Affordability & Local Economy

Montana should be a place where working people can afford to stay.

I believe economic growth only matters if the people who already live here can share in it. A stronger economy should mean better wages, more opportunity, stronger local businesses, and a realistic path to owning a home, raising a family, and retiring with security.

Too many Montanans are watching housing costs, property taxes, utilities, groceries, and everyday expenses rise faster than their incomes. At the same time, many communities are seeing outside investment and development increase pressure on land, water, infrastructure, and housing.

I believe Montana should grow, but we should grow in a way that puts Montanans first.

Keeping Montana Affordable

Affordability is not one issue. It is the combined effect of housing, taxes, wages, utilities, transportation, child care, food, insurance, and other basic costs.

When all of those pressures rise at once, working families feel it quickly.

I believe state policy should focus on reducing unnecessary costs where possible, keeping taxes fair, and making sure economic development does not create new burdens for the people who already live here.

Montana should not become a place where people can work here but cannot afford to live here.

Property Taxes

Property taxes have become one of the biggest concerns for many Montana homeowners and small businesses.

I believe property tax policy should focus first on protecting primary residents and keeping people from being taxed out of homes and communities they have spent years building.

Any reform should be clear, sustainable, and fair.

I do not support shifting the burden around in a way that gives temporary relief to one group while quietly increasing costs somewhere else.

Montanans deserve a tax system they can understand and predict.

Supporting Local Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of many Montana communities.

They provide jobs, sponsor local events, support schools and nonprofits, and keep money circulating within the community.

I believe state government should make it easier for responsible local businesses to compete by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, keeping regulations understandable, and making sure large outside companies do not receive unfair advantages that local businesses cannot access.

Whenever practical, Montana taxpayer dollars should support Montana businesses, Montana contractors, and Montana workers.

A dollar spent locally has a better chance of staying in the community.

Montana-Made and Montana-Grown

I believe Montana should do more to support products that are raised, grown, built, and manufactured here.

That includes agriculture, timber, construction materials, energy, manufacturing, and other local industries.

When state institutions are already purchasing goods and services, we should ask whether Montana businesses can reasonably provide them.

Keeping more of our supply chain in-state strengthens local jobs, reduces dependence on outside markets, and helps create a more resilient economy.

Responsible Development

I am not opposed to growth.

New businesses, new industries, and new investment can bring jobs and opportunity to Montana.

But major development should be judged by its total impact.

If a project places significant demands on water, electricity, roads, housing, emergency services, or other public infrastructure, the public deserves to understand those costs before decisions are made.

I believe large developments should contribute fairly to the infrastructure and resources they use.

Montana taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize projects that primarily benefit outside interests.

Water and Growth

Economic growth and water policy are increasingly connected.

Montana communities, agriculture, industry, and wildlife all depend on limited water resources.

I believe major developments that require substantial water use should be evaluated carefully, with clear information about where that water will come from and what effects it may have on surrounding users.

Growth should not come at the expense of existing agricultural operations, rural wells, or communities without a full understanding of the consequences.

Water decisions made today can affect Montana for generations.

Housing

Housing costs have risen dramatically in many parts of Montana.

There is no single solution, but I believe the state can help communities increase housing opportunities without eliminating local control or ignoring property rights.

That can include removing unnecessary barriers to development, encouraging infrastructure improvements, supporting workforce housing, and finding ways to make it easier for working Montanans to buy or rent homes near where they work.

Housing policy should recognize that Dillon, Butte, Wisdom, and a small rural community do not necessarily have the same needs.

Local communities should have flexibility to pursue solutions that fit them.

Energy and Infrastructure

Reliable and affordable energy is essential to Montana families, farms, ranches, mines, businesses, and industry.

I support an energy policy that values reliability, affordability, and responsible development.

Montana has tremendous natural resources, and I believe we should consider a diverse energy mix while making sure new projects make economic sense and contribute to the communities that host them.

Infrastructure matters too.

Roads, bridges, water systems, sewer systems, broadband, and electrical infrastructure are not glamorous issues, but they are essential to economic growth.

Investing in infrastructure can create good-paying jobs while strengthening communities for decades.

Keeping Young Montanans Here

A healthy economy should give the next generation a reason to stay.

Young people should not have to choose between living in Montana and finding a good career.

That means we need good-paying jobs, attainable housing, strong schools, career training, affordable communities, and opportunities to start businesses.

We spend years educating and training young Montanans.

I want more of them to see Montana as the place where they can build their future.

Protecting Rural Communities

Economic policy cannot focus only on Montana’s fastest-growing cities.

Small towns and rural communities face different challenges: fewer employers, longer distances to services, aging infrastructure, declining school enrollment, and limited housing.

Agriculture, natural-resource industries, small businesses, tourism, health care, schools, and skilled trades are often interconnected in these communities.

I believe state policy should recognize those differences and make sure rural Montana has a voice when economic decisions are made.

A strong Montana requires strong rural communities.

Growth That Works for Montanans

I do not believe economic success should be measured only by how much money enters the state or how many new buildings are constructed.

We should also ask:

Can a teacher afford to live in the community where they teach?

Can a ranch family afford to pass its operation to the next generation?

Can a young tradesman buy a home?

Can a small business compete?

Can a retiree afford to remain in the house they worked decades to own?

Those questions tell us far more about the health of Montana’s economy.

My goal is an economy that grows without leaving working Montanans behind.

Keep Montana affordable. Support local businesses. Invest in our own people. Make growth pay its fair share. And keep more Montana dollars working for Montanans.