West

This state is debt free. Why isn't Washington?

Published

1 year ago

August 17, 2024

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This state is debt free. Why isn't Washington?

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“To preserve our independence,” Thomas Jefferson once said, “we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.” Or, as Benjamin Franklin said, in his everyman style, “those who go a-borrowing, go a-sorrowing.”

The warning from our founders has fallen by the wayside. Reckless spending by career politicians in Washington has left our nation and future generations saddled with $35 trillion in debt, as was recently noted by the Department of Treasury.

It does not have to be this way. In Montana, we chose a different path. Our state is debt-free.

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris (Getty Images)

Thanks to good fiscal discipline and strong budget management, we had a budget surplus of $2.5 billion in 2023. While some in Washington might look at a surplus of that size and be tempted to expand government, we resisted. Instead, we allocated the surplus as any family would.

TRUMP’S RECORD FAR SUPERIOR TO BIDEN’S ON DEBT AND INFLATION

First, we returned over $1 billion to taxpayers through tax cuts and reductions. As a general principle, I believe hardworking Montanans deserve to keep more of what they earn. It’s their money, not the government’s. That’s why we delivered the largest property tax and income tax rebates in state history.

We also provided the biggest income tax cut in state history. These supplements are especially vital as hardworking Montanans, like all Americans, face the affordability and inflationary crisis created by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s spending spree.

Second, we stopped kicking the can down the road and fixed what was broken. Just like a family would make needed repairs to their home, we made one-time capital investments to address deferred building maintenance, improvements to our prisons, building and repairing roads and bridges, and providing historic investments into our behavioral health system.

AMERICA’S DEBT IS ECONOMIC INSANITY. IT’S TIME TO SAVE THE AMERICAN DREAM

But I was clear: We should not plant acorns that would grow into mighty oaks in perpetual need of constant watering, trimming and feeding.

Third, we doubled our rainy day fund and other reserves to secure our strong future.

After all that, we still had money left over. So, we paid off all our outstanding general obligation debt.

Montana is now debt-free.

As a result, our economy has responded with record job creation and business growth. In fact, as of yesterday, we have more Montanans working than ever before.

AMERICA’S DEBT ‘DEATH SPIRAL’ GIVES US $1 TRILLION REASONS TO ACT NOW

But more work remains to fight back against the affordability crisis that Biden and Harris have created. Since Biden took office, his failed policies have forced Montana families to pay more from gas to groceries. It’s more difficult to purchase a home. The debt we have has burdened our children and grandchildren.

I ran for governor to leave this state better than I found it, allowing the next generation of Montanans to thrive. I have tremendous hope for our country and my state that our best days are ahead.

Working with the legislature, I’ll continue to be focused on making life more affordable for hardworking Montanans using the blueprint we have laid out over the last four years, cutting taxes and implementing permanent reforms.

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It’s my hope that Montana can serve as an example to federal, state and local leaders as they work to find bipartisan solutions to secure their financial futures.

What we need in Washington is the political will to lead with the same fiscal discipline we have in Montana to ensure a stable and prosperous future for our great nation.

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Hawaii

What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood

Published

10 minutes ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A family-run Chinese restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown is gearing up for Lunar New Year festivities.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant owner Karen Tam and her son Kirave Liang joined HNN’s Sunrise to showcase their dim sum and Chinese specialties.

Lunar New Year specials include a special jai with 18 vegetarian ingredients and the sweet, sticky, steamed rice cake gau in brown sugar and coconut flavors, which symbolize good fortune and prosperity.

”We eat food with a lucky meaning to start the great year,” Tam said. “We have jin dui (sesame balls) every day.“

Feb. 17 marks the start of the year of the Fire Horse, when families gather to celebrate with big meals and auspicious dishes. Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood will offer set party menus and special orders for foods not commonly found in Honolulu, such as whole stuffed duck, braised abalone in oyster sauce, and basin meal.

“It’s the biggest fest of the year. We celebrate Chinese New Year by eating with family in a round table,“ Tam said.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood also has private rooms with karaoke systems and a banquet hall to accommodate small family gatherings to large parties.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood is located on 111 N. King St. and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, There is street parking and paid parking behind the restaurant on Nimitz and Maunakea.

For more information, visit hawaiidimsumseafood.com or follow on Instagram @hawaiidimsumseafood.

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Idaho

Interstate 84 near Mountain Home back open after utility work

Published

16 minutes ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Interstate 84 near Mountain Home back open after utility work

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Interstate 84 near Mountain Home is back open after crews closed the freeway due to utility work.

Crews closed westbound and eastbound lanes on Saturday morning from milepost 90 to milepost 95 due to Idaho Power working on power lines in the area, according to the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. All lanes are now back open in both directions.

The sheriff’s office and the Mountain Home Police Department apologized for the inconvenience, saying they were just informed of the closure on Saturday morning.

More information regarding road closures and traffic conditions can be found at the Idaho Transportation Department’s 511 map.

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Montana

Service door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says

Published

2 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Service door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says

The French owner of the Swiss bar where 40 people died in a fire during new year celebrations has told investigators a service door had been locked from the inside.

Jacques Moretti, co-owner of the Constellation bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, was taken into custody on Friday, as prosecutors investigated the tragedy.

Most of the 40 people who died were teenagers, and another 116 people were injured.

Moretti told the Valais public prosecutor’s office that he had found out about the locked door just after the deadly fire.

When he arrived at the scene, he forced open the door, according to excerpts from police reports published by several French and Swiss media outlets confirmed to AFP by a source close to the case.

Moretti said he had found several people lying behind the door after opening it.

Initial findings suggest the fire was caused by sparklers coming into contact with soundproofing foam installed on the ceiling of the establishment’s basement.

Questions are also being raised regarding the presence and accessibility of fire extinguishers, and whether the bar’s exits were in compliance with regulations.

No safety inspections at site of Swiss bar fire for past five years, mayor says

“We always add a sparkler candle when we serve a bottle of wine in the dining room,” said his wife and co-owner, Jessica, who was released after Friday’s hearing.

Moretti told investigators he had carried out tests and the candles were not powerful enough to ignite the acoustic foam.

He said he bought the foam in a DIY store and installed it himself during renovations carried out after buying the establishment in 2015.

Regarding the presence of numerous underage kids in the bar at the time of the tragedy, Moretti said the establishment prohibited anyone under the age of 16 and that customers aged 16 to 18 had to be accompanied by an adult.

He said he had given these “instructions” to the security staff, but acknowledged that “it is possible that there was a lapse in protocol”.

The couple is suspected of “negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson”.

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