The Blog at MSPC

One very concerning proposal that may be flying under the radar compared to the other provisions is a section in the House version of the BBB that would impose a 600% tax increase on charitable foundations.

With the stroke of a pen, the future of the Snake River dams is looking better. President Trump issued an Executive Order on June 12 repealing a secretly negotiated memorandum signed by President Biden that was attempting to set the path for the possible breaching of the Snake River dams.

Students aren’t the only ones getting graded this time of year. States are starting to receive their credit ratings to help bondholders weigh whether they are a good investment.

There was a lot of intrigue in Washington state as citizens and businesses waited to see what Governor Ferguson would do with the record tax increases lawmakers sent to his desk this year. Despite speculation that the new Governor may veto these massive tax increases, in the end, he signed them into law on May 20.

The 2025 Legislative Session is officially over in Montana. Lawmakers in the Treasure State focused on several priorities during their time in Helena, including record income tax relief, reducing business costs with unemployment insurance reform, and clarifying environmental laws in response to court rulings.

If there was a theme for the 2025 Legislative Sessions in our region, it was major tax changes. On the negative side of the ledger are the “historic” tax increases rammed through in Washington state. On the positive side are the “record” tax cuts enacted in Idaho and Montana. Consider these regional headlines from the past month:

This fantastic government transparency website provides searchable details on state, county, city, and local district spending. As of April 7, additional education spending details are also now available.

While the rest of the nation today enjoys the relief of surviving another National Tax Day (April 15), our friends in Washington instead woke up to the news that no fewer than five new tax increase bills were introduced on April 16.

Recognizing that Montana imposes the region's highest income tax rate, state officials are looking to increase economic competitiveness and provide taxpayer relief this session with additional income tax cuts. How much, however, is in question.

We need to leave the yelling for the sporting events and instead focus our public policy debates in a constructive and thoughtful way.

Enhancing and complying with open government laws is important for a well-functioning and accountable government.

Non-partisan policy based on facts and not emotion is just what the country needs right now, and MSPC is well-positioned to help.

Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) – added to its staff today with the hiring of Jason Mercier as Vice President & Director of Research.