Montana Governor Schweitzer looks to provide tuition breaks, focus on energy research

Looking to the future, Gov. Brian Schweitzer wants to set aside several billion dollars in anticipated coal tax money for free or greatly discounted college tuition for Montana science and math students and to create a world-class energy research institute.

Schweitzer said he will ask the 2011 Legislature to develop a long-term strategic plan for how the state might best use portions of the vast sums the state expects to receive from coal mined at Otter Creek and elsewhere over 25-30 years. Mining is expected to begin in five or six years.

"Let’s have the fight about the (next two-year) budget today, but let’s think long term and make decisions today about our future," the governor said in a recent interview. "I’m trying to start a conversation. It’s not a top-down idea. I need their buy-in."

By CHARLES S. JOHNSON IR State Bureau

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