State of Montana Archives: on Tax Reform
Amanda Curtis:
Increase income taxes on wealthy, but not others
Q: Indicate what state tax levels you support by general categories.
A: Slightly Increase income taxes for high-income families.
Source: Montana Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Brad Johnson:
Montanans' hard earned dollars don't belong to government
We should always remember that Montanans' hard earned dollars don't belong to the government, they belong to the people who earned them.
The central question in tax policy is how much of our money are we willing to let the government have, not, how much of our money will the government let us keep.
Tax revenues collected by the state should never exceed the amount necessary to fund a fiscally responsible budget and cash reserve. When they do, the excess revenues should be given back to the taxpayers.
For the government to look at these "tax surpluses" as a windfall to be spent as they please is simply not acceptable.
Source: 2016 Gubernatorial campaign website, BradForMontana.com
Dec 10, 2015
Champ Edmunds:
Eliminate income taxes and corporate taxes
Edmunds indicates the following state tax levels.- Q: Corporate taxes
A: Eliminate. - Q: Gas/Oil taxes
A: Slightly Decrease. - Q: Property taxes
A: Eliminate. - Q: Income taxes (low-income & mid-income families)
A: Eliminate. - Q: Income taxes (high-income families)
A: Eliminate. - Q: Other or expanded categories:
A: If we eliminate corporate and individual income taxes the Montana economy will grow at an incredibly fast pace!
Source: Montana Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Conrad Burns:
Bush tax cuts actually more progressive Clinton tax hikes
We got to make the tax cuts permanent. Because if we do not, in the year 2011, your tax obligation to the fed govt will go up, on a family of four making $64,000, it will go up 58%. The new tax cut was more progressive than Mr. Clinton’s tax increases.
If you want to tax the rich-- that’s what they want to do, it’s class warfare! Those folks making $184,000 or more a year pay 84% of the income taxes paid into the national treasury. Under Mr. Clinton, they paid 82%. So we’re actually more progressive.
Source: 2006 Montana 3-way Senate Debate at MSU
Oct 9, 2006
Corey Stapleton:
No flat tax; no super-majority; yes to sales tax
Q: Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?A: No.
Q: Would you support returning any operating surplus to Montana taxpayers?
A: Yes.
Q: Would you support placing any operating surplus into a "rainy day" fund?
A: No.
Q: Should the state reimburse local governments for revenues lost due to state-mandated property tax cuts?
A: No.
Q: Do you support giving cities and counties the ability to enact local sales taxes with voter approval?
A: No.
Q: Do you support requiring a two-thirds vote by lawmakers to approve any new or increased tax or fee?
A: No.
Q: Do you support implementing a state sales tax?
A: Yes.
Source: 2000 Montana State National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 2000
Dennis Rehberg:
We need tax certainty ; make Bush tax cuts permanent
When asked about the so-called Bush tax cuts expiring on Jan. 1, a date that has been called "Taxmaggedon," Rehberg responded that he would vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and make the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent.
He cited a need for tax certainty in the country.Tester didn't address the tax increases directly, but did say that that "House and Senate need to come together with a major proposal that reduces our debt."
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
Dennis Rehberg:
Eliminate the death tax entirely
Asked about an inheritance tax being reinstated on Jan. 1, Tester said he favors having an exemption for the first $5 million in inheritance.
Rehberg said he favors eliminating the "death tax" entirely.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
Dennis Rehberg:
End the inheritance tax completely
[The debate] marked yet another tired back-and-forth on the estate tax, referred to by conservatives as the "death tax." Tester favors extending the Bush-era tax cut exemption for couples inheriting estates worth less than $10 million;
Rehberg wants to deep-six the tax completely. The discussion between the candidates didn't, and never has, addressed the fact that, according to a study conducted by a trio of
IRS researchers, only two to three percent of all deaths in the U.S. were subject to estate taxation even under the Clinton-era exemption of $1 million.
In 1998, only 50,089 of the 103,892 people who filed estate tax returns actually paid any taxes. That's the type of fact we'd like to see dropped in a debate like this.
Source: Missoula News on 2012 Montana Senate debate
Oct 22, 2012
Greg Gianforte:
406 Tax Relief plan: cut taxes & freeze government spending
Montana Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has announced a tax proposal he dubs his "406 Tax Relief" plan, which he says will cut taxes and freeze government spending. Gianforte released his plan the final day for Americans to file state
and federal tax forms.Gianforte is seeking to phase out a business equipment tax over four years, hold state spending to current levels and reduce the maximum tax rate from 6.9% to 6%. Gianforte said, "I learned from over 30 years starting & growing
businesses that sustainable jobs and opportunities are only created in the private sector, not by government programs. Streamlining regulations, lowering taxes and slowing the growth of government will energize our economy and help create more high
wage jobs so we can stop exporting our kids."
Even before the Republican released his plan, the re-election campaign for Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock said the proposal would benefit the wealthy at the expense of middle class families.
