When we think about what it means to be a Montanan, a few things come to mind right away: hardworking moms and dads, small business owners creating good-paying jobs, and farmers and ranchers building a sustainable future for our kids. That’s Montana.
And when we think about what Montana legislators are supposed to do, the answer is pretty simple: protect this way of life by keeping taxes low, cutting red tape, and unleashing economic opportunity.
That’s why we focused so hard on passing the Working Families Tax Cuts – one of the most consequential laws in keeping Montana’s Main Streets alive, encouraging entrepreneurship, and strengthening the very communities that make Montana so special.
The Working Families Tax Cuts is what happens when Congress listens to the American people. 90% of Americans wanted to keep their current tax rate and Congress delivered by making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act tax cuts permanent. For Montana families, that means being spared from paying $2,500 more in taxes next year and beyond.
It also means avoiding a tax increase for Montana’s business owners. We successfully put an end to job-killing tax hikes that could have caused 2,600 Montanans to lose their jobs. Our state’s small businesses have avoided a nearly $1,200 tax increase. Back when the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) first passed, the country saw millions of new jobs, record wage increases, and a surge in investment.
Then, starting in 2021, the Biden administration drove up the national debt by nearly $5 trillion, while fuel and housing prices soared. Over the course of the Biden presidency, the average Montana family found itself paying an extra $1,100 a month on basic necessities like groceries and gas. With the WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUT, we’ll get back to the strong economy we had during Trump’s first term.
Of course, tax cuts and the TCJA are only part of the story. Another big economic issue the Working Families Tax Cuts tackles is energy. The law has provisions to boost America’s energy supply by cutting red tape and opening up more oil and natural gas lease sales on federal lands and offshore. In Montana, that means we can expect some relief at the gas pump and cheaper electricity bills when we turn up the heat this winter.
The Working Families Tax Cuts also takes a long overdue swing at government waste. Last year alone, Washington shelled out $236 billion in “improper payments.” Just think about that — $236 billion of taxpayer money, gone to waste, fraud, or incompetence. Imagine what hardworking Americans could’ve done with that money instead of watching it vanish into a broken system propping up politicians and their allies.
One place where the Working Families Tax Cuts tackles government waste head-on is Medicaid. Most Montanans agree that we need Medicaid to be a strong safety net for low-income families, people with disabilities, and pregnant women. But right now, the program costs U.S. taxpayers $800 billion a year and still delivers long wait times, subpar care, and too few doctors. Here in Montana, initial expansion was estimated to cost over $1 billion in four years. The actual cost reached $2.3 billion, with costs per enrollee soaring to 64% higher than projected. The Working Families Tax Cuts is fixing this by ensuring Medicaid focuses on those who truly need it, with reforms like work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults, and measures to curb fraud and abuse.
The passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts into law is an exciting step in bringing financial freedom and economic growth to all Montanans. However, the Working Families Tax Cuts are just the beginning. Congress must stay laser focused on bringing continued spending cuts and reforms to Montana to keep growth and prosperity flourishing in our great state.
The Working Families Tax Cuts laid a strong foundation for Montana’s future economic growth. From the House of Representatives in DC to your very own house in Big Sky Country, we’ve got to keep building on that foundation. Let the Working Families Tax Cuts be your inspiration that together as AFP and Montanans, we can work with our federal legislators to ensure lasting, meaningful economic growth in our great state.
Jesse Ramos is the Americans for Prosperity – Montana state director.