Why is Yellowstone County not participating in the plan to develop passenger rail service through southern Montana? The question was posed to Yellowstone County Commissioners by Keith Lavacheck during a recent discussion meeting.

A group has organized and several counties have joined an effort to “resurrect the Hiawatha Passenger Line”. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is urging a federal study of the feasibility of re-establishing the defunct Amtrak line that once carried passengers between Chicago and Seattle via Billings, Butte and Missoula. It was abandoned in 1979.

Lavachek asked the commissioners to be “forward looking,” and at least support the study to explore the feasibility and cost-benefit possibilities. “I think it is a good deal,” he said, “Shouldn’t we learn more about it“? The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is hopeful that federal funding for a study will come from Congress’ infrastructure funding bill passed over a year ago. Democratic Montana Sen. Jon Tester worked to include language in the infrastructure bill that set aside $15 million for a nationwide study.

Actually, re-establishing passenger rail service is not just a focus in Montana. Federal government websites states that “over the next 15 years, Amtrak’s vision for expansion will connect up to 160 communities throughout the United States by building new or improved rail corridors in over 25 states.”

Besides nostalgia for a by-gone era, there is hope that a southern rail passenger service would be a boon to the economy by encouraging greater tourism. It is also pointed out that in Montana’s far-flung open spaces there is a need for public transportation services that a passenger rail service would meet.

Although asked several times over the years, Yellowstone County has refused to join other Montana counties in support of the vision. Commissioner John Ostlund told Lavachek that their refusal has to do with being fiscally responsible with tax dollars. When they first considered the idea 13 years ago, said Ostlund, the estimated cost was a billion dollars. Since then, he suspects the cost would be at least $2 billion. “Passenger rail service doesn’t make money,” said Ostlund.

Lavachek said that signing on as a supporter of investigating the possibilities wouldn’t mean Yellowstone County would be committed beyond the feasibility study. Ostlund seemed to think it might.

Ostlund also pointed out that there would be other negative impacts of adding a passenger line such as slowing down freight lines.

Commissioner Mark Morse said, “We have finite resources and a lot of places to spend it.”

Lavachek suggested in an email sent to Yellowstone County Commissioners and the Billings Mayor that “We should not assume that this is going to cost $2, 3 or 10 billions until we see the study.”

Ostlund pointed out the Amtrak route has never made a profit and is hugely subsidized by federal dollars, and Montana’s Northern route is among the worst. Montana’s Amtrak route, called the Empire Builder, passes through Havre and the Flathead between Seattle and Chicago.

Initial research in a feasibility study reports that restoration of the route across Montana and six other states would generate more than $270 million in economic benefits and carry an estimated 420,000 passengers each year.

Nationally, Amtrak carried 22.9 million passengers in 2022, concentrated primarily in Eastern states. Montana’s portion of the route carried 433,000 passengers in 2022.

During COVID, even though Montana’s Amtrak was provided $1 billion in additional federal subsidy, Amtrak rail service through the Hi-line was dropped to three days a week.

Despite much reporting on proposals regarding the resurrection of passenger rail service throughout the country, there is scant mention of how much rail service is subsidize in the US. Prior to COVID, information from the Department of Transportation states that Amtrak received appropriations of about $1.5 billion in 2017 and $1.9 billion in 2018 to subsidize “intercity passenger rail services,” which of course does not include the cost in Montana. Amtrak’s capital spending in 2017 was $1.6 billion and its operating expenses totaled $4.2 billion.

Another report analyzed in 2018 a savings to the federal government of $20 billion should it eliminate funding for Amtrak.

Ostlund’s concerns about shifting the cost to local governments may not be unfounded. The same report about savings, noted that Amtrak subsidies were first authorized in the 1970s, as a temporary measure. Subsidies “were intended to help Amtrak become self-supporting.” It went on to suggest that “…states or localities that highly value the subsidized rail or air services should provide the subsidies.”

The Montana Department of Transportation website reports that in 2008 Amtrak estimated the capital and up-front costs “…to exceed $1 billion, annual operating cost would exceed $74 million, resulting in a $31 million annual operating loss.”

A study conducted by the Montana Department of Commerce and Carroll College, projects that Missoula County will add 16,500 residents by the year 2035, for a total population of about 138,000. And, Gallatin County will add 42,000 in that same time. Montana’s population is expected to increase from 1,112,000 to 1,200,000 by 2035.

At the same time, a report from a Chapman economics professor shows that over the past two years California has lost 700,000 in population according to U.S. Census data from April 2020 to July 2022. Migration trends in California,  show that the net losses began in 2011 and the migration is gradually increasing.  The reasons given were high taxes, the tough business environment, and hefty environmental regulations.

By Casey Harper, Center Square

President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Internal Revenue Service took a slew of tough questions from lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday as the agency he seeks to lead faces a series of controversies.

One of the biggest questions facing Biden’s nominee, Daniel Werfel, a former acting IRS commissioner, was how he plans to handle the $80 billion included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden made clear that money was meant to supercharge the agency’s auditing efforts by hiring about 87,000 agents who the president claims would more than pay for the investment with new revenue.

Werfel promised lawmakers the audits would target wealthier Americans.

“…the audit and compliance priorities will be focused on enhancing the IRS’ capabilities to ensure America’s highest earners comply with applicable tax laws,” Werfel said.

Critics have argued there are not enough wealthy Americans to audit to justify tens of billions of dollars for new auditors. The IRS recently seemed to contradict the spirit of Werfel’s comments by announcing a program to crack down on tip reporting from waiters and waitresses.

