Montana Lawmakers Fire Back at Gov, MT GOP Calls Out “The 9″

I was certainly interested in hearing the Governor's take...would he call out the 9 Republican state senators voting with Democrats on rules and committee assignments...or would he call out legislative leaders?

For those who haven't been following the Montana Legislature that closely, here's a headline from back on January 9th, 2025: Montana Senate Republican caucus still split, after rules vote

It's been over a month and that split remains, even prompting the Montana Republican Party to officially call out the 9 Republican state senators with this new statement:

Gov. Gianforte: "We've got some really important priorities for Montanans. I think taxes are too high. I laid out my agenda during the State of the State. We have a proposal that would permanently reduce property taxes. I haven't seen that bill to my desk yet. I proposed a full percentage point cut in income taxes that we funded because we were fiscally responsible over the last four years. I haven't gotten that bill to my desk. In fact, as of last week, the only two bills I got from the legislature- one renamed a bridge and the other one bought lunch money for the legislators. Now, I did get a few bills over the last couple of days, but the substantive things for the people of Montana like red tape relief, property tax relief, income tax permanent reductions- I haven't seen those bills. So I just wish the legislature could focus on getting the work done for the people of Montana, because we have a lot of responsibility and a short period of time to get it done in."

That prompted a pointed response from his fellow Republicans leading their respective chambers.

MT Speaker of the House Brandon Ler (R-Savage) and Senate President Matt Regier (R-Kalispell) fired off a formal press release Monday night, citing the Governor's remarks on Montana Talks.

House Bill 231, the Governor’s property tax relief bill sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones, was not introduced until January 16, 2025. Likewise, Senate Bill 323, sponsored by Senator Josh Kassmier, an income tax proposal from the Governor, was not introduced until February 13, 2025. The Governor understands the legislative process and should have submitted his proposals earlier if he wanted them enacted more quickly.

 

Speaker Ler: "Montanans sent us here to be responsible stewards of their tax dollars, not to rush through legislation without proper review. The legislative process is designed so that all bills receive their due diligence. Crafting sound policy requires conscientiousness, collaboration, and time. The Legislature has been working tirelessly to ensure tax relief is effective, fiscally responsible, and truly benefits Montana families.”

Pres. Regier: “The Governor knows full well how this process works. It takes time to properly vet tax relief proposals and ensure they are the best possible solutions for Montana families. It’s misleading to suggest otherwise.”

Here's more from the press release:

"The Montana Legislature remains committed to delivering meaningful property and income tax relief, but not at the expense of thorough deliberation and fiscal responsibility. The Governor’s priorities will be considered carefully—just like every other policy that impacts Montanans.

According to the press release, the Governor’s comments can be heard here at time stamp 21:29."

(Or, check out full audio in the podcast below)