drug abuse. Ours is the highest rate in the country. This issue deserves the urgent attention of the Montana Legislature. First there needs to be proper application of existing laws overseeing prescription drugs. I would want to inform myself by hearing from professionals on all sides on this issue before taking a position regarding a prescription drug registry. There is a compelling argument to oppose a registry as an intrusion into people's legitimate right to privacy.
Energy costs: I would think government, whether state or federal, should be prepared to give some assistance to people who will find it difficult to heat their homes this winter. Likewise, the energy companies themselves should make available energy at a lower price, as with the EnergyShare program, for households whose need would qualify them for consideration. Service organizations may want to get involved also. We as individuals should reach out to neighbors who could use some help with winterizing their homes and supplying firewood where burning is allowed. Without delay, our state should resolve to pursue production of renewable American energy, produced in Montana by Montana workers.
Top priorities: In March 2007, I was one of nearly 300 Montanans who participated in the Governor's Food and Agriculture Summit: Food Production - Hunger Reduction. Today, only
10 percent of the food grown and processed in Montana is consumed in Montana - the rest is exported, compared to 70 percent in the 1950s. Many organizations are writing legislation to reduce food insecurity in Montana, increase income for local farmers and ranchers, create food processing jobs in state, develop markets through Farm to School and local farmers markets, and help save energy consumed by long-distance transportation. My goal will be to introduce legislation to promote this effort.
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