Source: KFBB Fox News on 2016 Montana gubernatorial race
Apr 18, 2016
Greg Gianforte:
2002: state sales tax ok; 2016: no state sales tax
[Gubernatorial candidate Whitney] Williams also came out strongly against a sales tax, an issue that played a role in the 2016 governor's race when old audio from 2002 emerged of Gianforte presenting a tax advisory council possible solutions to create
jobs in Montana that included the idea of a sales tax. However, Gianforte said in the 2016 campaign he would never support a sales tax. Montanans have voted against a sales tax twice before, and it's been seen as the third rail for political candidates.
Source: Helena Independent-Record on 2020 Montana Gubernatorial race
Oct 3, 2019
Greg Gianforte:
Lowering top tax rate will make Montana more competitive
Montana taxpayers with at least $18,500 of taxable income pay our top income tax rate. More than half of Montana taxpayers pay that top rate of 6.9%. Our high rate drives away too many businesses that may want to locate in Montana.
We must lower our top personal income tax rate, and that's what I've proposed in my budget. Not only will the majority of Montana income taxpayers see relief, but also Montana will become more competitive.
To reduce the burden on our small businesses, my budget calls for reforming the business equipment tax by exempting business equipment valued up to $200,000, boosting the exemption by 100%.
The BIG Jobs Act, or Business Investment Grows Jobs Act, eliminates the business equipment tax burden for 4,000 Montana small business owners.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature
Jan 28, 2021
John Bohlinger:
Replace property taxes with a 4% retail sales tax
When elected to the State Senate, I will introduce legislation that will constitutionally eliminate taxes on one's dwelling place, not commercial properties.
I will eliminate taxes on business equipment, in another bill and replace the lost revenue to State Government with a 4% retail sales tax--the sales tax bill will omit from taxation food items purchased in grocery stores and drugs.
Source: Montana Legislative 1998 National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 1998
John Edward Walsh:
Tax cuts for the wealthy only seek to preserve privilege
Sen. John Walsh leveled his strongest attack yet against his likely challenger, Republican Steve Daines, calling Daines the purveyor of a "cruel ideology" that "only seeks to preserve privilege."Walsh, speaking to the annual Democratic
Mansfield-Metcalf Dinner in Helena Saturday evening, slammed Daines for votes to "privatize Medicare," cut tax rates for the wealthy, shut down the federal government last October and cut food stamps.
But Walsh saved his sharpest words for Daines, who national Republicans consider as one of their best chances to pick up a Democratic-held seat in the U.S. Senate.
He pointed to Daines' 2013 vote for the proposed House Republican budget, which
would have converted Medicare to a system of subsidies to help the elderly buy private insurance or traditional Medicare, as well as reduced tax rates for the wealthy and most taxpayers.
Source: Ravalli Republic on 2014 Montana Senate race
Mar 9, 2014
Jon Tester:
Trump tax cuts were a disastrous handout for jet-owners
Q: Support President Trump's tax cuts?Matt Rosendale (R): Yes. "Bigger paychecks & more jobs for Montanans. This is your money & you should be deciding how to invest or spend it--not the government."
Jon Tester (D): "Disastrous." "Need reform for hardworking Montanans, not a handout for jet-owners paid for by our kids & grandkids."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Montana Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Jon Tester:
Limit inheritance tax to estates over $5 million
Asked about an inheritance tax being reinstated on Jan. 1, Tester said he favors having an exemption for the first $5 million in inheritance.
Rehberg said he favors eliminating the "death tax" entirely.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
Jon Tester:
Extend Bush exemption for inheritance tax up to $10M
[The debate] marked yet another tired back-and-forth on the estate tax, referred to by conservatives as the "death tax." Tester favors extending the Bush-era tax cut exemption for couples inheriting estates worth less than $10 million;
Rehberg wants to deep-six the tax completely. The discussion between the candidates didn't, and never has, addressed the fact that, according to a study conducted by a trio of
IRS researchers, only two to three percent of all deaths in the U.S. were subject to estate taxation even under the Clinton-era exemption of $1 million.
In 1998, only 50,089 of the 103,892 people who filed estate tax returns actually paid any taxes. That's the type of fact we'd like to see dropped in a debate like this.
Source: Missoula News on 2012 Montana Senate debate
Oct 22, 2012
Jon Tester:
GOP tax plan saddles future generations with more debt
Republican Senate challenger Matt Rosendale said he's seen reports that there are hundreds of thousands of new manufacturing jobs in the U.S. because of the tax reform package. "That's one of the things that Jon Tester has voted against in opposition
to the desires of the people of Montana," Rosendale said. Sen. Tester voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, calling it a "disastrous plan" in a statement last December. "This tax scheme not only, it also raises taxes on
Montana families in the long run, forces cuts to Medicare, and caps deductions that allow Montanans to keep more of their hard-earned money in their wallets," Tester said. "This all takes place while corporate tax cuts remain permanent, inflating the
bank accounts of big business and leaving the folks who do the hard work with smaller paychecks."
Rosendale said Tester's vote against the bill was one of the reasons he is motivated to run for U.S. Senate.
