Setting the record...straight?

I must admit, I usually enjoy Mike Dennison's columns. I think he's a lefty, yet of all the Great Falls Tribune reporters he probably does the best job of providing relatively balanced and in-depth coverage.

He recently wrote an article about the legislature. The point of his article is that political leaders from both sides of the aisle are misleading the public about the current school funding debate. He says the Republicans are exaggerating the amount of spending in the Democrat school funding bill, and the Dems are exaggerating the amount of their tax cuts. I found his article particularly interesting for a couple of reasons.

First, his article demonstrates his bias. For no discernible reason, he claims the Republican statements are "blatantly misleading" while the Democrats are "engaging in a bit of hyperbole" while "spinning their own scenarios." Those mean Republicans are lying, but the nice ol' Dems are just exaggerating a bit.

Second, he states that the Republicans are assuming that local school districts will use taxing authority granted them by HB63 to raise taxes, but that his check with local officials indicates that most will "want to keep local taxes as low as possible."

But here's Mr. Dennison's Freudian slip. He is summarizing all of the doomsday scenarios strung together by Republicans when he states, with reference to the possibility of local tax increases, that this will only happen "if school districts act as irresponsibly as possible."

So, Mr. Dennison has gone on record stating that it will be irresponsible for school districts to raise local taxes in the face of the state funding increase. Interesting point, Sir.