The Blog at MSPC

Idaho taxpayers spend millions of dollars supporting public colleges and universities each year. But are they getting the results they deserve?

From protecting children online to managing public lands, this year’s Sawtooth Leadership Academy finalists have taken on some of the most pressing policy questions facing the Mountain States.

Under the proposal, homeowners would need to have lived in Wyoming for at least one year and occupied their primary residence for at least six months of the previous tax year. The exemption would apply to the residential structure, excluding land.

The study highlights a distinction voters should understand: the $1 million exemption is established in statute, rather than protected by the state constitution. Lawmakers could change that exemption through future legislation, potentially extending the tax to additional taxpayers.

The study finds a statewide, one-size-fits-all solution would be especially difficult because Idaho counties have vastly different property values and retail economies.

Electricity consumption could grow 300% over the next decade, while overall U.S. electricity demand is expected to increase by about 3.5% annually through 2040. The study warns that without additional dependable generation, parts of the country could face shortages of dispatchable power during peak summer demand hours by 2030.

The underlying study explains that lower marginal rates can encourage additional economic activity as businesses invest, employment expands, wages rise and personal income grows.

The Montana Liberty Dinners have become among the region's premier gatherings for citizens, business leaders, elected officials, and community advocates who believe in expanding opportunity through limited government and free-market principles.

The national award recognizes MSPC's "We the Students" Civics Bowl, a fast-paced, buzzer-based competition that moves civic education beyond memorization and into active learning. The program challenges high school students on American government, constitutional principles, free enterprise, and individual rights while encouraging teamwork, critical thinking, and civic engagement.

Montana has become one of America's economic success stories, but a new study released today by the Mountain States Policy Center argues the Treasure State risks falling behind unless it continues reforming its tax code.

Launched by Mountain States Policy Center following the passage of Idaho's historic education freedom legislation, Idaho Kids Win was designed to ensure families understood and could access the new opportunities available to their children.

The study, Tax increase ballot measures: How to increase voter participation, authored by Policy Fellow Sam Cardwell, finds that local tax increases are frequently decided during special elections that attract significantly fewer voters than primary or general elections.

Authored by Senior Policy Analyst Madilynne Clark, the study finds that decades of underbuilding, restrictive regulations, permitting delays, and limited housing choices have contributed to a housing shortage estimated at 3 to 4 million homes nationwide. In Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming alone, the shortage exceeds 335,000 homes.

Over the course of six rounds and more than 150 questions, students competed on topics ranging from the Constitution and the structure of government to key moments in American history.

Governor Kempthorne’s career in public life spanned decades and reflected a deep and abiding commitment to the people of the American West. From his leadership as Mayor of Boise, to his service as a United States Senator, Governor of Idaho, and U.S. Secretary of the Interior, he approached every role with humility, conviction, and a steady sense of purpose.

The Elevation Award is MSPC’s highest honor, awarded to individuals whose work has elevated public policy, strengthened communities, and inspired principled leadership across the region and nation.

The dinner is part of an MSPC flagship fundraising series which also includes the organization’s Fall Dinner and Montana Liberty Dinner. Collectively, these events are among the largest free-market policy gatherings in the nation, regularly drawing more than 1,400 citizens, business leaders, and policymakers each year.

The people of Washington must now consider a question once familiar to Americans: what recourse remains when government refuses to listen?

A new policy analysis released today by the Mountain States Policy Center raises questions about Idaho’s licensing requirements for journeyman electricians, finding that the state requires additional classroom hours that are not required in several other states with which Idaho maintains license reciprocity.

In a comprehensive opinion, the Court denied the petition for a writ of prohibition, dismissed the case in full, rejected every major constitutional theory advanced by the petitioners, and awarded attorney fees to the State. The result is about as close to a clean sweep as constitutional litigation gets.