The Governor Wants to Take the State on a $1 Billion Spending Spree
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
CONTACT
press@montanademocrats.org
The Governor and Legislative Republicans are trying to rush through massive tax spending, without addressing any actual issues.
Helena, MT – $1 Billion dollars. That’s the price tag of Governor Gianforte’s bundle of six tax handouts that he’s urged Legislative Republicans to push through. The spending spree, if passed, will predominantly benefit the wealthy and ignore lower- and middle-class Montanans.
Six Republican bills being pushed through the Legislature total nearly $1,000,000,000. But in truth, it is a massive one-time payment that does nothing to actually address the issues facing working Montanans.
“The Republican’s spending spree is hasty, reckless, and deeply irresponsible,” says Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. “If we don’t address the issues that are affecting working Montanans, we’ll still be in crisis next year, once this money is all gone. A one-time payment doesn’t stop your property taxes from rising again next year; it doesn’t build more workforce housing; it doesn’t provide affordable child care.”
In response, Democrats have introduced an alternative that prioritizes Montanans who need relief most. The Montana Future Fund is a responsible, forward-thinking plan for the state surplus. Instead of blowing a billion dollars in one fell swoop on tax cuts for the wealthy, Legislative Democrats propose we save it, and invest it in an interest-generating trust. With that annual interest, we can fund investments into working families and communities for generations to come.
This is a remarkable amount of money. Let's be responsible, strategic, and ensure that this money will benefit generations of Montanans.
Additionally, Legislative Democrats’ Montana Future Fund calls for $500 million in immediate relief to Montana’s workers and families for:
Workforce Housing
Workforce Development
Affordable Child Care
Health and Senior Care
Land and Wildlife Conservation
A one-pager on the Montana Future Fund can be found here. A video of the Democratic Legislators’ event can be viewed here.
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