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Like many Montana ranchers, I know the importance of having good neighbors. When harvest time rolls around and neighbors are shorthanded, we help load up the wheat or the sugar beets in the field and get them to market. When a prairie fire rips through, good neighbors help rebuild fences. This isn’t done for reward or payment, it’s just what we do here in Montana. When you’re ranching and people are counting on you, you don’t put up with nonsense. You have to get things done. It’s about time Washington D.C. work that way. As I travel across th...
The Legislative Fiscal Division, headed by Amy Carlson, took a tour around the state recently to update the Legislators on the financial condition of the state. She was well prepared and her staff accompanied her to assist with the presentation. They summarized the impacts that legislation passed during the last session were estimated to cause, and brought real time numbers reflecting the current state finances. The long and short of the state’s finances are this: We are spending about $5 billion a year, we receive nearly half of that from t...
The Billings Gazette reported Wednesday that the Federal Government has decided to try and balance the budget by reducing payments to counties that contain Federal Lands. See “Montana counties take $20 million hit in spending bill” by Tom Lutey. Areas of our state that once had thriving economies and strong communities have been decimated by the mismanagement of these lands and prohibition on the use of those natural resources. Just as disappointing is the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill the obligation to our rural schools and pro...
The Education Local Government Interim Committee held its final meeting on September 15-16 in Helena prior to the 2015 Legislative Session which will begin in January. Typically, the final meeting is a wrap up of the entire interim and consist of discussions and votes taken on topics that have been researched throughout the entire period. The committees are balanced equally with Democrats and Republicans so that any resulting recommendations or proposed legislation usually has a very broad base of support going into the session. One of the...
The Montana State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service held their 34th annual Field Day in Sidney on Thursday July 24th. The event capped 100 years of dedicated service by the MSU Extension Office. The employee's of the extension office have dedicated their careers to identifying diseases and improving the production of the crops grown in Montana. Our unique growing conditions present many challenges and opportunities to the agricultural community. The scientists at...
The promise of Obamacare was too simple. It was supposed to provide more affordable access to quality health care to more people at a lower cost. Unfortunately instead of increased coverage we have 5 million Americans who have already seen their coverage canceled and new reports surface everyday showing that number could grow by up to 100 million additional policies canceled by next fall. I could list all of the failures, but there are articles in every corner of the internet pointing to them. Too often I hear people comment that conservatives...
Well now that the dust has settled from the 63rd Legislative session the committee assignments for the Interim have been finalized. Once again I have been selected to serve on the Education and Local Government Committee. The only study that has been assigned to the committee in addition to our statutorily required work is House Joint Resolution 2. The resolution directs the committee to investigate state and local government electronic records management. The state makes a huge investment in records management and the committee is charged...
