Government

UM Tech Dept. Gets $6.5 million Grant

16 September 2024
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Montana Technological University has been awarded $6.5 million from Department of Defense using Defense Production Act (DPA) authorities to create seven online stackable certificates that will grow the workforce needed to boost domestic supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements.

Critical minerals and rare earth elements are necessary for advanced manufacturing of modern technology, but currently they are sourced from foreign countries, creating national defense concerns.

The certificates will upskill the labor force, which has been detrimentally impacted by the loss of accredited educational programs in the U.S. over the past several years. Very few programs that do remain offer remote courses. Students will take courses online in Extractive Metallurgy; Mineral Processing; Mineral Deposit Exploration; Hydrogeology of Mines; Mining Engineering; Mineral Project Management & Evaluation, and Environmental Management for Mining Operations.

Classes will launch in Fall 2025.

Judge Stops Federal Program for Migrant Agricultural Workers

14 September 2024
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By T.A. DeFeom, The Center Square

Attorneys general from 17 states, including Montana, are suing to stop the federal government from implementing a program they say gives migrant agricultural workers rights that American citizens working farm jobs do not have.

The coalition of states, led by South Carolina, contends that the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States” rule effectively grants collective bargaining rights to agricultural migrant workers in the country under the H-2A visa program.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia’s Brunswick Division granted a motion for a preliminary injunction, stopping the rule from taking effect while the lawsuit is pending. The injunction is limited to the case’s plaintiffs.

Neither a nationwide injunction nor a nationwide stay is appropriate in this case,” U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood wrote in the order. “Plaintiffs argue that universal relief is needed because this case implicates federal immigration laws, nationwide relief would protect similarly situated nonparties, and it would be more practical than party-specific preliminary relief. …These arguments are unavailing.”

Miles Berry Farm, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the states of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia joined South Carolina in the lawsuit. The action names the labor department, Assistant Secretary for the department’s Employment and Training Administration José Javier Rodríguez and its Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looman.

“Here we go again,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in an announcement. “The Biden administration is almost constantly trying to enact rules and regulations that it does not have the authority to do, but we’ll keep fighting this unconstitutional overreach every time it happens.”

Governor Gianforte Visits Multi-Generation Montana Businesses

14 September 2024
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Governor Greg Gianforte visited with two multi-generation, family businesses on his 56 County Tour in Missoula and Jefferson counties.

“The American Dream is alive and well in Montana thanks to our hardworking job creators committed to carrying on their family legacy,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We will continue to support them through our pro-business, pro-jobs policies and efforts to strengthen our workforce.”

Starting off the day in Missoula, the governor met with the second generation of the Reid family at their manufacturing business, Diversified Plastics.

Founded in 1976 in Rod Reid’s garage, the custom plastics fabrication and engineering company has grown to occupy a large facility in Missoula and employs over 75 Montanans in competitive, high-wage jobs.

Meeting with Rod’s son, Brad, and touring the facility, the governor heard more about the company and the products they manufacture, as well as about the apprentice and work-based learning opportunities they provide.

Making plastic products for a wide variety of industries, Diversified Plastics operates around the clock to make components for operations including ski lifts, car washes, food processing, and agriculture.

Reid shared that nearly all of his employees receive on-the-job training and they have had success operating a two-year long apprenticeship through the Montana Department of Labor & Industry for Montanans to learn molding. The company also offers opportunities for local high school students to train with them.

“When I first started working for my dad, we had eight employees. Today, we have 75 employees in Missoula in a high-wage job,” Reid said. “Thanks to the support from the state through loan programs, we’ve been able to expand our operation with the goal to continue to increase wages, employ more people, and get a larger tax base.”

Continuing on to Whitehall, the governor stopped by Smith Supply to visit with the Smith brothers and learn more about their family business serving Montana producers.

Providing feed, lumber, and other ag and ranch supplies, the Smiths bring over 65 years of experience operating their own ranch, producing hay and grain and raising cattle and hogs.

Touring the store and warehouse with the family’s second generation, the governor met with four of the brothers leading the operation started by their grandfather in 1959 and met their kids and grandkids.

