Rosendale Out of Touch with Eastern Montana

Dear Editor,

Matt Rosendale has lived in eastern Montana for nearly two decades but over that time he still remains out of touch with eastern Montanans.

During Rosendale’s 2014 campaign for the House of Representatives, he called for the transfer of federally managed public lands to the state. Even going so far as to claim Bureau of Land Management lands were unconstitutional. That same year, in an interview during the race, he called PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) a welfare check to local counties.

Here in Valley County, we received $1.15 million in PILT payments for 2018. These funds have helped us manage our 2,200 miles of roads, giving us access to our abundant public lands. The same public lands that he claims are unconstitutional, have allowed our ranchers to graze their cattle, our families to take their children camping and hunting and keep these wide open spaces free of development.

I encourage Mr., Rosendale to stop soliciting dark money in D.C. and instead come to eastern Montana and meet with our public land employees. These employees have devoted their careers to our communities. They volunteer on our fire departments, they coach our kids’ hockey teams and are pillars of our community. They deserve respect.

Sincerely,

John Moscarello

Fort Peck, Mont.