Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/tag/montana-legislature/page/15/)
If you haven’t read it yet, don’t miss Paul Cartwright’s guest editorial in the Friday edition of the Billings Gazette. The former Helena city commissioner deftly explains what’s wrong with Montana’s liquor licensing quota system, and he lays out several options for finally doing something to seriously reform it. (more…) Continue Reading →
Last week the Outpost ran a letter by Sen. Roger Webb, R-Billings, who argued that states should call a convention to consider amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Here’s why that is a bad idea. Article 5 of the Constitution allows it to be amended in two ways. First, two-thirds of the members of each House can propose amendments that become part of the Constitution if they are ratified by three-fourths of the states. That has happened 27 times. Continue Reading →
It’s awfully early in the 2015 Montana legislative session to be optimistic about anything, but Jani McCall thinks this might just be the year lawmakers finally authorize cities and towns to pursue local sales taxes. “I think it’s going to be a tough haul,” McCall said, “but I think if there was ever an opportunity to do it, this will be the session to do it.” (more…) Continue Reading →
After I published my column Sunday, many readers asked which legislators were responsible for bringing in Matt Trewhella to speak in the Capitol rotunda. (more…) Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: The Billings City Council will also be pushing for a local option sales tax during the 2015 legislative session. And while the proprietor of Last Best News is inclined to think such a tax has it advantages, we are pleased to offer this contrary view. Here we go again. (more…) Continue Reading →
Having looked at all 1,482 bills that have been proposed for the 2015 Montana Legislature, as of Saturday, I’m pretty sure my two favorite pieces of legislation are the work of one man, Sen. Jim Keane, D-Butte. One would “provide for the feral hog prevention act” and the other would “assess a fee for PowerPoint presentation.” (more…) Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: Longtime AP reporter Bob Anez sent me an email responding to my Sunday column, and when someone with Bob’s experience has something to say, you listen. I liked what he said so much—while realizing how ill-thought-out my own position had been—that I asked if I could print his email. He said yes:
I have met few journalists I respect more than you, but I disagree with a few comments in your column regarding the secret GOP caucus last week. (more…) Continue Reading →
Red Menahan was one of the first people I met when I started my reporting career in the Anaconda Bureau of the Montana Standard in 1980. I knew Red’s cousin, John McNay, so we were introduced to Red and his wife, Shirley, and we soon became good friends and frequent visitors at their house. (more…) Continue Reading →