“Now the third generation is coming into play and even their kids are already out here helping out and riding in the equipment. It’s good to see,” said John Smith.

Supporting Montana’s small business owners, family farmers, and family ranchers is a top priority for Gov. Gianforte. Since taking office, the governor has increased the business equipment tax exemption from $100,000 to $1 million eliminating the business equipment tax burden for more than 5,000 small businesses, farms, and ranches.

County 2025 Budget Set

14 September 2024
Evelyn Pyburn
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As Yellowstone County officials approved, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, a $182,369,879 million county budget, for 2024-25 fiscal year, they are also focused on imminent future needs for the county. Many of the decisions about how to spend their revenues today are dictated by what they see as needed revenue for the future.

During two earlier public hearings, county commissioners and department heads made it clear that they are well aware that significant needs loom ahead, especially for the justice system, including the possibility of adding onto the jail (Yellowstone County Detention Facility) and the possibility of having to accommodate as many as three additional district court judges. But the immediate challenges for the 2024-25FY are being imposed by inflation and the struggle to retain staff, according to Jennifer Jones, the county’s Director of Finance and Budget. While those issues impact all county departments to some degree, they are especially impacting the justice system — the Sheriff’s department, the County Attorney’s department, the courts and the Youth Services Center, which deals with delinquent youth and children in need of temporary shelter.

The county’s budget is balanced. Jones commented that it is the cooperation of all the county departments in “building this budget” that results in a financial plan that demonstrates “our sound position and our continued commitment to address needs well into the future.”

Total county revenues for FY2025 is $139,803,741. The revenue budget for 2024 was $145,787,437; for 2023 it was $132,843,880; and for 2022 it was $116,487,362.

The budget for total county expenditures for FY2025 is $182,369,879. That compares to $134,152,923 in 2024; $119,847,614 in 2023 and $111,160,023 in 2022. Some expenditures are drawn from reserves and other non-tax revenue.

Fiscal Year 2025 revenues, from all sources, are budgeted at $139.8 million, of which $70 million comes from property taxes. Yellowstone County property tax revenue is $4.2 million more, over the property tax revenue collected in 2024.

New properties assessed for the first time – which are an indicator of economic growth – amounted to almost $2 million of that increase. State law allows the county to increase their levy to accommodate for inflation, which contributed $1.7 million to the $4.2 million total increase. Because inflation has been so onerous, the rest of that increase is attributable to the county using last year’s inflation increase authority, which it did not use, but finds it necessary to do so this year.

Last year was an appraisal year performed by the Montana Department of Revenue which resulted in large valuation increases, and therefore called for a reduction of levied mills for the county over the previous fiscal year. This year, valuations will not be evaluated however Yellowstone County experienced a 2.4% reduction in countywide taxable value, due to adjustments made by the Department of Revenue. Those adjustments meant lost revenue to the county unless it raised its levy to compensate, so given that increase, plus the increase in mills which were allowed for inflation, and the increase in the permissive medical levy, the county added 5.88 mills for fiscal year 2025.

Each year the county gets entitlement money from the state, which came in 4.64% higher than the last fiscal year. The funding increased because the state legislature passed legislation which exempted Class 8 property from property taxes, and a portion of that reduced property tax was then distributed to each county.

At the same time, the county is in the process of preparing a new administration building (the Miller Building, 301 North 29th Street) for occupancy by most of the county departments, except those that are part of the judicial system. As other county departments vacate the County Court House they will make room for the new judges that are expected, if the next state legislature approves their funding.

Also, Yellowstone County is in the process of building a temporary detention facility in collaboration with the City of Billings during the coming year. Projected cost is $6 million, of which the city is contributing $2.7 million.

“One important project that deserves mentioning again this year is the criminal justice needs assessment study we engaged in last fiscal year,” reports Jones, “This study will provide recommendations for system efficiency improvement, capacity management and enhanced outcomes for both adults and youths involved in the criminal justice system.” It will help guide many of those future decisions regarding public safety, mental health programs, detention space at the state and county levels, and the Youth Service Center.

“If the eventual decision is made to expand the Detention Facility again, it will be nothing like our previous expansion completed in 2020. Both a material increase in the county’s mill levy and a significant debt obligation will need approval by our voters,” stated Jones.

