Government

City Leaders Get $1 million Grant to Launch CA Air Flight

23 October 2023
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The City of Billings, in partnership with the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID), the Billings Chamber of Commerce, and Big Sky Economic Development has been awarded a $1,000,000 Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASD) grant by the United States Department of Transportation to recruit, initiate, and support new air service between Billings and one of two California hubs—San Francisco or Los Angeles.

“This SCASD grant is a very effective tool in our community’s ongoing air service development effort. We were successful in bringing American Airlines service to Billings with the last SCASD grant and I am looking forward to the new air service this grant will generate,” shared Jeff Roach, Director of Aviation and Transit for the City of Billings.

According to Billings Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Brewer, Southern California is one of the top destinations for Billings residents that is currently without direct service. “Direct service to the Los Angeles or San Francisco area would grow our visitor economy and provide residents with a better quality of life via better travel options for leisure, visiting family, and work,” he added.

This is the second time the City of Billings has been awarded the prestigious SCASD grant, and an exciting development in the community-wide effort to increase Air Service frequency and availability from the Billings airport.

“Increasing Air Service is a strategic priority for the businesses and communities we serve. We’re pleased to see that our government partners recognize our efforts and continue to support us as we expand our air service partnerships,” shared Ashley Kavanagh, Senior Director of Recruitment and Community Development at Big Sky Economic Development.

The City of Billings, the Tourism Business Improvement District, Billings Chamber of Commerce, and Big Sky Economic Development continue to partner with key stakeholders to increase air service in the Billings market and have a goal of providing a local match in funding to maximize the federal grant.

AARP Reports that Care for the Elderly is “Painfully” Inadequate

23 October 2023
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AARP’s new Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Scorecard finds that more than three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, care provided in the United States for older adults and people with disabilities is painfully inadequate. The report finds that major gaps persist in every state, including Montana, especially related to Safety & Quality; Choice of Setting & Provider; and Affordability & Access.

 Ranking #33 in the country, Montana has made some progress to improve care options for older adults, including “Assisted Living Supply” meaning assisted living and residential care units per 1,000 population (ages 75+). However, the report shows there is still much more to be done to keep up with the rapidly changing needs of an aging population. Montana dropped six slots since the last score card was issued in 2021, Montana was ranked #27 in the country.

 “The pandemic reinforced the need to strengthen long-term care for loved ones across the country, including in Montana,” said Mike Batista AARP Montana Director of Government Affairs. “AARP’s Scorecard shows that there are many roads to meet the needs of all Montanans who deserve the very best care, including the 112,000 family caregivers in our state. It’s time to accelerate our efforts.”

 Additional key findings from the report include:

 Family Caregiving

* Only six states, including Montana, provide a tax credit for family caregivers’ out-of-pocket expenses. Oklahoma enacted a caregiver tax credit bill in June, after data for the Scorecard was collected. Family caregivers on average spend $7,242 per year on out-of-pocket costs.

 Home Based Services

* There has been a surge in older adults receiving long-term care at home, rather than in nursing homes and other institutions. For the first time, more than half (53%) of Medicaid LTSS spending for older people and adults with physical disabilities went to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). This is up from 37% in 2009. HCBS includes support for home health care aides, respite services, assistive technology and home modifications and other services.

o The average annual per person cost of home care in 2021 was $42,000.

o Montana ranked near the bottom at #42 for “Home Care Cost” meaning the median annual home care private pay cost as a percentage of median household income, (ages 65+). 

* Many states have large numbers of people with low care needs living in nursing homes, indicating a lack of HCBS access and services. More than 20% of residents in Montana have residents with low needs, compared to 9% nationally.  

Nursing Homes and Institutional Care

* A major workforce crisis exists in nursing home care. Across all states, wages for direct care workers are lower than wages for comparable occupations, with shortfalls ranging from $1.56 to $5.03 per hour. In Montana, wages are $2.28 lower than other entry level jobs.

o Nationally, more than half of nursing staff in nursing homes leave their job within a year (53.9% turnover rate). In Montana, the rate is above the average, at 63.2%, with Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico experiencing the highest averages in the nation in staffing turnover.

o Staffing disparities are a significant challenge. Residents of nursing homes with high admissions of Black residents receive almost 200 fewer hours of care per year compared to residents of nursing homes with high admissions of white residents.  

* Nationally, only 22% of nursing home residents live in a facility with a 5-star rating; about 33.7% of Montana residents live in a 5-star facility. Gaps in workforce and equity result in persistent problems in care. For instance, about 10% of nursing home residents nationwide experienced a pressure sore. Pressure sores can be life-threatening as they can lead to bone or joint infections, cancer, and sepsis. 

“COVID-19 tested our long-term care systems, and they failed. Now is the time to take the lessons we’ve learned to fix them, for the sake of saving lives,” said Susan Reinhard, Senior Vice President, AARP Public Policy Institute. “AARP’s LTSS Scorecard shows some progress and innovation, but there’s still a long way to go before we have systems that allow people to age well and independently for as long as possible and support the nation’s 48 million family caregivers. It’s also clear some emerging issues deserve more attention – from whether nursing homes are prepared to confront natural disasters, to whether they have plans in place to maintain and grow their workforces.”

