Legislative Notes
Addressing state budget misinformation
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A recent flyer distributed to Lake County citizens contains significant misinformation regarding the Montana State Budget. Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a special interest group based in Virginia, asserts that the State budget is “on fire.” This claim is unequivocally false. During the 2025 legislative session, Republicans worked collaboratively with Governor Gianforte to produce a balanced budget for Montana.
Clarifying the $16.9 Billion Appropriation
Contrary to the flyer’s assertion, the passage of a $16.9 billion budget under HB 2 in the 2025 session does not mean that the State budget increased by $16.9 billion. This amount represents the two-year appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (of HB 2) not the actual growth of the budget. According to non-partisan analysts at Montana Legislative Fiscal Services, the true increase to the budget is $142 million over two years—vastly smaller than the figure cited by AFP.
Actual Spending Increase
AFP also falsely claims that there was a 13.5% increase in spending. This percentage was derived from considering only a portion of the State budget. In reality, the overall increase in State spending is just 0.7%.
Montana’s Fiscal Responsibility
The flyer further misleads by suggesting that Montana is running massive deficits. In fact, Montana’s constitution requires the legislature to pass a balanced budget, and the budget approved in the 2025 session meets this requirement. Montana does not engage in deficit spending and is the only debt-free state in the nation, thanks to the prudent actions of its legislature.
Budget Growth and Inflation
It is true that Montana’s budget is larger than last year’s. This growth is primarily due to inflation over the past decade, which has increased the cost of providing essential services to Montanans. These services include law enforcement and corrections, mental health care, education, infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and water systems, as well as the management of forests and public lands. The Governor and legislators have worked diligently to ensure these services are delivered as cost-effectively as possible.
Encouraging Fact-Checking
Given the misleading nature of the flyer, it appears there may be a hidden agenda behind it. Distorting the truth about the Montana budget is unacceptable and should be challenged. Residents are encouraged to contact Legislative Fiscal Services to verify these facts, rather than relying on misinformation from out-of-state organizations.
