Late summer 2023

Between sessions this year, I have been placed on the Local Government Interim Committee, not the Education Committee, which I had been on for the last four interims. It has been a new experience, but I am working on determining the goals and where the issues are for this new-to-me committee. That being said, the folks on Local Government seem to be a great group with which to work. This coming week, we will finalize our work plan for the upcoming session.

There have been a few disappointments and frustrations after session. The first was the governor’s veto of SB 442, a bill that in part was to use some of the marijuana tax revenue for county roads and increasing access to public lands. Due to the timing of the veto, the legislature was not able to have the opportunity to override the veto, which means it has ended up in court for determining the path forward. Anytime something like this needs arbitrated in court, the cost is paid by taxpayers’ dollars.

Speaking of items going to court and costing taxpayers’ money, there are a handful of kids who have filed a lawsuit against the State of Montana because a law passed to not allow state agencies to take into account global warming. These kids, ranging in age from 5 to 18 may or may not have a clue about any of the real facts on this subject, but they are certainly being guided by adults as part of a bigger push from a national movement using kids to push their agenda. If that group wants to file suit, fine, but in my opinion, they shouldn’t be using kids as pawns in a bigger game. I hope their lawyers and parents understand that gas, tires, heat in their homes, and restaurants that cook with gas are all products of the oil industry that they are fighting. Having been on the State Energy Committee, most folks know that in order to keep our electric grid viable, we need every possible energy source available. It is what we call “all of the above.” Again, these court costs are your tax dollars.

One more thing, don’t forget to request your property tax relief rebate for refund on your property tax. The process is overly complicated. My vote was to simply lower taxes, which I felt minimized the opportunities for fraud. Before Oct. 1, go to https://mtrevenue.gov to claim your property tax rebate and spend it locally.

Have a great school year, and as always, be safe!

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Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, can be emailed at [email protected].