Construction and remodeling for the new administration building will begin this fall. Besides moving other departments, the Clerk and Recorder’s office, Public Works, Finance, and the County’s Commissioners’ office on the third floor of the Stillwater Building will move into the building by the fall of 2025, and the county will cease to be a tenant of the city’s.

Remodeling the administration building and the Court House will be done without any need for a tax increase or debt, according to Jones, because of reserves in the County’s Capital Improvement Fund.

Focusing on MetraPark – a county owned facility – Jones explained that the American Rescue Plan Act has allowed the county “to address infrastructure challenges at MetraPark, for which funding options were few.” The projects — for which much of the work has been highly visible to the community— will improve the facility for overall safety and functionality, said Jones. All APRA projects at MetraPark are expected to be completed by the fall of 2025.

Another aspect of preparing MetraPark for the future has been the engagement of an industry consulting group, whose study is to be completed by the end of FY2025. Their work has already seen “material results,” for MetraPark, according to Jones. MetraPark’s “non-tax related revenues for FY24 exceeded budget by 9.4%, while expenditures remained in check. A highlight in this area is a 20% reduction in overtime dollars compared to FY23 and FY22.”

“All of this demonstrates that we are improving the bottom line at Metra, allowing for better funding of MetrPark capital expenditure needs going forward, without requiring County General Fund or General Fund CIP infusions,” said Jones. Property taxes under a dedicated levy for Metra Park contributed $4,166,773 to the MetraPark budget this year. Non-tax revenues, generated by the fair and rentals, were $7,025,823. MetraPark and Montana Fair’s projected total budget is $12,651,341 which compares to last year’s budget of $9,949,026.

Base operations for the county, not including capital improvement projects, increased approximately 4.6% over FY24.

The Sheriff’s budget, including the jail, will experience the heaviest burden due to inflationary costs. It has felt the impact in almost every category from the spike in food costs, insurance premiums, patrol vehicles, and medical services.

Tax revenues will fund the Sheriff’s department, also referred to as public safety, and all of the judicial departments of county government to the tune of $59,847,672, consuming 32.82% of the final budget.

The Yellowstone County Detention Center’s budget will be $16,285,787.

Yellowstone County Attorney budget is $8,115,511. Last year’s was $6,057,685.

Youth Services Center budget for 2025 is $3,838,996. A significant portion of its revenue is generated by charges made to other counties.

General government expenditures are $24,572,601, or 13.47% of the total budget.

Public Works – the building of roads and bridges, emergency services ($407,066), parks ($276,123) – is $19,919,406, or 10.93% of the total budget. The road fund alone is $13,663,329. The bridge fund is $2,884,625.

Capital Improvements, such as the administration building, will consume $23,714,850, or 13% of the total budget.

Human Services, $489,766 or 0.27% of the total budget.

Public Health has a budget of $6,070,006, or 3.33% of the budget.

Insurance costs require a budget of $20,353,603, or 11.16% of the total budget.

The county pays a debt service of $897,400 for the previous jail expansion, which comprises about 0.49% of the budget.

Social / Economic expenditures has a budget of $6,254,549, or about 3.43% of the total budget.

Community Development has a budget of $711,922 or 0.39% of the budget.

Miscellaneous budget items total $1,350,888, or 0.74%.

Some controversy was generated from the public regarding the county’s decision to reduce funding to the Yellowstone Art Museum. Commissioners reduced previous years’ contributions from $220,770  to $188,053 in 2025. Expenditures for county-owned museums remained much the same. Western Heritage Center, $282,080; Yellowstone County Museum, $282,080; and Huntley Museum, $141,040.

Riverstone Health (City/County Health Department) receives funding from a dedicated mill levy of 4.75, which was approved by voters in 2002. Otherwise it has operated as a separate entity since 1998.  Its county budget is $3,579,104.

Some individual budget categories: Clerk & Recorder’s /Surveyor department $789,391; Elections $990,611; Finance including finance, purchasing and central services $1,032,925; County Treasurer/Assessor /Supt. of Schools $1,951,170; Commissioners ($646,843); Clerk of District Court $1,846,636; Justice Court $2,411,896; Library $1,509,093; City-County Planning $659,004; Laurel Planning $131,015; Expenditures on ARPA projects $11,098,281; and Health Insurance Fund $12,472,600.

