Dems support state budget; GOP says is overspends

Clayton Murphy

HELENA (UM Legislative News) — The Montana Senate has amended and advanced a draft of the state’s two-year budget, with some disappointed Republicans saying “the cake was already baked” and that they saw the vote from a mile away.

The vote board was a near-constant 27-23 during the entire debate on House Bill 2 and the Senate’s amendments to it. A group of nine Republicans that have aligned with Democrats since day one again joined forces to pass the bill while the other 23 Republicans voted against.  

Republican Senate President Matt Regier said before the session started, the Legislative Fiscal Division told him that the state had a $522 million surplus. The current proposal, which he voted against, shows that number down 200 percent.

“Look at where we are now on the graph. Right there, the big headline, negative $500 million,” Regier said. “We have spent it all over twice.”

But Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, supported the Senate’s draft.

“I think in total, we're sending this budget back to the House, spending substantially less. I think it's a good compromise budget. I think it meets the needs of Montanans in a fair and meaningful way,” Flowers said.

Sen. Becky Beard, R-Elliston, agreed with Regier’s frustration. Beard said she was disappointed with the departure from a goal she assumed was universal: to provide property tax relief.

“The further we got into this session, the more we forgot about the fact that taxing individuals is directly related to how we spend money,” Beard said. “And of late, I have just seen the money just being doled out like crazy.”

Seventy-seven days into the 90-day session, the Legislature has passed just one property tax reform bill, Senate Bill 117, to the governor. Senators also voted to kill the governor-backed “Homestead Act” Thursday, while both chambers debated the two remaining prominent property tax relief bills. While they are still alive, each continues to be voted down.