Scott DeMarois

Scott DeMarois was born in Anaconda, Montana. He graduated from Anaconda High School. He attended Montana Tech. His career experience includes working as a firefighter retiring as a Captain. He has been affiliated with the Montana State Council of Professional Fire Fighters and the Montana State Fire Fighters Association.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hi there! Thanks for taking a minute to learn about your candidates, it’s so important that you understand who we are. I am a Montanan… even better an Anacondan! I was born and raised in Anaconda. A son of a Union pipefitter/correctional officer and a small business owner. I was educated in Anaconda Public Schools and Graduated from Anaconda High in 1990. I attended college at Montana Tech and studied chemistry. To pay for this education, I worked for the Department of State Lands (now the DNRC) and the Forest Service as a wildland fire fighter. I figured out quickly that I would not be happy in a lab and therefore applied and was hired on the Anaconda Fire Department in 1995. I recently retired after almost 29 years of service to the community of Anaconda, and I loved each moment I had helping her residents. I promoted to the rank of Captain and retired at this position. Community service is in my DNA and I’m the happiest when I’m helping others. I have an amazing family, my wife Melani, my sons Jay and Quinn and my daughters Tommi, Cara and Madison make up our clan. Melani and I blended our families in 2010 and it's been a fantastic 14 years. It’s truly their support and love that has allowed me to run for this Legislative office. I am community oriented and love where I’m from, I’m honored to have an opportunity to represent Anaconda Deer Lodge and Silver Bow Counties.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Quality of Life: Everyone should have decent affordable healthcare including robust mental health access. People should have the ability to go to work and have a dignified wage appropriate to the times we live in, have workplace protections that enable the employee to have a safe and respectful work environment and have the right to a well well-funded retirement. Montanans need to feel safety, safety in schools, in their homes, on their streets and most importantly in their body.Protect Freedoms: Montana is wide and diverse state, a state that has always prided itself on toughness, honesty and diversity. We need to continue this acceptance of individuality and protect those who are different from ourselves. We are independent and have always had choice in our decisions, thus, we do not need government involving itself in personal matters. We require the freedom to enjoy Montana’s incredible beauty without locked gates or barriers to public lands. We require the freedom to have safe and responsible gun ownership. Finally, we require the freedom from unfair tax burden passed on from those who do not live or work in our great state.Montana for Montanans: I would like to see Montana a place where our children can live, work and be prosperous. We need to keep our most valuable resource – our children, here in Montana and allow them to be successful. I will find solutions to affordable housing and better wages. We need a Montana for Montanans -not an out of state ran government with those interests at the helm. A Montana with Montanan values placing the human driving the tractor, growing our food, protecting our streets, taking care of our sick or serving our food as the primary focus instead of powerful lobbies of people that only want to create a playground of affluence.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The areas of public policy I am particularly passionate about are: taxes, economic growth, labor relations, and healthcare.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

So many people in my life have lived by example, they have walked their talk and taught me the same.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

There is not one example of a work of art that defines my philosophy, but some of my philosophies are built on the takeaways I’ve read or watched about. It could start with “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Andrew Carnegie. It could be “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. It could be “In Dubious Battle” by John Steinbeck. It’s what we cannot become in the likes of “1984” by George Orwell or “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. It’s the passion of the fight from “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway. It’s asking questions and trying to understand perspectives from “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times” by Mónica Guzmán. It’s feeling how the immigrants were taken advantage of and why there is need of regulation of the greedy in “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair. It’s learning to be happy and empathetic in “The Art of Happiness” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is having wonderful role models in my life that have taught hard work or dedication to friends and family. It’s amazing teachers that taught me to have critical thought and not be afraid of books or of learning. It’s a Union that taught me we need rights from unscrupulous employers that only look to increase profit, hold us underwater and brain wash us to think that OUR time, OUR sweat and OUR labor is the problem. I do not have one source; I am a man of many and I will continue to be that for the humans that are here.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe transparency, integrity and the willingness to work for our constituents is paramount. It is important that we listen and learn about this great state and how life affects a person's truth and their passions. We can not know everything, but if we start from a place of question and not of judgement, we can learn so much about perspectives and those things that people hold dear. This allows us to create law or policy that enriches lives and not suppresses it.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have the ability to listen to people with empathy and I often see the other side of the story very quickly.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of our Legislature is upholding the Montana Constitution creating direction for the betterment of the citizens. We must create a fair tax and appropriately distribute these monies to our agencies to effectively manage the state. We must be willing to work with other representatives from different and diverse walks of life to build an atmosphere of unity and not of division. We must fully fund public education, so educators have the ability to teach in safe, effective, technologically sound environments. Doing this, will offer a place for the best chances for our youth to learn and succeed.