Big Sky Economic Development Agency (BSEDA), while a stand-alone entity, gets revenue every year from a dedicated county-wide mill levy. This year the levy is 3.16 and the revenue it generates is $1,560,072. The mill levy is only a portion of BSEDA revenues. The agency’s entitlement from the state is $284,296.

Nominations  have opened for the 2025 National Small Business Week Awards.

13 September 2024
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For more than 60 years the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)  has been uplifting small businesses in America, and the annual NSBW awards recognize the exemplary achievements, triumphs, contributions, and resilience of SBA-assisted individuals and businesses that help to drive the American economy.

“From corner shops to innovation hubs, American entrepreneurs create jobs, invent and provide crucial products and services to their communities, and help define the neighborhoods they serve,” said SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “The SBA is proud to celebrate National Small Business Week each year to lift up the best of that American entrepreneurial spirit and recognize the many essential contributions all of our small businesses make to our nation.”

There are more than 34 million small businesses in the US.

To nominate a small business owner in your area and download related forms, criteria, and guidelines, visit sba.gov/nsbw. All nominations must be submitted electronically by 4 p.m. ET on Dec. 5, 2024. National awards will be presented during the NSBW awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 4- 5, 2025.

The SBA’s signature award during NSBW is the Small Business Person of the Year. A business owner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam is selected for individual State SBPOTY winner awards and the state award winners will compete for the 2025 National Small Business Person of the Year title.

Nominations will be accepted for the following award categories:

* Small Business Exporter of the Year

* Small Business Investment Company of the Year

o SBIC Emerging Manager

o SBIC Established Manager

* Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery:

o Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery

o Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery – Mitigation

o Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official

o Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer

* Federal Procurement Awards:

o Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year 

o Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

o Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors)

o 8(a) Graduate of the Year

* Awards to SBA Resource Partners:

o Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award

o S.C.O.R.E. Chapter of the Year

o Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award 

o Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year

* Surety Bond Agent of the Year

For local area information, visit online at https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week/district-office-awards.

Yellowstone County “Grew like Crazy!”

23 August 2024
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Montana’s economy is not doing too badly, and Yellowstone County’s economy “grew like crazy” over the past few months, according to economist Pat Barkey, Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research  (BBER), University of Montana. He called the economy for Billings “a Goldilocks recovery,” following several years of lackluster performance because of a decline in mining, which happens to be the most important industry to the county because of the number of mines headquartered in Billings.

Barkey gave a mid-year update on what’s been happening economically in the state, early this month, at the Northern Hotel in Billings, with a special emphasis on the plight of housing.

The housing market is frozen. The country had a long period of low interest rates followed by high rates, which has prompted people who already own their home to resist selling because they don’t want to assume high interest rates, which is “freezing markets.”

Otherwise a little noted news story, he said, is how well the US economy is doing. The economy has accelerated – growing at 2.8 percent as compared to last summer’s 2 percent. We are leaving our “peers” behind, said Barkey, referring to Canada and European countries. He noted that the US share of the global economy is 26.5 percent – “higher than ever.”

He noted that India, China and Russia are growing at a faster rate, but in response to a question, he explained that he didn’t include them as “peer” countries, because their economies are not mature economies and are not as large. (China’s economy is 65 percent that of the US.)

It is no surprise that the cost of housing in Montana has skyrocketed over the past few years. The median cost of a home in Yellowstone County is currently about $419,000. In Gallatin County it’s $857,000 – about 120 percent more than in 2014.

A more meaningful stat is the ratio of the cost of housing to average income. In Gallatin County, which has the highest median income per household in the state, the ratio is 10.3. Yellowstone County has one of the better ratios at 5.5. Lewistown, however, has a ratio of 3.6.

The increase in the cost of housing has broader impacts, Barkey pointed out.  It increases sprawl as people move out seeking lower priced housing. It limits economic growth as mobility is reduced prohibiting people from seeking better jobs. And, those families have less to spend in all other aspects of life from food to recreation.

