Hoteliers want higher taxes

Last night at the Missoula City Council meeting, while we were all waiting for the vote on the zoning update, we were treated to a dog & pony show put on by one of Montana’s biggest economic interest groups. The mainly-government-funded Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), along with a number of hoteliers in [...]

Who’s gonna pay?

Hoo Boy, I love’s me a City Council Candidate Forum! Them’s candidates just say the dumbest dandiest of things.
Take Kathy Greathouse, candidate to replace Marilyn Marler in Ward 6, who was explaining her dislike of SID’s and other maintenance districts. Last night, Kathy said, “It’s just a tax to cover what [...]

What’s his game?

Our proud representative for the whole of Montana, Denny Rehberg, recently gave testimony opposing the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. He is quoted as saying that “more than 96% of us who live in these areas oppose this bill.”
Mr. Rehberg, perhaps, needs to get out a little more. [...]

Market failure

Nearly a week after a nasty ice storm knocked out power in Kentucky, more than 700,000 Kentucky homes and businesses are still without electricity. Currently, it is estimated this storm killed 43, most from hypothermia or carbon monoxide poisoning.
This alone is outrageous and indicates inadequate electricity infrastructure (i.e. weak power poles), inadequate [...]

To Save or Not To Save the Auto Industry

What should we do with the auto industry? On the one hand, they employ millions of people directly and support businesses that employ millions more. Can ourcountry handle the collapse of this industry in these already disastrous economic times?
On the other hand, I can’t really deny that they cars they make aren’t as good as [...]

Better not get sick, or old

The deficit hawks are all a twitter. With the President-Elect (and most world leaders) planning a significant economic re-investment package, there’s folks already calling for stripping off all unnecessary spending.
Put aside that cutting back on spending would have a de-stimulating effect on the economy. And forget for a while who is most impacted [...]