MONTANA – “This roadmap to the Montana comeback will help unlock our state’s full, outstanding potential,” said Governor Greg Gianforte in a press release today, as he released his “pro-jobs” budget for the Treasure State.
In what the Governor called the “Roadmap to the Montana Comeback,” Gianforte’s budget will provide $50 million in “broad-based and targeted tax relief,” and will cut the top marginal tax rate from 6.9 to 6.75 percent, according to the press release.
4,000 small businesses will also be relieved of the business equipment tax under Gianforte’s budget, with the exemption being raised from $100,000 to $200,000. Funding for programs that provide tax relief to low-income homeowners, including disabled veterans and seniors, will be increased by 25 percent.
I promised we would hold the line on new general fund spending. This budget does. After a decade of out-of-control spending, this budget brings fiscal responsibility back to state government while providing essential services. -Governor Greg Gianforte
Here are some other highlights of Governor Gianforte’s “Roadmap to the Montana Comback”:
- An additional $23.5 million per year in substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
- $1 million investment in trades education by providing a credit for employee education and training.
- $2.5 million of incentives to raise the pay of Montana’s starting teachers.
According to the press release, Montana currently ranks last in the country in starting teacher pay.
Governor Gianforte also stated in the press release that even with the investments included in his budget, the total general fund spending will only increase “less than one percent per year.”
