The Independent-Record from Helena, Montana • 8

Thursday, May 5, 2005 Page CityState City Desk: 447-4071 rich.myershelenair.com Independent Record 1211 jo ppp of I nvo) rlnilu on hud ME Hi it fl planner sprinkled throughout the bill that provides about 90 percent of the money for state govern- said. "While some of the language may not be necessary, it's still legit- imate for the Legislature reports, plans and analyses that explain how various programs are functioning and spending the money provided. I 1 7 Greg Petesch, who heads the Legislature's staff of lawyers, said he hopes to provide an answer by Thursday, since Schweitzer plans to sign the major budget bill Friday morning. "There is some ment over the next two years. Senate Finance and Claims Chairman Mike Cooney, D-Helena, said Wednesday that the spending measure may have more than the usual number of such legislative demands, but they represent an important duty of lawmakers to keep track of how public money is Senator Mike Cooney, D-Helena, said legislative demands represent an important duty of lawmakers to keep track of how public money is spent.

to spell out some instructions" in the bill. Sen. John Cobb, an Augusta Republican and a 21-year veteran of the Legislature, said he doesn't believe Schweitzer can reject the mandates in the measure and should not try at this late date. "They had all this time when we had the budget going through (the four-month legislative process) By BOB ANEZ Associated Press Writer HELENA Members of the Legislature's budget staff sought legal advice Wednesday on whether the governor has the power to remove nearly three dozen legislative demands imposed in the state's $7 billion budget bill. Staff members said they want an opinion on the extent of the governor's authority to alter spending bills after the Legislature has adjourned.

David Ewer, Gov. Brian Schweitzer's budget director, has proposed his boss reject large segments of the 83-page bill that demand state agencies prepare and submit to lawmakers 34 various Ewer question of whether it's within his authority to remove language," Petesch said. Ewer has said the directives tres spent. "This is an attempt to perform that oversight responsibili Grandstreet Theatre presents 'Seussical the See details below. to do something about it, he said.

"What's so hard about More BUDGET, page 10A ty as best they can under the con- pass on the independence of the executive branch and should not be straints in which they work," he Cantaloupes away Husband and wife killed in plane crash Thursday May 5 The Helena Theatre Company presents "The Full Monty." When: 7:30 p.m.; 8 p.m. May 6-7 Where: Myrna Loy Center Cost $15 Contact: 443-0287 National Day of Prayer observance from several community and state pastors and leaders. When: noon Where: in front of the state Capitol Building Contact: 442-1301 Grandstreet Theatre presents "Seussical the Musical." When: 8 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, May 5-21. There will be two Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on May 1 and 8.

Where: Grandstreet Theatre Cost 15 Contact: 447-1574 Rolene Schliesman will present a program on efforts in Lewis and Clark County to preserve history and heritage. When: 6:30 p.m. Where: Historical Society Cost Free Contact; 444-1 645 ii jo niiinsuiwa kbw iuioi antrum r.M Jon Unit IR Staff Pliotographef" Red Cross blood drawing. When: 1 0 3 p.m. Where: Cogswell Building Contact: 491293 'Capital High students watch as a cantaloupe, shown upper right in a sling, is launched using a trebuchet built by students Andrew Lahr and James Hopkins.

The project was part of a hands-on activity in teacher Jim Murray's world literature class for seniors. The class has been studying a Shakespeare unit including the use of catapults in war by the French and English in medieval times. Two cantaloupes were launched, both traveling approximately 1 00 feet before smashing onto the road. KALISPELL (AP) A small plane en route to Casper, and then Dallas crashed and burned in the mountains east of here Tuesday, killing the husband and wife on board. Officials did not immediately identify the victims, but the plane was registered to a Whitefish company called Papa Mike Aviation LLC, operated by Martin V.

White. Jodie Hunt, who answered the phone at White's home Wednesday, confirmed White and his. 4 x- wife, Penny, were killed in the Crash of the single-engine Cessna. The FAA said in an initial report of the crash that the plane disappeared from radar at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

It had left the Kalispell airport a short time earlier. Flathead County Sheriff Jim Dupont said he spotted the burning wreckage from the air Tuesday evening in a mountainous area south of Glacier National Park. He told radio station KOFI that he was able to land near the crash site in a helicopter, but the wreckage and surrounding area were burning. Search and recovery crews were dispatched to the site Wednesday morning. Hunt said the Whites were both private pilots, although federal aviation records showed a listing only for Penny White.

American Cancer Society's Relay for Life kickoff rally. When: 6 p.m. Where: Lewis and Clark Public Library Schools get 4 of 4 levies Friday Meloy and Nordlund win seats on board A $520,500 elementary technology received 1,677 votes in favor and 1,130 against, and the $560,000 high school technology levy pulled in 2,084 votes in favor and 1,592 against. For Helena area residents, the passage of those technology levies will mean a combined increase of about $32 in taxes each year. The technology fund is a perpetual levy targeted at ensuring that the school districts are able to keep up with the costs associated with evolving technology.

