Sorted by date Results 401 - 425 of 2897
This is a huge shell game by Gianforte and the Republicans in Montana 1. Greg implies it is the fault of local governments that taxes are increasing. Yet Montana Republicans refuse to give local governments meaningful ways to increase revenue in the face of increasing costs other than through increasing our property tax. Of course taxes will continue to rise. 2. Greg states in this odoriferous letter that his rebate will ‘almost completely offset what residential taxpayers will pay over the next two years.’ There’s no way that the pitta...
Montanans have worked for decades to restore our state animal, the grizzly bear. We’ve come a long way in recovering grizzlies in their core habitats, the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone ecosystems, and beyond. That’s happened because of hard work by landowners, conservationists, hunters, state and federal wildlife officials, tribal interests and many more. That’s why it’s so unfortunate that our state legislature passed a bill this year allowing ranchers to kill grizzly bears on our public lands, just for being there....
Standing proudly at the corner of Highway 83 and Highway 200, appearing fresh and healthy, a newly painted “Big Cow” stands to greet those traveling past. Behind the bull’s unique and unforgettable stiffness lie softly rising hills that attract the eyes of most travelers. Still farther beyond these hills, on high snowy mountain peaks, are melting cold crystal water drops that form the headwaters of the iconic Blackfoot River. As the runoff moves down the mountains, the melting snow moves through the lush agricultural lands and wetlands of th...
My last article discussed some dietary and nutritional pointers to help ensure a developing baby’s teeth have all the needed nutrients so they can develop correctly. I felt it was only appropriate to address some pointers for a mother while she is pregnant! As a standard in the dental world, we always suggest visiting your dentist and hygienist before becoming pregnant to rid the mouth of tartar build up, receive home care recommendations, and to address and hopefully treat any cavities or infections. At the very least, visit a dentist as s...
One only has to read a paper or listen to the evening news to see what events are taking place. It’s getting pretty wild out there. Morally America is bleeding and sinking into depravity. Psalm 12:8 says, “the wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.” And of course the climate is changing. Everything is blamed on climate change. Some people think man can control the climate by doing away with fossil fuels. I think I will go with Him who created the climate in the first place. Men will never control disasters, acts of Go...
One does not need to live in a bustling urban area like Los Angeles to experience disruptive traffic these days. The work on Highway 83 at Salmon Lake, while anticipated, is changing the way we drive. Having lived in Los Angeles for 43 years, I had forgotten what normal traffic was like when I left the Treasure State at 23. My return “home” and negotiating Reserve Street in Missoula made me experience “déjà vu” all over again. My lifeline was not living in Missoula but returning to the “traffic free” confines of Seeley Lake. But I must admit...
I’ve been hearing some questions from Montanans who are grateful for the over $1 billion in one-time and ongoing tax relief passed by legislative Republicans, but also say they want to see the state make smart investments for the long term. The conservative budgeting from the legislature and resulting historic budget surplus allowed Republicans to do both tax relief and long-term planning. Here are some of the major investments we made that will pay dividends for years to come. • “Debt free in 2023.” The Legislature paid off the state’s...
“Montana was awarded $4,800,000 through the Federal 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) which included the Stronger Connections grant. This was a one-time-only grant through a competitive application process that was offered to our over 400 public school districts. Federal and state qualifications were met in spring of 2023 and funding awards were given to 25 school districts in July 2023. This Federal law, PL 117-159, which amended 20 U.S.C. § 7906 prohibits the use of many Federal education funds ‘for the provision to any pers...
In 2 Chronicles 6:1 Solomon said, “The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.” Did you know that Jesus started His ministry in a dark place? When Jesus was choosing His disciples, Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. (John 1 45-46) Nazareth was in the region of Galilee and was considered backward. Isaiah called t...
SEELEY LAKE, MT - Get the basics on how Medicare works, sign up, and review your options for coverage when you schedule a one-on-one appointment here in Seeley Lake with Kristin Mason, Rural Resource Specialist with Missoula Aging Services. “Medicare offers different options for health care coverage and these Resource appointments can help you learn about your options, find out when you can join a plan (or get supplemental coverage), and compare plans to determine which plan meets your needs,” she shared. “It’s important to consider all you...
Community foundations are organizations that can help manage community-wide discussions and collect and distribute funds for local projects. A community foundation is a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people in a defined geographic area. It enables people to easily and effectively support the issues they care about—immediately, or through their wills. They serve a vital role as facilitators of good works by bringing together people from across the different sectors of the community to address social and regional challenges. I...
As homeowners directly affected by the Highway 83 road construction, we would like to share some observations and comments about this project. The first observation is dust - we have a layer of dust on everything inside our house. We closed the blinds to minimize dust and now they are covered with fine sand, as are rugs, furniture and every surface in the house and garage. Outside, everything has been affected, including the dock, deck, patio furniture, beach toys and even trees. Second observation is the change being made to the natural shorel...
Too many vacation rentals. Banks buying houses. Committed and hardworking Department of Revenue staff. There are an awful lot of options for who and what to blame for the steep property tax appraisals that many of us received in the mail the last few weeks. But I’ll tell you about the best kept secret in Montana this summer...the Republican supermajority could have prevented this. Let’s look at how. Last week, I attended the Department of Revenue’s community meeting in Helena about our property tax appraisals. People were frustrated and had l...
