FOR RELEASE: May 25, 2006

Contacts: Pat Harper, AARP-Montana, 457-4704
Sanna Porte, MEA-MFT, 442-4250

Broad-based coalition forms to oppose CI-97 (SOS)
24 organizations, over 100 Montana citizens join

A coalition of organizations and individuals is forming to educate Montana voters about the dangers of Constitutional Initiative 97 (CI-97), also known as Stop Over-Spending or SOS.

The coalition, "Not In Montana: Citizens Against CI-97," is growing daily as concerns increase that CI-97 - SOS will severely hurt Montana businesses, hospitals, schools, and local communities.

Founding members of the coalition include AARP Montana, the Montana Hospital Association, Montana School Boards Association, MEA-MFT, Montana Public Employees Association, and Montana State AFL-CIO.

Other groups recently joining the coalition include the Montana Equipment Dealers Association; Montana Pharmacy Association; Montana State Firemen's Association; League of Women Voters of Montana; Montana State Council of Professional Fire Fighters; School Administrators of Montana; and others.

"Montana simply cannot afford to see this initiative pass," said Jim Ahrens, a spokesperson for the Montana Hospital Association. "CI-97 - SOS will severely damage the health care infrastructure of Montana, at a time when our population is rapidly aging and will require additional services."

Claudia Clifford of AARP Montana expressed her organization's opposition to CI-97 thus: "Montana already has a balanced budget requirement in the state constitution. What is it that the proponents of CI-97 want to cut? They won't say, because CI-97 - SOS is not really about stopping overspending; it's really about sinking our seniors, sapping our schools, and stifling our state."

Clifford noted that Governor Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, and Lt. Governor John Bohlinger, a former Republican legislator, have both taken strong positions against CI-97. "We're grateful for their leadership on this important issue," she said.

In addition to the 24 statewide organizations, over a hundred individual Montana citizens have also joined the Not in Montana coalition.

Coalition members are concerned about harmful effects of CI-97 on health care, schools, senior citizens, and Montana's economy.
A similar measure was adopted by Colorado in 1992, and was so destructive of public services and the state economy that Coloradans voted in 2005 to suspend the measure. The state's business community and Republican governor led the effort to suspend it.

The Not in Montana coalition expects to add new members daily as the campaign progresses. The coalition is urging Montanans not to sign the petition putting CI-97 - SOS on the November ballot. "To sign it is to vote in favor of it," said MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver. "It was too extreme for Colorado, and it's too extreme for Montana."

For more information about Not in Montana: Citizens Against CI-97, visit the coalition website at www.notinmontana.org.
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ATTACHED: Complete listing of groups in the Not in Montana: Citizens Against CI-97 coalition

Not in Montana: Citizens Against CI-97
Coalition Members
(As of May 25, 2006)

1. AARP Montana
2. American Diabetes Association
3. Golden Nuggets of Montana
4. Governor's Council on Aging
5. Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), local 1686
6. League of Women Voters of Montana
7. MEA-MFT
8. Montana Equipment Dealers Association
9. Montana Hospital Association
10. Montana Human Rights Network
11. Montana Pharmacy Association
12. Montana Public Employees Association
13. Montana Quality Education Coalition
14. Montana Retired Educators Association
15. Montana School Boards Association
16. Montana Staff Organization
17. Montana State AFL-CIO
18. Montana State Council of Professional Fire Fighters
19. Montana State Firemen's Association
20. Montana Women Vote
21. School Administrators of Montana
22. The Policy Institute
23. Teamsters Union #190
24. Working For Equality & Economic Liberation (WEEL)