Solutions

Most of us are feeling budgets get tighter and seeing numbers going up that we'd prefer stay down. Wages haven't kept up with inflation, especially when it comes to property values. While some relief has been provided by the legislature as to property taxes (relief that was voted against by current HD 5 Representative Braxton Mitchell), more needs to be done. We need to prioritize housing that doesn't require cost burdening rents and mortgages. We need to intentionally design and redesign our developed areas to balance and increase affordability, economic opportunity, and quality of life. We need to incentivize local jobs that pay a living wage.

Public lands should be in public hands. I could almost end it there, but this issue is the one dearest to my heart. Whether we venture out for a beautiful view, to put meat on the table, or to find some peace and quiet, our public lands are essential to us Montanans. It's not just a hobby, or even a huge part of our economy: It's part of our identity. Some people in Washington DC, and even in Helena, don't see it that way. To them it's a pile of cash; they would develop every acre of National Forest, National Park, and everything in between to make a buck or two. That cuts off access for us, that harms our water quality, hurts our wildlife, and turns tourists and the money they spend at our local businesses away. That is why we must continue to defend our designated roadless areas, protect our fisheries from degrading, and maintain access to the public lands that are owned by you and I, and shouldn't be owned by some corporation that is only concerned with green dollar signs, not the evergreen trees that thrive in our rich landscape.

It has been said that "health is the first of all liberties." Without it we can't work, we can't play, we can't be the people we want to be. How can we improve access to the care that will better our lives? What do I hear people praying for so that they can afford their life-giving treatments? Two words: Medicaid expansion. This is one of many ways the legislature can provide relief to Montanans who are already struggling to get by. And when your neighbor isn't able to pay for that ambulance ride? That means those who can pay pay more. Expanding Medicaid is an investment that provides for our community and improves healthcare for all of us.

Montana is consistently a national leader among states in drunk driving deaths. While their are many statistics that make me proud to be a Montanan, this isn't one of them. And it's not just a statistic; each death is the loss of a person, a member of a family, of our community. One way to reduce these tragedies is to have more alternatives to driving home drunk. More public transit such as buses and shuttles, safer walking routes, and biking paths should all be available options. And the benefits don't stop there. Improved pedestrian and intersection infrastructure reduces fatal collisions and allows for more active lifestyles. Public transit reduces traffic congestions and air pollution.

I am a product of Montana public education and many of my family members have been educators, as I am now myself. It is vital to our next generations that we provide them with the resources they need for success and prosperity: well funded public schools that prepare our students for all aspects of life and provide opportunities to seek employment and attend trade schools and universities. 

I have visited the Montana State Capitol Building many times, and one of my favorite spots is the plaque dedicated to Frederick Whiteside. He bravely stood up to the powerful Copper Kings, exposing their greedy and corrupt sway over the state. Too often still today, private corporate interests have too much influence in our lawmaking, unashamedly pushing policies that benefit them at the expense of Montana's citizens. I will always prioritize the people I am here to serve over the profit margins of a select few. 

It's an understatement to say that the current political climate is divisive. But regardless of party or preferred policy, we are all Montanans. I will always look for ways to reach across party lines and overcome differences to collaborate on the things we value in common. I will also always support the nonpartisanship of many of our institutions, including out independent judiciary, so that we can have consistent and fair adjudication of our laws, rather than shifting at the whim of whichever party is in power.

Let us know below how you would like to see your representative serve you.