The GOP leadership in our state has established an unprecedented record of enacting policies that hurt working Montanans for their own personal gain and the gain of the wealthy.
Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Republican supermajority irresponsibly imposed the largest single increase in property taxes on homeowners, renters, and small business owners in the history of our state — with much of the increase devoted to cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations. Gianforte gave himself a tax break on his Helena mansion and is paying less than his neighbors in both Bozeman and Helena.Â
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Gianforte kicked tens of thousands of folks in our state off their health insurance during the Medicaid redetermination process — not because they were ineligible but because of administrative failures. Taking health care away from Montanans while doubling down on capital gains tax cuts seems to be sport for our state’s Republican leaders, who ignore the well-being of our working families.
They haven’t stopped there. The public schools working Montanans depend on to educate their kids are ravaged by GOP policies. Overvaluing homes and undervaluing corporate property has not only made property taxes unfair, it has also turned school funding formulas upside down. School districts that need help are now laying off hundreds of Montana teachers because of inadequate state resources. Meanwhile, working Montanans in these same districts are paying higher property taxes to support their local schools.
Our GOP supermajorities and governor are turning Montana into a place where a wealthy elite feeds on huge tax cuts for themselves and their corporate cronies. This is paid for by higher taxes for Montanans and cuts to public education, health care and other services. They are selling off our state for personal gain.
Sheila Hogan is executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. She grew up in Butte and now lives in Helena with her husband, Jim.
