The Blog at MSPC

Politicians and the media are claiming approval of Initiative 645 will "cut funding" for public schools, higher education and health care. There's only one problem - it's not true.

It is vital for the judicial branch to hold the legislative branch to the same standard it uses to override citizen-approved ballot measures. If the legislature is going to pass omnibus tax bills and policy “hot messes,” the people should be free to exercise their right of initiative to respond.

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.

“Medicare For All” has an estimated cost of $32 trillion dollars for the first ten years. Tax increases would be in the neighborhood of 20 percent, with a serious detrimental impact on the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

You may have heard objections to Governor Gianforte’s proposal to move Montana to a flat income tax. We’ve heard those objections before. Experience proved that they were wrong then. And they are wrong now. Here are the facts.

Here’s one statistic Wyoming should seek to shed: being first in the Mountain West in Small Business Administration (SBA) pandemic loan fraud on a per capita basis.

By adopting I-645, voters would have the opportunity to restore the state’s “competitive advantage” of no personal income taxes while working to increase faith in Washington’s business climate.

Open collective bargaining should be the default when government officials are negotiating public services and government salaries with taxpayer dollars. Especially when those dollars are already stretched thin.

Government should protect individual rights and hold people responsible when they cause actual harm. But punishing harmful conduct is different from controlling the underlying technology.

The people elect members of the state house and senate to represent their will. This decision allows the legislature to exercise its proper authority over how the K-12 public school system should be financed and the policies it should use to achieve lasting student success.

In 2025 alone, Idaho, Wyoming, Tennessee, Texas, and other states created or significantly expanded private education-choice programs.

Montana’s economy has momentum. Smart workforce and tax policies can help ensure that momentum becomes a lasting opportunity.

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.

Supporters are free to make their case. They can argue that only a small percentage of Washingtonians will pay the tax. They can argue that its revenue is necessary to pay for government services and tax reductions elsewhere. But the media has a different job. It shouldn't make the branding decision for voters.

Data centers act as the physical computing infrastructure of apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, as well as AI models. It’s not just a place to store photos on social media apps; these computer server warehouses connect people, help small businesses, and promote overall economic productivity.

The direction of the evidence is remarkably consistent. Lower and flatter income taxes are associated with faster growth, higher incomes, improved compliance, stronger competitiveness, and greater protection against future tax increases.

Wildfire will remain part of life in the Mountain West. The question is whether states will continue paying primarily after disaster strikes or invest more deliberately before the next fire begins.

When Idaho lawmakers passed the state's new parental choice tax credit in 2025, we knew it wouldn't take long to determine whether the program would be a success. After all, implementation was almost immediate, and the law was hailed as the nation's "best education choice program." Still, it was important to help families understand the system, and defend the law from an expected court challenge.

A strong transit system in Idaho’s Treasure Valley would greatly improve mobility, but as it stands today, the program desperately needs an overhaul.

If states want tax relief that does more than provide temporary relief—if we want a tax cut that changes the state's long-term economic trajectory—then reducing the individual income tax should be near the top of the list. And Montana is front and center in the current conversation.