What legacy would you like to leave?

My hope is that I'm known for kindness and wanting to help people get a head in life.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember walking out of the Washoe Theater the evening that Mt. St. Helens erupted. The ash was thick like snow, it was so curious to see 4-5 inches of ash on the vehicles and sidewalks. My dad was frustrated with my sister and I because we were kicking ash with our feet, he was worried about our lungs. I was 8 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was delivering papers for the Anaconda Leader, it was route 3 and I had 72 people to deliver to. A fun fact, I live in one of the houses on that paper route.

What is your favorite book? Why?

For Whom the Bells Tolls by Ernest Hemingway.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Harry Potter! I absolutely loved those books and movies, the fantastical world of wizardry would be cool!

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Keeping hope that humanity can prevail and we start treating each other with respect.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe the ideal relationship between the Governor and State Legislature is that they work together away from party lines to achieve goals that benefit the citizens of Montana. The Legislature is the refined voice of the voter and needs to have a place in the Governors agenda. The Governor should want to work with the Legislature to craft policy that allows the government to work for its citizens.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

I believe affordable housing, taxes, use of public lands and wage equality will be our biggest issues.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

In my opinion experience can be beneficial but I believe a willingness to learn is more important than previous experience. Some of the greatest leaders we have had are people that started at the State Legislature, but conversely, that person with the "experience" but unable to learn or adapt because of their history does nothing but hurt the process.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I absolutely believe it's beneficial to build relationships with other legislators. In the House there are 100 of us, nothing can be accomplished by ourselves. It's the Union of Legislators that collectively make good decision for the whole of the state.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

A significant role model for me growing up and watching perform in the legislature is my 6th grade math teacher - William "Red" Menahan. He sat in the same district I am running for today and taught me many things. Aside from Math, he was a true statesman, whom was able to make friends all over the state and across the isle. He was a fierce protector of Anaconda, her citizens and the workforce. I always appreciated his work in school, in the Legislature and finally as my next door neighbor.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

It is way to early to define any thought of future offices. I want to be wholly focused on this seat and doing good things for my community.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I heard from a young man how having the support of programs that were instituted by President Obama changed his life, allowed him to go to college and be successful.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Why do firefighters wear red suspenders? To hold their pants up. A total dad joke, but the little kids used to love it when they would come by the station for tours. My favorite part of the job.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

To be fair, I don't completely understand this question but if the Governor is executing MCA 10-3-104 in a state of emergency then I think the law is clear and concise. The MCA quoted states that the Legislature intends to allow the Governor to act in the moment of an emergency. Later in the law it states that "The governor may not suspend a statute that affects the exercise of an individual's constitutional rights under the United States constitution or the Montana constitution, including 13-19-104(3), even if the statute is otherwise considered a regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business." Therefore, it's a limited rule and has legislative oversight. I do believe the three branches of government should oversee and protect the constitution.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

I have been asked to co-sponsor a bill protecting fire fighters from the hazardous PFAS chemicals found in fire fighting foam and turnout gear. These forever chemicals have been linked to many types of cancer.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

MFPE, Montana AFL-CIO, Montana State Council of Professional Fire Fighters, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, International Association of Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 96 Butte Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 100 Anaconda Professional Fire Fighers.

What committees interest you?

Committees that interest me are Taxation, Appropriations, Buisness and Labor, Human Services, Natural Resources, State Administration and Local Government.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe the reason there is a large segment of the population that has a distrust of government is because of the lack of transparency. We must be as transparent as possible and remove the restrictions to information. How can we expect people to pay taxes and use their hard earned money to fund governmental programs if we have no accountability. Accountability to the tax payer is at the head of transparency.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

I would need to research this question to provide an insightful answer. I have not been personally involved with the process.