GREAT FALLS — We continue our local candidate coverage as election day draws near. MTN News looks at the contest for House District 26. The area is currently represented by Democrat Casey Schreiner, who is termed-out for that seat and is running for Lt. Governor on the November ballot.
Democrat Helena Lovick is running for HD 26. She's a wife, mother of two and a scientist. When it came to the two ballot initiatives dealing with recreational marijuana, both candidates said they were eager to let voters decide.
Lovick said legalization would help decriminalize the substance and could create fairer sentences. But she doesn't believe revenue will be as lucrative as some have suggested. She's looked at Canada, Colorado, and Washington's laws and said fellow representatives need to be ready for whatever voters choose.
"We have to realize that if we go down this path, if this gets passed this year that we need to be ready as legislators to address the issue that will arise,” she said. “It's not gonna be something that's going to be perfectly smooth and we need to be ready to get on top of that and get ahead of problems other areas have faced as a model."
Republican Jeremy Trebas is also running for the open seat. He previously represented House District 25 after winning in 2016. Trebas is an accountant and human resources manager and has worked with nonprofits; he currently works at the Great Falls Rescue Mission.
When it came to the two ballot initiatives dealing with recreational marijuana, Trebas said he also awaits voters' decision but has concerns over crime rates and whether or not the state will see revenue.
"I do still believe there will be a large unregulated market in marijuana for quite some time even if it passes, because of the 20% on its sale so that's gonna make it more expensive than what can be found on the street,” he said. “So on the funding side, if and when it passes, I'd like to see the money allocated towards schools which it's supposed to be and also law enforcement activities mainly."
We asked the candidates a number of other questions, their answers can be found below.
