Montana Today

The City of Missoula is proposing one of the largest tax increases in recent memory while the county has agreed to place other cost-raising initiatives on the November ballot, including a levy to support crisis services and more to fund improvements at the fairgrounds.

President Joe Biden signed legislation into law Wednesday that will provide health care and benefits to veterans exposed to burn pits in Afghanistan and Iraq, achieving a long-term, personal goal.

The $4.3 million budget request includes an estimated 16% in inflationary costs and a $1 million down payment. But in the end, the projects would be paid back within 20 years and bring the city closer to its carbon neutrality goals.

Sen. Tester writes, "This law finally sends hundreds of thousands more across the country to VA for care they had previously been denied. And it gives VA the tools it needs to bolster its workforce, establish more health care facilities, and improve claims processing."

The U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday awarded the Mount Dean Stone Community Forest project a $600,000 grant to retain public access and preserve open space, moving the larger Mount Dean Stone conservation project closer to reality.

The Montana Supreme Court has upheld a Yellowstone County District Court judge’s decision to issue temporary injunctions against three laws passed by the 2021 Legislature that curtailed a woman’s right to an abortion in Montana.

Bill Schneider writes, "Assuming politicians can open their minds to trying to solve the wilderness problem, and assuming conservationists can unify natural allies into a cohesive constituency; here is my proposed idea for finally putting the Montana wilderness debate behind us."

Scott Mylnechuk writes, "Eighty-three percent of Montanans support this bill, and Sen. Daines himself admitted that he has no problem with it, but he’s still playing DC politics by demanding a king’s ransom in return for his support."

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority – along with the county – would first like to explore the issue a little deeper and the role the Bitterroot line may or may not play in the future.

On a party-line vote, the 2021 Legislature passed HB599, which eliminated several environmental safeguards and most public input on any new gravel pit. Since then, Montanans around the state have learned how damaging the bill was.