18 States Want Judge to Deny Request to Halt TikTok

23 October 2023
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A group of 18 state attorneys general and two separate organizations recently filed amicus briefs in support of Montana’s law banning TikTok from operating in the state. The law was written  by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen following documented concerns over the app’s  data-harvesting and access to that data granted to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials.

The new law requires TikTok to stop operating in Montana and prohibits mobile application stores from making TikTok available starting on January 1, 2024. Shortly after Governor Greg Gianforte signed SB 419 into law, the company and a group of users it funded sued and requested a preliminary injunction. The three groups  joined Attorney General Knudsen in urging the court to deny the plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction due to the adverse impact on citizens’ privacy and data security.

The coalition of 18 states argues that SB 419 falls within the States’ historic police powers under the principle of federalism that “each State may make its own reasoned judgment about what conduct is permitted or proscribed within its borders,” and by banning TikTok’s operation in the state, Montana is protecting its citizens’ privacy from TikTok and the threat of the CCP’s data-harvesting practices.

“SB 419 is justified, and Plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction should be denied, because TikTok intentionally engages in deceptive business practices which induce individuals to share sensitive personal information that can be easily accessed by the Chinese Communist Party and because TikTok’s platform harms children in Montana and Amici States. Federal law does not prohibit the States from protecting their citizens from such conduct,” the attorneys general wrote in the brief. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the political party with unchallenged control of the government of the People’s Republic of China, exercises significant influence over ByteDance. Allowing TikTok to operate in Montana without severing its ties to the CCP exposes Montanan consumers to the risk of the CCP accessing and exploiting their data.”

MetraPark Makes $1.3 million in FY23

9 October 2023
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In FY 2022-23, MetraPark events contributed $110,700,000 to the local community, and $177 million globally, according to a report presented to the Yellowstone County Commissioners by Michael Mayott, Chairman of the Metra Park Advisory Board.

Given that MetraPark receives a tax funded subsidy of $3,672,600 annually, the proceeds generated is a return of $3 for every $1 subsidy, said Mayott.

Over the past year MetraPark hosted 388 events with the most events – 60 – occurring in April.

Total revenue for Metra Park was $9,916,000, with total expenses of $8,639,000.

Top five events during the year were:

PBR, $219,274;

Kane Brown concert, $175,904;

Lil Wayne concert, $102,152;

NILE Livestock Show, $93,926;

Ian Munsick, $92,622.

Highest Number of People on Food Stamps

6 October 2023
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By Shirleen Guerra, The Center Square

The 2023 fiscal year is on track to average the highest number of individuals on food stamps in the U.S. since 2016.

There were 42,329,101 on food assistance on average each month on through the first nine months of the fiscal year, as of June 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The fiscal year is completed at the end of September.

That’s the most people on food assistance since the fiscal year 2016 monthly average of 44,219,363.

The fiscal year 2023 overall cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, will be the first time in two years that emergency pandemic relief was not included the full year. Most states dropped the extra COVID-19 stipend by March 2023.

In 2016, the yearly cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was $66.5 billion, or $84.2 billion when adjusted for inflation.

Through the first three quarters of fiscal year 2023, the costs are $85.1 billion, which projects to $113.5 billion for the full year.  In fiscal year 2022, the SNAP program cost almost $114 billion.

Strategy to Reduce Carbon Emmissions Drafted by MDT, Comment Period Over

4 October 2023
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Directed by the federal government to do so, The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has developed a draft “Carbon Reduction Strategy (CRS),” which it announced in a press release on September 20, was available for public review and comment until September 27.

The National Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) was signed into law as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). It provides funding to states if they develop and promote projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions from vehicles and other transportation sources as determined by the Federal Highway Administration which oversees MDT. Under the law, each state must develop guidelines and regulations in consultation with local Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs).

MPOs are organizations required by the federal government, also under the auspices of the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), for communities reaching certain population levels in order for a community to get federal municipal planning & development funds, and to be eligible for transportation funds. Under a “Memorandum of Agreement for Continuing Transportation Planning in the Billings Urbanized Area” the function of an MPO is overseen by the MDT and the FHA.

One of the requirements of an MPO is to establish a city/ county Planning Board comprised of local citizens, which is administered by the city planning staff. A typical municipal planning department gets more than two-thirds of their funding from FHA.

In Montana, three cities are required to have MPOs – Great Falls, Missoula and Billings. In Billings the MPO is called the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC). The committee is comprised of a city council representative, a county commissioner, a member of the Planning Board, MDT District Administrator, a representative from the state MDT, and the Division Administrator for FHA.

MDT states in a press release that the Montana CRS “provides a baseline summary of carbon emissions associated with Montana transportation and presents localized strategies. These strategies would be funded by the CRP, and include recommendations for implementation and monitoring efforts. The document is intended to assist transportation officials in making future project and program decisions to reduce carbon emissions.”

