Montana

Montana Legislature continues work on tax relief bills

Published

2 years ago

January 25, 2023

Montana Legislature continues work on tax relief bills

HELENA — Each Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Republican majority within the Montana Legislature have recognized tax aid as one in every of their high priorities for the 68^th Session. However as lawmakers start listening to the primary set of main tax payments, some variations have appeared in precisely how they need to return cash to taxpayers.

One in all Gianforte’s primary priorities has been a property tax rebate, utilizing a number of the state’s greater than $2 billion surplus. He’s backed Home Invoice 222, sponsored by Rep. Tom Welch, R-Dillon, which initially proposed a rebate of as much as $1,000 every of the following two years on a Montana property proprietor’s main residence inside the state. A fiscal evaluation estimates the invoice would have returned about $534 million to about 292,200 eligible households every year.

Final Wednesday, the Home Taxation Committee tabled HB 222. On the next morning, Gianforte – who has repeatedly referred to as for fast motion on tax payments – criticized the choice at his weekly information convention, saying it might delay wanted aid. Later that day, the committee revived HB 222 and superior it, however not earlier than amending it to chop the rebate to $500 every year.

Home Majority Chief Rep. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, made the preliminary movement to desk the invoice.

“Tabling a invoice through the legislative course of is one thing that’s utilized for quite a few causes,” she mentioned. “On this case, we simply wanted a little bit extra time to debate this advanced invoice, and we took 24 hours and introduced the invoice again, had a fantastic dialogue and handed it out.”

Vinton mentioned Republican lawmakers minimize the rebate with the intention of redirecting a number of the funding to an revenue tax rebate. Many within the Republican caucus had referred to as for that as early as final yr.

“Our caucus may be very cognizant of the necessity for property tax aid and revenue tax rebates on this state of affairs,” mentioned Vinton.

Vinton and the opposite high GOP leaders within the Home and Senate have signed on as co-sponsors to Home Invoice 192, launched by Rep. Invoice Mercer, R-Billings. That invoice proposes $250 million for property tax rebates and $650 million for revenue tax rebates.

Supporters of returning revenue taxes have mentioned it makes probably the most sense as a result of leaders imagine the state surplus got here largely from higher-than-expected revenue tax collections. It will additionally apply to a special set of Montanans than a property tax rebate. HB 192’s fiscal evaluation estimated 460,000 folks would obtain an revenue tax rebate.

HB 222 and HB 192 at the moment are amongst a number of main payments which might be in entrance of the Appropriations Committee, the Home’s primary funds panel. Others embody Home Invoice 212, from Rep. Josh Kassmier, R-Fort Benton, which might elevate the exemption for the enterprise tools tax; and Home Invoice 251, from Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, which might dedicate $150 million to paying off state money owed.

It’s anticipated Appropriations will quickly begin coordinating the competing proposals – significantly these coping with one-time-only tax reductions – and advance a set of payments to the Home ground within the coming days.

Additionally in Appropriations is Home Invoice 258, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Karlen, D-Missoula, which Democrats have touted as their primary proposal for one-time property tax aid. It will additionally supply a property tax rebate, however in contrast to the Republican proposals, it might be focused to these making lower than 130% of their county’s median revenue, and it might additionally present funds for renters.

Although Democrats are within the minority, Home Minority Chief Rep. Kim Abbott, D-Helena, mentioned she hopes their concepts can be a part of the dialog as tax proposals begin shifting ahead.

“Our strategy on tax coverage is to get aid to the oldsters who want it,” she mentioned. “Any proposal that comes out of the Appropriations Committee, we’re going to evaluate with these values in thoughts – who’s benefiting, and is it serving to the oldsters that need assistance probably the most.”

Abbott mentioned it might be extra chargeable for the Legislature to attend for up to date income numbers in March earlier than taking motion on tax coverage.