“Stop the presses. No need to raise the debt limit,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, wrote on Twitter. “Biden is going after those billionaire waitresses’ tips,” he added, apparently referencing Biden’s call for a billionaires tax in the State of the Union.

But these aren’t the only issues for Werfel to tackle if he secures the position, which he is expected to do given the Democrats’ slim majority.

The IRS fell behind on tax returns in recent years in large part because it was saddled with distributing COVID-relief checks to millions of Americans. Then-Commissioner Charles Rettig raised concerns about the impact of this extra burden multiple times during his tenure.

Now, the IRS still has millions of suspended and backlogged returns to work through.

“Massive backlogs have left desperate families and small businesses waiting on much needed returns as they fight skyrocketing inflation,” U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said during the hearing.

The tax-collecting agency fell into the most significant controversy in years after news broke that the Biden administration was planning to have the IRS monitor bank transactions over $600. Bipartisan outrage followed, pausing but not altogether ending the plan.

The IRS announced in January it was delaying the need to report $600 transactions via services like Venmo for one year.

Other lingering issues are also plaguing the embattled agency.

Experts and lawmakers have also continued to push for answers after a Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration report from 2021 showed that the IRS destroyed roughly 30 million taxpayer documents, raising eyebrows.

So far, the agency has given little explanation for the destroyed files, which Americans may need for future audits.

“What specific documents were in the pile? Were any attempts made to contact affected Americans?” Americans for Tax Reform said in a statement. “Many Americans submitted forms only to be told by the IRS that they never did so. How will you compensate them for their lost time?”

Barrasso said all of these issues has diminished the credibility of the tax-collecting agency.

“Restoring the credibility of the agency is going to be a steep mountain to climb. When we visited I said this would be critical as part of your job,” Barrasso added. “The policies enacted by President Biden’s reckless tax and spending bill are really not going to be helpful in trying to regain the credibility of the American people for the agency.”

The  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $11,390,000 to the state of Montana from the federal governments  Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The funding  is meant to support Montana communities in upgrading essential water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies. Nearly half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans helping underserved communities across America invest in water infrastructure, while creating good-paying jobs. 

The funding builds on previous funding provided for Montana communities for water and wastewater treatment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $8.7 million for the CWSRF.  Projects already planned include places like Fort Smith, Montana, where Bipartisan Infrastructure Funds are contributing to a $7.5 million Wastewater System Improvement Project, including new collection systems, a central facultative lagoon away from the Bighorn River, and spray irrigation disposal.  These improvements are vital to a functioning sewage system for nearby communities, as well as the blue-ribbon, trout fishing industry on the Bighorn River.   

The Infrastructure Law makes over $50 billion available for water and waste water infrastruc -ture improvements across the country between FY2022 and FY2026.

By TJ Martinell|, The Center Square

A new federal regulation on healthcare price transparency could cost employers in Washington state and around the nation $100 a day if they don’t comply. Yet many Washington industry groups say they aren’t even aware the rule exists. 

Under the new regulation, health insurance carriers have to publicly disclose their in-network negotiated rates or the actual price versus “official” or retail price, along with other information via an online tool. The hitch is, employers are responsible to make sure it happens.

Those unaware of this responsibility includes the Association of Washington Business, or AWB. Communications Director Jason Hagey told The Center Square the group is “more heavily focused on the state level (regulations) than the federal level.” AWB has 7,000 members that employ 700,000 workers.

Also unaware of the new rule was the Washington Food Industry Association, according to President and CEO Tammie Hendrick. The association’s members employ more than 23,000 workers. 

Washington Retail Association Senior Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs Mark Johnson told The Center Square that his group was also unaware of the rule.

The new requirement is the product of Trump administration efforts to make health care prices more transparent. It was encouraged to do so by Talon President and CEO Mark Galvin, who told The Center Square that the cost of medical services can range widely depending on the provider and whether they’re in-network or out-of-network for a specific plan.

Founded nine years ago, Galvin’s Talon provides users with a variety of software services, including a smartphone app allowing users to compare health insurance plans. 

After a 2018 meeting between Galvin and President Donald Trump’s Domestic Policy Council, a new rule was enacted through the Affordable Care Act and was later codified and expanded upon in the 2020 No Surprises Act.

Galvin told The Center Square that he saw the Trump administration’s effort as a “rare opportunity to try and solve this problem.” He was also surprised to see that the Biden administration didn’t move to scrap the rule in progress. 

The main reason for the lack of transparency on medical bills is that healthcare costs aren’t disclosed typically until the patient is billed for services, Galvin argued. Legally, health providers don’t have to disclose them prior to treatment.

The new rule, Galvin said, brought the industry from “zero transparency to 100% transparency and allowed consumers that care to be able to find the prices. We got a huge success here. Federal government did something really worthwhile for consumers can get the information they need.

Industry was effectively screwing over consumers.”

“100% transparency” in theory.

The catch: The rule places the burden of enforcement on employers who offer health insurance to their employees and face a fine if they don’t provide transparency. Aside from successfully getting their health insurance carrier to comply, the only other available option is to switch carriers.

Fines of $100 a day per business for noncompliance, or $36,500 a year, may provide a financial spur for businesses to insist on this from their insurance providers in the long term.

“We have no way to force carriers to publish their negotiated rates, because it’s a private business,” Galvin explained. “They have a First Amendment right to keep it secret,” though perhaps a financial incentive to open up.

The rule took effect in January. All covered healthcare items like prescription drugs must be part of the carrier’s online transparency tool for plan years that begin on or after January 2024.

It may take a while for the fines to start being imposed, however, as it’s not clear which federal bureaucracy gets to issue the fines.

The rule involves three agencies: the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury. It has yet to be decided which one will ask businesses to pay up.