As of only September 20, the public was encouraged to view the document and comment on it. The press release said the proposal was available at https:// www.mdt.mt.gov/ pubinvolve/crs/ beginning September 13, through Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Comments may be submitted online at http://www.mdt.mt.gov/contact/comment-form.aspx or by contacting Vicki Crnich at 406-444-7653 or mailto:vcrnich@mt.gov.

The press release said that after considering public comments, a final version of the CRS will be posted to the state website.

SBA 8(a) Program Makes Changes to Comply with Court Ruling

4 October 2023
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The SBA’s 8(a) program is making a major change to social disadvantage narrative requirements in the wake of a court ruling influenced by the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action.

The Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development program was meant to make available billions in government contracting dollars for “historically disadvantaged groups.” But in July, a federal judge in Tennessee struck down a provision of the program that equated race with social disadvantage.

The decision throws into disarray an SBA program that has served minority-owned small businesses for about five decades. Legal experts said it could signal trouble for other programs meant to help underrepresented groups win federal contracts, including veterans and women.

Under the new guidelines, being Black, Hispanic, Asian or Native American is no longer enough to automatically qualify as socially disadvantaged — a key step in making it into the program. Instead, in a mass email distributed Aug. 22 by SBA officials, business owners were instructed to submit an essay demonstrating that race had hindered their success.

On July 19, 2023, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee issued a ruling (Ultima Servs. Corp. v. Dep’t of Ag. (E.D. Tenn.) affecting the application process for determining eligibility for SBA’s 8(a) Program. 

All current 8(a) participants will receive additional, direct communication from the SBA detailing what, if any, additional information must be provided to SBA in order to continue Program participation. Potential participants who have already initiated an 8(a) application may continue to work on their applications but may be required to incorporate changes in the future. If that is the case, SBA will give them clear indication of the changes needed.

Montana Colleges Offer Much to Ag Students

4 October 2023
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Montana’s colleges offer research facilities that could benefit the agricultural industry

In a website, vacation1s5.com, states are rated according to which are considered most highly educated. Population numbers seem to impact the outcomes, which leaves Montana is ranked 36th.

The report says, about Montana:

* Population: 1,084,225

* Percentage holding advanced degrees: 10.5%

* Median household income: $55,328

While the state might not be overflowing with a demand for advanced degrees, Montana still offers a lot to students. There are nearly a dozen higher education establishments here, with Montana State University apparently the best of the bunch. While it ranks 263rd on US News’ list, it reportedly boasts a ton of unique research facilities.

As might be expected of a state that highly favors agriculture, these facilities also focus around this industry. They include things like the Plant Growth Center and the Center for Bison and Wildlife Health. While advanced degrees aren’t always a necessity in Montana, having one in this field can still prove beneficial to help push the industry forward.

Montana is so suited to farming that advanced degrees are less of a necessity.

When it comes to population figures, some states rank much higher than others. Montana is one part of the United States that doesn’t fare highly in this regard. Only a handful of states have a smaller population than this western state. Why is this? Well, the prominence of agriculture might have something to do with it.

This industry has had the biggest impact on the state’s economy for centuries, with the land perfectly suited to farming. Again, this might explain why Montana doesn’t rank amongst the most educated states in the US. With its biggest industry not typically requiring advanced degrees, it makes sense that only 10.5% of the population holds one.

With 20.3% of the population holding advanced degrees, Massachusetts ranks at the top of the list for most educated.

Largest Defense Contractor in Montana

4 October 2023
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By Samuel Stebbins, The Center Square

The U.S. defense budget topped $850 billion in fiscal 2022, more than the combined military spending of the next 10 countries combined. This money goes to fund a wide range of obligations, from operations to payroll for troops and civilian defense personnel. The bulk of the U.S. military budget, however, is spent on contracts with companies in the private sector.

The Defense Department does more business through private contracts than all other federal agencies combined. The Pentagon relies on contractors for services including research and development, weapon systems procurement, facility maintenance, and equipment repair. Outsourcing to third parties in the private sector allows the government to more rapidly and effectively adapt to changing circumstances and needs – though reliance on contractors also raises the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse.

The latest available government data shows that the Pentagon spent $246.8 million on private sector contracts in Montana in 2021. No company in the state received more federal defense dollars that year than S & K Technologies, which brought in $65.7 million in military contracts – or 26.6% of all contractor spending in the state.

Other major defense contractors operating in Montana include Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, James Talcott Construction, Inc., and T & L Sales, which received $25.1 million, $13.7 million, and $12.4 million, respectively, in 2021.

Deaths Decline

4 October 2023
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Quote Wizard News analysts found that there has been a 13% decrease in drug related overdose deaths in Montana over the last year – that’s the 4th highest decrease nationwide.

Key Findings for Montana:

* 178 people died of an overdose in the last 12 months

* Overdose deaths nationwide have risen more than 60% in the past 5 years

* Nationally, opioids are found in nearly 70% of overdoses