As I meet with Montanans in every corner of our state, I hear the same concern often –taxes are too high. And they’re right. Taxes are too high and need to be reined in. Two years ago, we enacted a fiscally responsible budget, and as a result, the State of Montana today has a historic budget surplus. Ultimately, that means you overpaid your taxes, and we’re giving it back to you. When we released our Budget for Montana Families last November, we again held the line on spending, and we focused on providing hardworking Montanans with meani...
“What is peace?” Some might say: “Peace is the absence of war;” “Peace is freedom from turmoil;” “Peace is the avoidance of hostility;” “Peace is the termination of anxiety,” and so on. Some people think that peace is nirvana, but this word can mean death, or at least a state of feelinglessness. Is peace just a form of anesthesia? Is peace merely the cessation of pain? If so, why do we long for it so? We should want peace to convey something positive, something that improves our lives. We should be concerned about what peace is, rather th...
Readers might have trouble hearing that a number of scientists consider the universe to have a purposeful way. The universe, or the cosmos, refers to all of nature, both that which is visible and not. So, let’s explore this idea of a purposeful universe. It’s not only scientists but many people from other areas of life that hold this view as well. It’s an attractive idea since so many people want something other than themselves involved in their lives and in nature too. We often hear religious people describe the purpose brought to them from...
“How much are the burgers?” the rather churlish man demanded. “There’s no charge” replied Bruce Rippy, pastor of the Condon Community Church (CCC), who was serving as head waiter and order taker at the food booth during the Condon Fourth of July celebration. “Well I suppose you watch how much I put in the donations bucket so the church can make a big haul.” “No,” Bruce Rippy replied. “All the money this year goes to the senior meals program, and if need be, you can take some money out of the bucket.” The incredulous man stuffed a wadded bill...
During the 2017 legislative session, the Montana Wildlife Habitat Improvement Act (WHIP) was passed into law. The act made federal Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration funds available to restore priority wildlife habitats by managing noxious weeds. Priorities for funding include landscape-scale projects lands that are open to public hunting and involve priority wildlife habitats, noxious weed infestations that directly impact habitat functions, broad partnerships involving multiple...
By now, most Montana property owners have opened their 2023 Property Classification and Appraisal Notices, and many have been surprised by the Montana Department of Revenue’s estimate of their property’s market value. It’s no secret that property in Montana has been selling at higher and higher prices, but the size of the increased values is astonishing to everyone — including me. These value increases and estimated 2023 General Taxes described on the notice — based upon the prior year’s mills — have created a great deal of confusion, fe...
As a long-time reader and supporter of the Pathfinder, the sale of the newspaper several months ago certainly stirred feelings of apprehension and uncertainty among community members, including myself. Andi and Nathan’s stewardship would be a tough act for anyone to follow. However, I firmly believe that this change can be an opportunity for growth and progress. Over the years, our newspaper has been a vital part of our community, fostering connections and informing us about the events, stories, and people that shape our lives. We have seen i...
In America today, we are bombarded from every direction with countless sources of competing claims of “truth.” These competing claims clash and oppose each other, yet all claim to be truth. So let’s take a few minutes to ask the questions: What is truth? Why is it important? And how is truth determined? Perhaps truth is best defined as that which conforms with fact or reality. Real truth is not subjective. Truth is not determined by personal feelings, desires, or popular opinion. When we call these things “truth,” we are wrong, and we open the...
Often, I get questions from landowners about managing their forests, and about forest stewardship. Typically, one of the most important concerns and values landowners have been wildlife. I am often asked what can I do to promote wildlife habitat, while at the same time managing other things such as wildfire? We wanted to share some things that you can do while managing your forest to promote a diversity of wildlife, while still managing your fire-adapted Swan Valley forest. Snags Snags are standing dead trees, either full height or broken off...
An interesting and insightful “Looking Back” forest tour on the Seeley Lake and Swan Lake National Forest Ranger Districts was recently held in July. The event was very informative and reflective of the complexity and difficulty in satisfying the many desired conditions and services required in Seeley and Swan Valley forest landscapes. Topics of discussion varied widely but extensively addressed issues on forest health, forest biodiversity, wildfire, habitat for grizzly bears, Canada lynx, bull...
As a proud defender and lover of public land, I have cast deciding votes for Montanans to hike, fish, and hunt some of the largest expansions of public land in decades—while keeping Montana farmers and ranchers on the landscape. I was recently made aware of a social media campaign soliciting money claiming to fight for interests that I support and will continue to support: local control and public lands. In reality, this campaign would only line the pockets of liberal lawyers to sue me in a case that deserves immediate dismissal. Don’t waste yo...
Las Vegas card sharks, Mississippi Riverboat gamblers, and Churchill Downs handicappers are pleased that Governor Gianforte and Montana’s Republican legislators pulled a fast one on Montana homeowners in the 2023 session. Earlier this year, they permanently raised state residential property taxes by 43 percent – $81 million a year, and $162 million over the two-year state budget cycle. Then they pocketed our money. (Just look at your residential property appraisal notice – your home’s value and taxes are soaring as your spirits are sinking...
