Our region leads on tax competitiveness, with one glaring exception

Our region boasts three states in the top 10 for having the most competitive tax structure, according to the Tax Foundation. The latest numbers show that Wyoming is the most taxpayer-friendly state, Montana is 6th, and Idaho is 9th. While this is impressive, Washington coming in near last at 45th is cause for concern. The Tax Foundation's State Competitiveness Index reveals which states are taxpayer-friendly for both individuals and businesses. States are ranked based on

Our region leads on tax competitiveness, with one glaring exception

Are farm incomes bountiful or withering on the vine?

MSPC Welcomes Scholar Rob Natelson as Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence

New federal court case confirms that Montana should join the call for an Amendments Convention

Are farm incomes bountiful or withering on the vine?

Farmers across the nation are unlikely to be taking a check to the bank at the end of harvest - at least not checks big enough to cover their debt payments. But the government’s so-called remedies are a lesson in contradiction. As statistics refute themselves, regulations harm more than protect, and trade barriers exasperate challenges facing domestic producers, the government’s role in farming is only adding to the red. Government data ineptly grasps the financial conditio

Madilynne Clark

New federal court case confirms that Montana should join the call for an Amendments Convention

On November 5, a federal district court decided Thompson v. Masterson . The decision may put to rest objections in the Montana legislature to calling for a “convention of states” to address the federal government’s dysfunction. To understand why, let’s start with some history: The delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention recognized that America needed more powerful federal institutions. But they also recognized that power can be abused and misused. So they inserted

Rob Natelson

Washington employers are sounding the alarm. Will lawmakers listen?

If you have ever wondered how many warning flares Washington policymakers need before they stop piling new taxes on employers, the answer is always, “At least one more.” An Association of Washington Business (AWB) survey of more than 400 employers is just the latest indicator that Washington’s tax climate is stifling confidence, investment, and growth. Sixty-five percent of employers now list taxes as their top concern, up from 58 percent just months ago. Roughly three out o

Amber Gunn