In Montana’s 2011 legislative session, a majority of legislators proposed deep, unnecessary, and harmful cuts to vital public services like education, health care, and job training. The resulting damage to our families, communities, and economy was only prevented by last-minute negotiations with the governor. While the budget compromise restored funding to many vital public programs, some harmful cuts remain. The cuts were unnecessary. The Legislature balanced its budget using out-of-date and overly pessimistic revenue estimates, refusing to act on updated estimates from their non-partisan staff and even higher estimates from the governor’s office. Read full report or summary.
MBPC is a nonprofit organization focused on providing credible and timely research and analysis on budget, tax, and economic issues that impact low- and moderate-income Montana families.