It generates a “war” between generations – one that “tragically the Boomers are winning – we have shut 20 and 30 year olds out of buying a house, which stops their wealth growth.” The level of home ownership for the younger generation compared to the “boomers” at the same age, is 40 percent less.

 The cost of housing also impacts the rate of homelessness, which has been rising in most Montana communities.

Barkey noted that there is always a flip side to every economic stat. “High prices are great for sellers.”

The solution for Montana communities is to build “houses, houses, houses.” “We are not building enough houses,” said Barkey, while showing graphs which demonstrated that in the past most Montana cities were building houses faster than their population was growing, especially so in the 1980s. That has totally flip-flopped; often to a dramatic degree for some cities.

Billings had its own period when population exceeded housing supply – during the oil boom – but the oil bust changed that. Billings had a surplus of housing before COVID, but the aftermath of COVID “wiped it out” —  it is currently neutral.

Barkey noted that in the past federal policies and regulations have focused on increasing demand for housing, while local regulations focused more on increasing supply. Some of Barkey’s recommendations included:

—don’t add more policies. There tends to be a “disconnect between intentions and outcomes.”

—don’t add more to demand.

—consider ending policies that don’t accomplish their stated objectives.

—consider ending the mortgage tax deduction, since it did not do what was intended.

—start holding local governments accountable for achieving progress. One measure for that would be to “assess what percent of vacant land that is buildable is vacant.”

Besides dealing with the impacts of a frozen housing market, the country is experiencing a slowdown in manufacturing, but a big surprise is that generally the economy has accelerated – growing at 2.8 percent as compared to last summer’s 2 percent.

The forecast for Montana’s economy is not at a point of “high drama,” said Barkey, but “we continue to be surprised as it remains on “the upside.”

Little discussed is the fact that the US economy has accelerated, reported Barkey. The US economy is dominated by what the federal reserve is doing.

 The bad news is that while the rate of Inflation is fading, “high prices are not fading and they are here to stay.”

Some of the reason for the US growth is the expenditure by government of money that doesn’t exist. “We are eating a lot of sugar candy,” said Barkey, “and it is not sustainable….We are doing it more than other countries that are our peers.”

Interest payments on the national debt exceed what the US spends on defense.

In Montana ag prices “are pretty good.”

“The wood products industry is changing and it is tough…those prices are low.”

Metals and mining is a “mixed bag.”

Montana industries are impacted by inflation. While inflation was 9 percent and it has dropped to 3.1 percent, “it is not falling anymore.” The Feds target is 2 percent, reminded Barkey, noting that contributing the most to costs are transportation and housing.

Energy prices have “plateaued” but they have done so at high prices.

The bad news, emphasized Barkey, is that prices are not going to go down.

The “appetite” for labor is shrinking. Job postings are declining. “We are not seeing as many voluntary quits.”

Montana added 10,000 jobs last year, but that is less than the previous year, said Barkey, “The trajectory is smoothing out.”

Construction is starting to cool off, while health care is “coming back” and the accommodations industry is strong.

Workers’ wages in Montana increased $200 million last year, which has a lot to do with the tech, service and health care market segments.

Largely because of the health care industry recovery, “Billings is back on track.”

Counties of the major cities in Montana are all growing economically, except for Cascade which showed negative growth due to construction that happened last year which is not being repeated this year. Of the counties, Gallatin is growing the most followed by Yellowstone, Missoula and Flathead.

Looking at tax revenues for the state (the first report for which for this year just recently came out) indicate that the State of Montana tax revenues are not going to be as high as in the past couple of years. They look to remain flat. “Complete stagnation,” said Barkey, “Revenue growth is over.”

State Study Will Set Funding Levels for Housing for People in Behavior System

23 August 2024
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The state of Montana will be conducting a statewide study to determine what level of funding is needed to subsidize housing costs for low-income Montanans who are served in the state’s behavioral health system.

Governor Greg Gianforte announced that $1 million of public funds will be made available to conduct the study which will direct the allocation of $300 million to eligible Montanans as recommended by the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Commission. The Governor said that he secured the funding last year “to reform and improve Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities services systems.”