Candidates Steve Meloy and Bren-da Nordlund emerged victorious in the race for two Helena School Board seats that were up for grabs, defeating Geoff Feiss and Debra Rosquist. Meloy received a total of 2,028 votes and Nordlund accumulated 1,449. "The election went very smoothly and we were pleased with the results," she said Wednesday. Despite a brief disruption in the flow of voting at Jim Darcy Elementary School when the polling station ran out of ballots, 10.54 percent of registered voters took to the polls to weigh in on the issues up for consideration. A $320,000 mill levy increase for the elementary district received 1,922 in favor and 910 against.

At the high school level, the $105,000 mill levy garnered 2,411 votes in favor and 1,298 in opposition. The mill levies will increase property taxes on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 by about $6.30 in the elementary district and 80 cents in the high school district. By CAR0LYNN BRIGHT IR Staff Writer The Helena School District's levy and trustee election Tuesday was successful in more ways than one, according to district administrators. In addition to receiving the voters' endorsement for a total of four levies in the elementary and high school districts and for two new members to the Helena School Board, district business manager Kim Harris said the execution of the voting and ballot counting went off pretty much as planned. ozeman could reap millions in The Helena Theatre Company presents "The Full Monty." When: 8 p.m.

May 6-7 Where: Myrna Loy Center Cost $15 Contact: 443-0287 Grandstreet Theatre presents "Seussical the Musical." When: 8 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, May 5-21. There will be two Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on May 1 and 8. Where: Grandstreet Theatre Contact: 447-1574 San Francisco acoustic rock and bluegrass band Ten Mile Tide in concert. When: 9:30 p.m.

Where: Miller's Crossing Contact: 442-3290 Country singer and Carroll grad Jason DeShaw will give a free concert Also Sleeping Giant Band. When: 7-11 p.m., May 6 Where: Brewhouse Cost: Free Church Women United of Helena East Helena Program by Covenant United Methodist Church. When: 9:30 am. Where: Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Helena A Spring Ring community dance will be hosted by the Living Hope Fellowship.

Music by Flashback. There will be childcare avaiilable for kids ages 6 and under and games for older children. When: 7 p.m. dance lesson; 8 p.m., music starts Where: 61 4 N. Main St, next to Starbucks Cost Free Contact: 458-8604 federal funds for parking garage By MARY CLARE JAL0NICK Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON The city of Bozeman is in line to get millions of federal dollars for a new downtown parking garage if Congress stops fighting over a long-stalled highway bill and it is signed sure in March.

The Senate has not finished work on the legislation, as Sen. Max Bau-cus, and other senators are trying to boost the level of spending. A similar bill stalled in Congress last year. Chris Kukulski, Bozeman's city manager, said the proposed funding Butte man killed near Paradise HELENA (AP) A 42-year-old Butte man was killed in a head-on crash on Montana 200 near Paradise, the Montana Highway Patrol reported Wednesday. David LeProwse Sr.

was westbound Monday morning when an eastbound car swerved into the oncoming lane to avoid an unknown object in the roadway and struck LeProwse's pickup truck head-on, the patrol said. He died at the scene. The 20-year-old woman from Missoula who was driving the car was taken to a Missoula hospital. The patrol also said a 22-year-old man from Spokane, died Monday in a Missoula hospital of injuries suffered in a March 20 crash on Interstate 90 near Drummond. The patrol said it appeared the driver fell asleep, the car went into the median and the driver over-corrected, causing the vehicle to flip end-over-end several times.

His name wasn't released. and Ekalaka, in extreme southeastern Montana. The money is only a small portion of the estimated $12 billion the bill contains for state and local projects, according to the Washington watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste. The organization is critical of the measure for charging taxpayers for projects like the Bozeman garage. "It's a free for all," said David Williams, vice president for policy at the group.

While Bozeman residents may support the garage, they are also "paying for thousands of other projects in other localities that they are by President Bush. The House version of the bill contains $4 million for a parking garage to be built along U.S. 191, which forms Main Street. Mayor Andrew Cetraro sought the money in a 2004 letter to Rep. Denny The parking structure is only one of several state projects contained in the $284 billion highway bill.

has already encouraged some private investment in the city center. "We are seeing some other private activity going on in anticipation of the garage," he said. Kukulski said city officials hope the garage which he estimates could cost up to $10 million will alle jZJ Red Cross blood drawing. Rehberg wnen: 9:30 am- 1:30 p.m. Where: Red Cross blood dnnnr center, 805 N.

Main Contact: 491293 not going to benefit from," he said. Among those projects are $200 million for a bridge in Alaska home of House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young $2.88 million for a bike path in Oregon and $1.7 million for a transportation museum in Connecticut. The six-year bill would fund highway, mass transit and safety programs. The House approved the mea Rehberg, arguing that a garage is needed to encourage development downtown. The garage is not the only Montana project in the $284 billion bill the legislation also contains $12 million to pave a portion of gravel highway between the small towns of Alzada viate parking problems along the highway and encourage investment in a new performing arts center and possibly even a new convention center for Bozeman.

Rehberg called the project a "sign of a vibrant and growing.