The Montana Legislature and Governor Self-Dealing
supporter
Posted by Hanson (+2993) 2 years ago
On January 16, 2020, I had a letter in this Star that was entitled ‘Prepare for calamity if a Republican is elected for governor.’ I dislike platitudes such as I told you so. However, current news coming from Helena and the legislature bears me out. My 2020 letter pointed out how Republicans belly ache about slow economic recovery when a Democrat is in control cleaning up economic messes left by them.

In Montana, with Schweitzer, it was cleaning up after Republican governors Racicot and Martz who, through disastrous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy coupled with thoughtless deregulation, managed to destroy the Montana Power Company and drive our state into an economic burrow pit. With the Republican legislature and governor, we are now on the same road to an economic train wreck. A case in point is Gianforte poised to sign a bill cutting the top tax rates. This bill will cost the state more than $85 million yearly while paying those with the highest incomes an average of more than $3,500 a year while a person earning closer to the minimum wage will get an average of about two bucks a year. Does anyone wonder why Gianforte wanted to be governor so bad? This bill will pay him considerably more than $3,500 yearly.

They are about to pass HB 279 legislation that raises the tax credit for contributing to private schools from $150 to $200,000. The fiscal note for the program will be a hit to our general fund of $8.1 million. This bill takes tax dollars for public schools and gives that money to private schools, many of which are religious. This taking of public tax dollars needed to fund our public schools makes Montana’s children less competitive in job markets and Montana less desirable for businesses to locate here.

In my January 2020 letter, I queried why the Republican administrations repeatedly run our national and state economies into the ditch? The answer is Republicans do not believe in government by the people and for the people. They are more concerned with their wallets than whether or not the government thrives. A case in point is the self-dealing of the present legislature. We have Republican landowners proposing legislation granting ten-packs of out-of-state elk tags for them to sell. While this one may not go, the bill is proposed by Republican Wylie Galt, Speaker of the House, whose family are some of the state’s biggest landowners. How about Representative Galloway of Great Falls who has introduced multiple laws to advantage himself as a landlord to the detriment of his tenants? Another example of delf dealing is the owner of several vaping shops, Representative Marshall’s bill to reduce government control of vaping, a direct attack on the health of Montana children? The foregoing is just a little of the despicable Republican assault upon our state.
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supporter
Posted by Robert Martelle (+1185) 2 years ago
You know who one who will benefit highly from the private school tax credit...it is our very own carpet bagger governor...Giant Fart.

The current legislature is concerned with lining their pockets, suppressing the vote of the poor, being the morality police for LGBTQ, holding no one accountable if they can claim it is too much of a religious inconvenience and more. They have shredded the Montana Constitution with their trampling on local control for cities, counties, local school boards and of course the Board of Regents.

Giant Fart wants to be only one involved in the judicial appointment process.

Oh and don't forget, they know better than MDs and other health professionals who sit on boards of health.

This has been the most depressing legislative session ever.

Remember who these people are. I used to think that Dwayne Ankney and Ken Holmland were reasonable individuals. Now I think they are no better than the rest of the Republican hacks up there. (I already knew that Bogner was not worth wasting ink to put an X in the box before his name.)
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supporter
Posted by Hanson (+2993) 2 years ago
April 13, Senator Hoven (R-Great Falls) will bring a bill to the Senate Taxation committee that will request an interim study to design a statewide sales tax. How convenient, Giantfart and the Republicans have cut taxes for corporations and the wealthiest Montanans, then the first line of their sales tax bill says “there is never enough money for local governments, property tax relief, income tax reduction, district court judges, public defenders, mental health treatments, caregiver raises, and other government and society needs and requests.” The Republicans want a tax that makes it harder for lower-income families to afford groceries, necessities, and services so they can give to the wealthy and the corporations. Did any of you expect anything else from the hogs at the trough?
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Posted by Bridgier (+9508) 2 years ago
Montana's going to get what they voted for, I guess...
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founder
supporter
Posted by Amorette Allison (+12605) 2 years ago
Sadly. yes. We are SO screwed. Patronage jobs. Tax breaks for the wealthy. Anti education. Discrimination and racism and sexism all codified. Handing our soul over to corporations. There is NO evil the current administration will not commit.
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supporter
Posted by tom regan (+3179) 2 years ago
I fully expect Governor Jersey Greg to sign this bill into law. He loves wealthy non-residents, being one himself. He is always looking out for his rich buddies at the expense of average working Montanans. SAD!

"On April 28, the Legislature passed in both houses a bill that includes 3,000 guaranteed tags for outfitters. If this sounds familiar and surprises you, it should. This passed in spite of the fact that Montanans abolished these tags by ballot measure, and the bill that was introduced this session trying to overturn that measure was killed after having public hearings."

"At $5,000 per guided hunt (intentionally conservative), this just resulted in $15 million of guaranteed government revenue to be used to lease up land and keep you off. At $15 million with 400-ish guides, it is roughly $38,000 per outfitter. No more complaints about the $1,200 stimulus, please."

https://helenair.com/opin...234de.html
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