The Blog at MSPC

Despite a massive hydroelectric advantage, Washington will continue to become more expensive due to its energy tax and regulatory policies, while Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are likely to see the cost curve bend with their support for bringing more nuclear power online.

The growth of Idaho and Montana’s largest counties is not happening in isolation. It is part of a broader rebalancing across the West—one driven by policy, affordability, and opportunity.

The data suggests that the consequences are measurable—in dollars, in jobs, and in opportunity.

It is now far too late to challenge the constitution’s legality. However, Montanans deserve a constitution that is not under a legal cloud. A state constitutional convention could propose such a document.

U.S. energy demand is expected to rise by about 3.5% each year through 2040. There is already severe stress on our aging energy infrastructure, even before accounting for the power-hungry needs of new technologies.

Parents in Idaho and Montana are among the most satisfied in the country with their children’s schools. In Montana, 51% of parents say they are very satisfied with their child’s school, well above the national average of 47%. Idaho parents report similar confidence, with 48% saying they are very satisfied.

The best way to defend the constitution is not to dig in one’s heels to protect an inaccurate and distorted version. The best way is to call a convention to, first, clean up drafting mistakes that tend to discredit the document, and, second, to correct judicial distortions of it.

Growing up in the era of pagers and pay phones, I survived cell phone-free until college. As a mom to a teenage boy, I tried to stave off phone use as long as possible. Debates on appropriate screen time, talks about cyberbullying, and warnings about predators have become the norm. For most students, cell phones are an integral part of everyday life, and thus, their use in school has become a contentious issue. Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are each addressing cell

We were honored to have Montana Governor Greg Gianforte attend and address the crowd at our policy event in Helena on February 24. Governor Gianforte discussed his plans for the upcoming 2027 Legislative Session, noting that moving the Treasure State to a flat income tax and providing families with more education choice opportunities were among his top priorities.

The only way the people of Montana can systematically update their constitution is to commission a state convention to propose a new one.

Civic education doesn’t belong to one type of school or region. It belongs to everyone. Our hope is that teams will come from across Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Eastern Washington, so students can meet peers from different communities, compete respectfully, and go home with a deeper appreciation for how our system works.

Because water is so precious, the law governing it should be fair and certain. People are entitled to know what they can and can’t do. They need assurance that the rules will not change suddenly. Unfortunately, the Montana state constitution’s water provisions are confused and contradictory.

A plethora of research has found that economic prosperity depends on secure property rights. The insecurity of property rights was one reason Montana lagged economically for so long. Moreover, property owners serve as a necessary counterbalance to government power. And protecting the benefits people earn is simple justice.

Authoritarian mandates do not belong in a constitution for a free people. And a constitution should leave no doubt that the people, not the government, are the source of all political power.

Montana has taken a meaningful step to expand educational opportunities for families across the state.

One reason property taxes are a blazing issue in Montana is that the state constitution affords insufficient protection against tax hikes.

We have dozens of policy recommendations for lawmakers to consider. These reforms can be acted on even with the challenging budget situations across the states. Here are a couple of our top recommendations for Idaho, Washington and Wyoming lawmakers

History is rarely kind to policies that treat property rights as expendable. Housing affordability will not be achieved by suffocating peaceful uses of private property, but by expanding supply and allowing markets to respond to demand.

Teacher compensation should move beyond outdated salary schedules and begin rewarding what matters most: results for students.

A judicial stay creates an urgent need for convening a special session to cure the appropriation defect.