The Blog at MSPC

Every year, millions of Americans make one of the biggest decisions of their lives: whether to stay where they are or move somewhere they believe offers greater opportunity. They aren’t just choosing a new home. They’re choosing a different set of public policies.

Montana's prudent fiscal management and tax reforms to improve economic competitiveness have positioned the state well.

Wyoming families and students have a huge reason to celebrate. As of July 6, they can apply for up to $7,000 for costs related to private or homeschooling for K-12 students for the 2026/2027 school year.

Education debates almost always begin with the premise that schools need more funding. Rarely do we hear a definition of success. Is it another $100 million? Another $500 million? A billion? At what point would education leaders say, "Yes, this is sufficient"?

Before there could be a declaration, there had to be a decision. That decision came on July 2, 1776.

Americans should not take the wisdom and thoughtful deliberation of the founders for granted, and we can’t be deceived into thinking that the American experiment can continue to thrive without the participation of an informed and engaged citizenry.

Part of a citizen’s job is to inform the rising generation of what the Declaration really said, what it really means, and why it is important. May we continue that effort long after this 250th anniversary has receded into history.

By automatically increasing gas taxes each year, Washington policymakers are ensuring voters will pay even more without the normal public accountability or public debate for a tax increase. This yearly automatic gas tax increase should be towed back to the legislative garage for major repairs.

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.

Montana policymakers have pursued one of the nation's most ambitious state-level housing reform agendas. Even with those efforts, it will take time to mitigate the growing tension between economic growth and housing attainability.

Over the past decade, individual income tax collections increased from $1.06 billion in Fiscal Year 2014 to $2.24 billion in Fiscal Year 2024. That's an increase of more than 111 percent.

Governments have only those powers that the people, by consent, have given them. When a government no longer serves its rightful purpose, the people may reorganize or remove it.

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.

Government officials should strive to maximize voter participation on important issues, and requiring tax increases to be considered at a primary or general election does just that.

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.

Hospital price transparency is not political; it’s the only fair, compassionate, and honest way to operate our healthcare system.

Amidst evidence of signature gatherers being harassed, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown is offering support to prosecute those trying to interfere with the initiative and referendum process. This is a refreshing and much-needed defense of the people’s sacred constitutional rights and the rule of law.

Most of us understand that the Constitution is a statement of positive law—that is, man-made law—but ask whether the Declaration is law as well.

Data centers have the potential to be an economic boon to the regions in which they are built, along with laying the groundwork for advances in medicine, national defense, and other research. Slowing data center development must be done based on local context, including the consumption levels of the data center and regional water availability.

Recently, Washington state and Idaho reported success in aggressively pursuing fraud in their respective Medicaid programs.