Vinton acknowledged there might be extra surplus income coming in by the top of the session, and mentioned she expects these payments received’t be the final phrase on this problem.

“That is only a begin, and we actually will search for laws to proceed our efforts going ahead,” she mentioned.

Throughout his information convention final week, Gianforte mentioned he understood the Legislature would put its stamp on the tax payments, however he once more urged them to behave rapidly.

“My message may be very easy: It’s think about the plan, modify it if you happen to should, get it to my desk – as a result of we have to get the aid to Montanans,” he mentioned.

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Montana

Montana State football beats Northern Colorado 55-17, sending Bears to 18th straight loss

Published

2 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Press Room

Montana State football beats Northern Colorado 55-17, sending Bears to 18th straight loss

Nationally ranked Montana State defeated Northern Colorado for the 11th-straight game with a 55-17 win Saturday in a Big Sky Conference football game at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.

Sophomore wide receiver Taco Dowler had 207 all-purpose yards for the 6-0 Bobcats, who came into the homecoming game ranked third in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll from Sept. 30.

Northern Colorado lost for the sixth time in six games this season, and the program losing streak extended to 18 games dating to November 2022.

UNC’s last win was a 21-20 victory Nov. 12, 2022 over Big Sky opponent Northern Arizona at Nottingham Field in Greeley. The program’s current losing streak began the following week with a 45-21 loss to Eastern Washington in Cheney, Washington.

Northern Colorado’s last win over Montana State was 17 years ago, a 16-13 victory Oct. 27, 2007 in Greeley.

Montana State led 27-0 at halftime on three touchdowns from Bobcats’ quarterback Tommy Mellott and a 34-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Ty McCullouch to Dowler. Mellott threw two touchdown passes in the first half and ran for another.

Dowler and Mellott connected for a 72-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. Dowler added 102 yards on punt returns. McCullouch caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from Mellott midway through the third quarter to give the Bobcats a 34-0 lead.

Mellott was 8 of 12 for 225 yards passing. He accounted for five touchdowns against the Bears with four passing touchdowns. Mellott has 12 passing touchdowns this season and five rushing touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception.

Montana State totaled 510 yards of offense, averaging eight yards per play in scoring a season-high in points. Running back Scottre Humphrey ran for 81 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown.

“We didn’t play very disciplined on defense,” UNC coach Ed Lamb said in a text message. “It cost us dearly. MSU had too many big plays for us to overcome. Particularly with the poor field position caused by a slow start on offense and poor punt coverage.”

Montana State hosts fellow Big Sky undefeated Idaho (2-0, 4-2) Oct. 12 at Bobcat Stadium. The Vandals, ranked 10th in FCS last week, beat No. 25 Northern Arizona 23-17 at home Saturday in Moscow.

UNC got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter on a 14-yard pass from running back Caden Meis to Carver Cheeks, a defensive back-turned wide receiver. Meis also has two rushing touchdowns this season.

Sophomore wide receiver Brayden Munroe scored on a 28-yard reception from Kia’i Keone with 2-minutes, 7 seconds left in third, and Hunter Green kicked a 29-yard field goal early in the fourth for the Bears.

Green punted seven times for 321 yards with a long of 60 yards and an average of 45.9 yards per punt.

Munroe caught five passes for 84 yards. He is the Bears’ leading receiver this season with 20 catches for 267 yards.

Tight end Cash Cheeks, Carver’s brother, had four catches for 71 yards. Carver Cheeks finished with three catches for 46 yards.

UNC’s offense was statistically more productive than in any other game this season. The Bears’ 356 yards of total offense was four yards short of its season-best of 360 in the first game at University of Incarnate Word.

“We can build on some of the fight and effort displayed by the offense,” Lamb said.

Keone was 17 of 29 for 247 yards with a touchdown and an interception. In his first start at UNC, Keone’s 247 passing yards were the most by a Bears quarterback this season.

