I write to you today as the elected legislator for House District 10, the west portion of Kalispell and surrounding areas, with a first half of the 69th legislative session update. This is my second term as your representative, and after one and a half sessions and two election cycles, I’m well in tune with your priorities. Day after day, year after year, I have heard your distress with the amount of money state government grabs from your checkbook. This session, I have been laser focused on reducing your tax burden and on conservative policy bills affecting the judiciary, education choice and the sanctity of life.
As chair of the Section A Appropriations Subcommittee, I want to deliver you an honest update about the budget realities we faced in this subcommittee during the first half of session.
Republican members came to section A ready to protect your taxpayer dollars, but we faced significant challenges with departments asking for significant increases in their budgets. For example, the governor’s office requested an additional $46.5 million (or a 289.7% increase) to their budget for potential future employee raises; in addition, several agencies asked for significant double digit percentage increases in general fund expenditures with the Department of Military Affairs increasing their ask by 42% in this area. On the other hand, the Department of Labor and Industry has reduced their general fund ask and is almost completely off the need for general fund dollars. Mostly however, there were increases across the board. We’ll do our best to reduce the budget in full appropriations committee and as the budget bill (HB 2) advances to the Senate.
As a balanced budget state, we know that every new service or program the legislature implements means more of your money will be collected. The reality is this money is not my colleagues nor mine to keep or simply give away; it’s yours, we are your fiduciaries. That’s why I’m proud to report the Republican caucus blocked a multitude of fiscally irresponsible legislation, with the following example highlighted.
HB 565 would have required health insurance companies doing business in Montana to cover invitro fertilization treatment (IVF), which would also have included Medicaid. Not only are these treatments controversial and often ineffective, but this program would have added an estimated $5.6 million to the budget next year alone.
I’ve also introduced bills and bill amendments centered around this theme. HB 231 is a property tax reduction bill that needed help, so I attempted thrice to amend it on the floor by adding rebates for taxpayers. I also introduced HB 132 which would have exempted a portion of interest earnings from individual income tax. Unfortunately, neither of these proved successful this session, but I believe they still helped nudge my colleagues in a more fiscally responsible direction.
With the deadline for revenue bills to be passed out of the house still ahead, there is plenty more work to be done to protect your hard-earned income. I’m cautiously optimistic that there will be more good news to report in the coming weeks. I know you’re feeling the pressure from property tax, income tax, and other forms of government take. No matter what, I promise to both the hardworking folks of house district 10, and all Montanans, I will fight to lower your tax burden every day I’m at the capitol.
Terry Falk is a Republican state representative from Kalispell.