“Access to affordable, stable housing is critical to ensure Montana youth, adults, and families can meet their behavioral health needs,” Gov. Gianforte said. “As the nation continues to grapple with a shortage of affordable housing, we need to ensure at-risk Montanans have access to the support they need. This study will allow the state to make the most effective and efficient use of our resources to take care of vulnerable Montanans.”

The one-time funding will be transferred to the Montana Department of Commerce which will work in partnership with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to conduct the Fair Market Rent Reevaluation Study.

“The BHSFG Commission recognizes that stable housing is fundamental and critical to ensuring that the behavioral health and developmental disabilities needs of Montanans are met,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “The study will help maximize housing funding to support as many low-income Montanans as possible.”

Brereton said the Commission brought this NTI forward because low-income individuals served by the state’s BH and DD systems are increasingly unable to access affordable housing.

Through the study, information will be gathered on current rental rates throughout the state to help determine the funding necessary to supplement federal rental assistance.

Access to housing is shown to significantly improve BH and DD outcomes for vulnerable individuals, reduce strain on the health care system, and yield significant cost savings to emergency services.

In addition, studies show children whose families receive vouchers for rental housing change schools less frequently, are less likely to be placed in foster care, and experience fewer sleep disruptions and behavior problems.

On May 22, 2023, Gov. Gianforte made a generational investment to reform and improve Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities services systems by signing House Bill 872 into law. A central component of the governor’s Budget for Montana Families, the $300 million investment will expand intensive and community-based behavioral health care and developmental disabilities services across Montana.

Montana First State in the Nation to Open BEAD Portal

23 August 2024
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Montana will be the first state in the nation to open its Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) application portal.

On August 1, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) had given final approval to Montana’s BEAD proposal, allocating nearly $629 million to increase the state’s connectivity.

 “This generational investment for Montana’s communities can’t wait any longer,” Gianforte said. “Montana moved quickly to put together an application for the BEAD program, and tomorrow, we are taking the first steps to get the funding out the door. By bridging the digital divide, we’re expanding access to good-paying jobs, high quality education, and affordable health care for Montanans across the state.”

The Governor welcomed the news, adding this brings his administration’s total investment in expanding broadband connection to nearly $1 billion. 

Gianforte was among the first governors in 2023 to express interest in applying for a BEAD program planning grant. Montana Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles said there have been challenges to getting areas of Montana online, and this is going to help.

“BEAD funding provides a unique opportunity to meet these challenges, expanding broadband to unserved and underserved areas of Montana,” said Giles.

The state of Montana now has one year to launch the grant application, receive grant applications from Internet providers, and send selected proposals to the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval. 

Those interested may submit main-round applications to the Montana Broadband Office’s (MBO) ConnectMT portal beginning August 13. The close date for applications will remain October 15, 2024. The application and additional resources can be accessed at ConnectMT.mt.gov.

Upon signing their grant application, selected providers will have four years to deploy broadband services to Montanans in unserved and underserved areas.

Farm Bureau Urges Action on Water Settlement Act

21 August 2024
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The Montana Farm Bureau has submitted a letter to U.S. House of Representatives leadership urging them to take up the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC) Water Settlement Act of 2024 (S.1987).

“The Milk River Project in north central Montana is aptly referred to as the “Lifeline of the Highline” because it provides water to over 120,000 acres of productive farmland, several towns, and two tribes,” said MFBF President Cyndi Johnson in her letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Just over one week ago, a portion of the Milk River Project near Babb, Montana, suffered a disastrous failure, flooding the nearby community and threatening the economic certainty of a large portion of our state.

Johnson explained that the FBIC provides the assistance to restore St. Mary’s Canal that MFBF members have been asking for and negotiating about for more than 20 years. This legislation will provide $275 million for Milk River Project infrastructure repairs and to restore the St. Mary’s Canal.

“Without the essential repairs S. 1987 will provide to the Milk River Project, a large portion of our state will literally dry up and it’s not just our state that will suffer,” said Johnson, adding, “According to the Milk River Joint Board of Control, this project and the agriculture it supports raise enough food to feed 1 million people.”

The Conrad wheat farmer explained, “Our members, these rural communities, and our state will be put in great jeopardy if this project is not repaired quickly and completely. Please act promptly on the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Settlement Act of 2024.”

