The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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I recently announced that I'm in the process of appointing a new committee of the State Legislature. The Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform is a bipartisan committee that will be made up of state senators, representatives, and members of the public. It will be charged with addressing violations of the state's constitutional separation of powers by the Montana Supreme Court and certain district court judges. A series of troubling judicial rulings at the di...
Montana beer is a unique industry. Local breweries are dedicated customers of Montana farmers, buying locally grown raw agricultural ingredients. They brew those ingredients into a wide array of delicious, value-added, made-in-Montana products that routinely win national awards. Breweries have become community hubs for activities like live music and philanthropy. Many are now centerpieces of rural towns. A great example is Libby, where Cabinet Mountain Brewing is known as...
The Legislature's major zoning reforms to increase the supply of affordable housing in Montana have made a lot of news, but there was also another significant pillar of our pro-housing work during the session: cutting red tape. Excessive government regulations have been one of the barriers to meeting demand for housing. Every regulation also increases costs, making what homes do get built more expensive than they otherwise would be. The Legislature's regulatory reforms touched...
October 1st is the deadline to claim your $675 property tax rebate for this year. Tens of thousands of Montana property owners have already claimed theirs. If you're a Montana resident who pays property taxes on your primary residence, head to getmyrebate.mt.gov as soon as possible to claim yours. And whether you've already claimed this year's rebate or not, put a reminder on your calendar to claim next year's as well. A second $675 property tax rebate will be available from...
Republicans' number one goal this legislative session has been to provide financial relief to Montanans struggling with Joe Biden's inflation and the high cost of living. An early, priority package of eight pieces of legislation is aimed at delivering on that mission. Together, these bills combine to immediately put money in Montanans' pockets, provide long-term tax relief, and reduce taxpayer obligations into the future. House Bills 192 and 222 return over $700 million of...
I'm not a pro-marijuana guy. I voted against Montana's adult-use cannabis initiative (I-190) in the 2020 election. However, since Montanans approved the initiative and recreational marijuana has taken effect in our state, I've been committed to following the will of the voters and making sure our new system works safely and effectively. One of the biggest barriers to that objective is outdated federal law that causes problems for states that have legalized cannabis. In...
As we begin to approach the 2023 legislative session, Montana workers, families, employers, and elected officials are all facing a unique combination of opportunities and challenges that we haven't seen before. In many ways, Montana's economy is better than ever. Governor Greg Gianforte recently announced that our unemployment rate remains at a record low while more Montanans are working than ever before. The Treasure State's economy and personal incomes are growing at the...
The world is changing faster than ever before. If we want Montana to continue to be a place where you can make a living and raise a family, we must build the infrastructure we need to seize the opportunities of the modern economy. Right now, Montana ranks as the worst state for broadband Internet connectivity. That's a problem we have to fix. Reliable access to high speed Internet doesn't just matter to high tech businesses and telecommuters; nearly every piece of our economy...
