Interviewer
Jack Rowan
Files
Description
John Torma, former member of the New Party and Missoula city council member (2000-2004), describes his political origins, his introduction to the New Party, its appeal to him, and his decision to run for city council as a non-partisan with support from the New Party and the Democratic Party. He discusses the success and failures of the New Party during the 1990s (living wage campaign, growth management, density bonuses) then talks about the University Area Homeowners’ Association, with whom he often found himself in disagreement about such topics as occupancy standards. Torma then analyzes by what path the label New Party took on a negative connotation. He describes the dissolution of the party in the early 2000s, as it no longer provided the best vehicle for local progressive politics. He also discusses the political composition of various wards in Missoula, the progressive future for the Missoula governance, and concerns about electronic voting.
The interviewee's full birth date has been restricted in both the audio and transcript for this interview.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
New Party, United States; New Party, Missoula, Montana; Political parties, Montana; Political parties, United States; Living Wage Campaign (1990s), Montana; Living Wage Campaign (1990s), United States; University Area Homeowners’ Association, Missoula, Montana
Original Date
4-3-2006
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Missoula New Party Oral History Project, OH 400, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 400-004
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 sound cassette (01:00:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (16 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:17:46 minutes
Local Filename
OH_400_004.mp3; OH_400_004.pdf
Citation
Torma, John Joseph, "John Joseph Torma Interview, April 3, 2006" (2006). Missoula New Party Oral History Project. 4.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/missoulanewparty_oralhistory/4