Archive for State Budget
by CHARLES S. JOHNSON
The chief sponsor of the lone remaining property tax mitigation bill vowed Tuesday that he will try to kill it if the Montana Senate doesn’t better fund programs to help the elderly, the poor and disabled veterans with their tax bills.
“I am willing to advocate for the bill being tabled if we’re not committed to the programs,” Rep. Mike Jopek, D-Whitefish, told the Senate Taxation Committee. “That’s a big statement because that throws us into chaos and that throws us into a special session. Nobody wants that.”
Jopek said he can quickly turn into a “tenacious opponent” of the bill if necessary. However, that doesn’t need to happen, he said, because the money is there to adequately fund these programs in House Bill 658. Read More→
Panel OKs bill to expand insurance subsidy
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
A bill allowing another 450 small businesses and their employee state subsidies for private group health insurance won approval Wednesday from a Senate committee.
The Senate Finance and Claims Committee voted 13-6 to endorse House Bill 258, which increases funding for the Insure Montana program by $6 million over the next two years. Read More→
Stimulus bill passes in the House
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
The bill to spend Montana’s $880 million share of federal economic stimulus money sailed through the House Thursday, but not without warnings from conservative Republicans about “the demise of the republic” brought on by excessive government spending.
The House voted 64-33 in favor of House Bill 645, which is packed with one-time spending on highways, water projects, school buildings and a host of other programs, meant to jolt the economy and help those hurt by the country’s economic slowdown. Read More→
Key panel approves stimulus measure
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
Capping more than a week of marathon committee sessions and one-on-one negotiations among its members, a key legislative panel Tuesday approved the bill outlining how to spend Montana’s $870 million share of federal economic “stimulus” money. The final product, headed for the House floor on Thursday, rearranged $75 million of discretionary spending in the bill, directing it at everything from schools to city building projects to investment in state historical sites. ”We wanted to stay true to the principles of the (federal bill),” said Rep. Jon Sesso, D-Butte, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “We wanted to put money on the ground to create jobs. That was pervasive to every discussion.” Read More→
Tax credit for working poor gains House’s OK
Posted by:By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
With bipartisan support, the Montana House Wednesday tentatively approved a tax credit aimed at poor, working families. It marks the first time a bill providing a state earned income tax credit has passed a Montana legislative chamber.
House Bill 360, by Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, won debate-stage approval by 65-35. It was sent to the House Appropriations Committee for review because of its estimated cost of $27.5 million a year, starting in fiscal 2010. Caferro pegged the cost at $24 million. Read More→
"I think that it’s going to all work out, with the changes that we have agreed to. It’s not as much (spending for some programs) as I would’ve hoped, but apparently it’s more than other people wanted. As usual, we are trying to find the middle.” 
"[On term limits:] You empower the executive, you empower the lobbyists and that's not good for the system because then we lose what the citizen Legislature brings.” 