A graduate student transfer from Pacific Palisades, Hawaii, Keone was the fifth starting quarterback for UNC this season because of injuries.

Peter Costelli, who was selected as the starter before the season, injured his knee late against Colorado State in the second game of the year.

The Bears then worked in Jonah Chong, Hank Gibbs and Kaiden Box as starters with Keone, though, seeing significant playing time through the first five games.

The Bears had 95 yards rushing, which was their second lowest total of the season. UNC rushed for 87 yards last week against Cal Poly.

UNC’s next game is Oct. 12 at Weber State. Weber State (2-0 Big Sky, 3-3 overall), beat defending conference champion Montana 55-48 in overtime Saturday in Missoula. Montana (1-1, 4-2) came into the game ranked eighth nationally last week.

Originally Published: October 5, 2024 at 7:43 p.m.

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Search underway for horseback rider in the McMaster Hills Recreation Area

Published

10 hours ago

October 5, 2024

Press Room

Search underway for horseback rider in the McMaster Hills Recreation Area

The Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office is searching for an adult female horseback rider in the McMaster Hills Recreation Area several miles northeast of Helena.

Search & Rescue units from Lewis & Clark County and Jefferson County are on the ground.

Drones from several law enforcement agencies are searching by air.

A helicopter from Great Falls has also been called in to assist.

Officials will be active in the recreation area throughout the majority of the day.

If you have information or would like to offer assistance, please call 406-219-7380.

No other details have been released at this point, including the name of the missing woman.

We will update you if we get more information.

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Browning family's home burns in electrical fire

Published

18 hours ago

October 5, 2024

Press Room

John and Carol Murray left their home in Two Medicine earlier this week for the Blackfoot Confederacy Conference in Wyoming. Once they arrived, they received a call from their grandson telling them their home and everything in it had been lost in a devastating fire.

Browning family’s home burns in electrical fire

Married for 51 years, the two have spent decades working to preserve tribal culture. John serves as a Blackfeet Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and was awarded the Governor’s Humanities Award in 2017, and was inducted into the Montana Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2023.

Carol previously served as the President of Blackfeet Community College, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate from the University of Montana for her commitment to preserving Native American heritage through education.

Five days after the fire, John and Carol are now traveling back to Two Medicine from their trip to Wyoming, not having seen what remains of their family home.

John and Carol’s grandson Myles also lives in the home with his girlfriend and their young daughter. They were home when the house caught on fire the night of September 30th.

They managed to escape with their lives, barreling through the toxic smoke, but could save nothing in the process.

John Murray says, “Myles called and said smoke was coming out from under the house. He tried to fight the fire, you know, with the hose, and it was just too much. We realized that material things can be replaced, and we just will be forever grateful that they didn’t get trapped in there”.

The fire is suspected to have been an electrical fire, and volunteer fire departments and law enforcement from Heart Butte, Browning, and Glacier County worked to subdue the fire.

Angela HeavyRunner

John and Carol Murray’s home in Two Medicine

John and Carol’s daughter, and Myle’s mother, Angela HeavyRunner lived close by, and was on the scene as the home burned.

She explains, “The smoke was so thick. And we’ve been trying to understand what the feelings are that we felt…and the helplessness, the helplessness and and still being hopeful at the same time was what we were initially feeling”.

John and Carol are nervously anticipating their return to the site of their home, to assess the damage, and figure out what to do next.

Carol says, “I’m kind of anxious to get home, so that it’s real. I’ve been involved in ceremony for many, many years. And one of the things that was taught to me was to be calm, and to be patient, and to let the creator know what I’m afraid of, and that things will all work out for us.”

John and Carol’s friends and family members set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect donations that go toward clothing, blankets, and basic necessities to help with their traumatic loss.

Carol says, “People who anonymously are donating, we don’t even know who they are, but we just really appreciate it, because we have to build a new house. I want to express my appreciation for people that are very concerned and helping”.

Click here if you would like to make a donation.