Center Square Reports on Threats to Honest Elections

21 August 2024
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The news agency, The Center Square is concerned about keeping America’s election honest, and have focused reporting on what is happening in various states.

While we are routinely assured there is nothing to worry about in regard to the integrity of our elections, Center Square has found that is not true.

The Center Square recently broke the news that Washington State’s Attorney General and the Secretary of State’s office agreed to void a provision in the state constitution that requires voters to be residents for at least 30 days before participating in an election.

“This is a historic affront to the integrity of our elections. The provision that voters reside in Washington State for at least 30 days before casting a ballot dates to the original Constitution that Washington adopted upon joining the union in 1889.  Never in 135 years of statehood have officials in Washington contemplated such a brazen attack on the sanctity of the vote,” commented Center Square.

Even more outrageous than what they did is how they did it.

The Attorney General and Secretary of State made this rule change by sidestepping the constitutional amendment process, which requires supermajorities in the legislature and a supermajority vote of the people. Instead, they amended the constitution through state agency rulemaking.

“The implications of this precedent are staggering: political actors can effectively amend the constitution by having groups – in this case an organization that donated to AG Bob Ferguson’s campaign for governor – file a lawsuit and then agree to a consent decree to remove that provision without any say from either the citizens of the state of Washington or their elected representatives.”

Under Washington state law now, a person can register to vote (without any verification) and participate in an election as late as 8 p.m. on Election Day without having to attest that they have been a resident for any period of time.

With only months to go, it’s still an open question whether America will have a free and fair election this year, writes Center Square in a promotional piece seeking contributions. “This rule change in Washington state – made without the say of voters or their elected representatives – could allow numerous illegal immigrants and out-of-state residents to vote, while giving power-hungry officials in other states a playbook to rig elections nationwide.”

They have also reported other incidents. In May 2024, the Illinois legislature gutted a child welfare bill and replaced the contents with changes to ballot eligibility, protecting potentially vulnerable statehouse members from facing tight races.

After less than 24 hours, the bill was pushed through – six weeks after the primary and into the state’s election season process.

Through a series of articles the Center Square detailed the issue for voters, from the first passage in early May through a June 5 court order that stopped party officials from implementing the changes.

Four years ago Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg injected outside money and deployed poll workers across politically targeted states, such as Wisconsin. The stunt became infamously known as “Zuckerbucks.” 

When news of this reached voters, concern grew over the elite’s ability to infiltrate state elections.  

The Center Square’s coverage on this issue raised voters’ awareness and ultimately led to the passage of two constitutional amendments in Wisconsin to keep this kind of money out of the state’s political system. 

As lawmakers in D.C. debate citizenship verification requirements for voting, election officials in states, such as Washington. have already opened the door for illegal voting by foreign nationals.

Last year, The Center Square’s coverage prompted the Washington Secretary of State to consider changes to the voter registration process, highlighting the power of honest, objective journalism. Across two different reports, the Washington state SoS’s office documented how this coverage could:

— “Motivate individuals to call on elected officials to implement citizenship verification procedures for voter registration in Washington State.”

— “Motivate individuals to call for changes to the voter registration process to remove the ability to register to vote when applying for a driver’s license.”

With millions of undocumented migrants pouring over our broken border, can we trust the national news-media elites to gather the facts and tell the story honestly? questions Center Square in their appeal for support.

In March 2023, The Center Square delivered a three-part series on election integrity. The series detailed legislation that would require every Washington state county elections office to give a New York-based nonprofit unfettered digital access. This was the same nonprofit that colluded with state officials during the pandemic-era elections to suppress online speech and was referred to by a federal judge as an “Orwellian Ministry of Truth.”

For more than five years, The Center Square has been the taxpayers’ voice for government accountability, tracking the impact of outside funding on local elections, highlighting when political elites and activists have attempted to stack the deck in their favor, and shining the light on foreign nationals attempting to participate in our election process.

The Center Square is published by Franklin News Foundation.  For more information contact Center Square at 20 N. Clark St., Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60602. Phone: (847) 497-5230. Email: info_tcs@thecentersquare.com