Opinion: New deal for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

A limited group negotiated an agreement that was good for them while threatening everyone else. Then they attempted to force it down the throats of the landowners using outrageous ploys. There were many flaws in the proposed agreement including the fact it was based on an amateurish use study, ignored water use history, and lacked flexible to adapt to crops, climate, or economics changes.

The proponents used fear-mongering over legal costs and protracted litigation, and tried to get it adopted with distorted facts, legislative sleight-of-hand, stacking boards with unequal representation, and even to playing the race card.

Regardless of these tactics, the vote by landowners a few weeks ago was overwhelmingly against the proposed water use compact, and it ultimately changed which side was in control of the Joint Board. Some of the commissioners whose seats were not up for re-election remain on the JBC but found themselves in the minority. They are mad, desperate and have tried another end run — this time to destroy the joint board by withdrawing their districts. Regardless, they are still bound together by law for 90 more days and the combined group has a real chance to re-negotiate a far better deal.