Source: The Missoulian on 2018 Montana Senate race
Aug 9, 2018
Judy Martz:
No tax increase without voter referendum
I want to be crystal clear. I promised the people of Montana that I would not support a tax increase. I will keep my word. If the people of Montana want tax increases, I'll respect their decision made in voting booth -- but I will not sign a general tax
increase. Period. We must lower the top marginal tax rates that are bad for business. We must eliminate income taxes for the hardworking Montanans on the lowest rung of the economic ladder. The business equipment tax must be eliminated.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Montana Legislature
Jan 25, 2001
Mark Perea:
Replace IRS with flat income tax
Perea sides with Libertarians on taxation and would like to see the Internal Revenue Service abolished to reduce the federal government's power. He advocates a state-based collection of a flat income tax, with an exemption for the poor. "Then guess what,
the federal government needs to stay in line or else the state can say you're violating the Constitution, you're violating our rights," Perea said. "Guess what, we're going to withhold our taxes until you straighten yourselves out."
Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle on 2016 Montana gubernatorial race
Feb 1, 2015
Matt Rosendale:
Get rid of tax on multimillion-dollar estates
Rosendale said he favors lowering federal income-tax rates for businesses and individuals, getting rid of the tax on multimillion-dollar estates, and
Trump's agenda of peeling back regulations he says impedes business development and jobs.
Source: KPAX-8 Missoula on 2018 Montana Senate race
Jul 31, 2017
Matt Rosendale:
You deserve to keep more of your hard-earned money
TV ad voiceover: Matt Rosendale is the real deal.[Photo on screen: Matt Rosendale]
[Text on-screen: Matt Rosendale shares our values]
Unlike Jon Tester he believes you deserve to keep more of your hard-earned money
[Text on screen: Matt Rosendale moves Trump's middle class agenda forward]
And unlike Tester.
[Newspaper headline on screen: Tester backs Iran deal; photo on screen: Iranian Ayatollah]
Matt believes it's wrong to hand over $1.7 billion to the number one state sponsor of Terror
[Newspaper headline on screen: Iran deal: $1.7 billion to the #1 state sponsor of Terror]
Keep it real, Montana.
[Text on screen: keep it real Montana Matt Rosendale for US Senate]
Send Matt Rosendale to the US Senate
Restoration PAC is responsible for the content of this advertising
Source: OnTheIssues AdWatch on 2018 Montana Senate race
Mar 23, 2018
Matt Rosendale:
Trump tax cuts mean more jobs for Montanans
Q: Support President Trump's tax cuts?Matt Rosendale (R): Yes. "Bigger paychecks & more jobs for Montanans. This is your money & you should be deciding how to invest or spend it--not the government."
Jon Tester (D): "Disastrous." "Need reform for hardworking Montanans, not a handout for jet-owners paid for by our kids & grandkids."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Montana Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Michael Lange:
Permanently repeal the federal estate tax
Q: Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?A: Yes.
Q: Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
A: Yes.
Source: Montana Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2008
Mike Cooney:
2017 tax cuts favored multi-millionaires
Q: Support administration's $1.9 trillion (2017) tax cuts?Mike Cooney: No. Attacks Gianforte vote on the cuts. They "exploded the federal deficit by more than $2 trillion. Multi-millionaires like him got a tax cut.
The rest of us got saddled with a check."
Greg Gianforte: Yes. Voted for the cuts and praised them for helping "hardworking Montanans keep more of what they earn."
Source: CampusElect survey on 2020 Montana Gubernatorial race
Nov 3, 2020
Sam Rankin:
Simplify to three tax brackets: 12%, 22%, 28%
Increase income (all money saved shall apply to lowering taxes/deficit)- Three new individual tax brackets: 12% - 22% - 28%
- Corporate tax rate 28%
-
Mortgage interest--capped at $500K mortgage, no 2nd homes or equity.
- Eliminate state and local tax deductions.
- Eliminate itemized deductions.
Source: 2014 Montana Senate campaign website, SamRankin.com
Jul 27, 2014
Steve Bullock:
$400 personal rebate instead of $100M property tax cut
Let's never allow misinformation to be the motivation for missteps. I propose returning $100 million back to the pockets of Montana homeowners. Others have suggested we should use that $100 million and provide property tax cuts, instead. The difference
between the tax rebate and tax cut is simple: who stands to benefit?Giving $100 million back in the form of a tax rebate will return $400 to everyone with their primary residence in the state. If you take the $100 million and use it to cut property
taxes, instead, the average Montana homeowner would receive just $44 this year, not $400. Think about that--it will take 10 years for the taxpayer to get as much money back as they'll get this year with the rebate.
Yet, if you are a company like PP&L,
the proposed tax cut would reward you with over $1 million this year alone--23,000 times more than what the average homeowner would receive. If we consider who stands to benefit from our actions, the path we should take becomes clear.
Source: 2013 State of the State Address to Montana legislature
Jan 30, 2013
Steve Bullock:
Don't benefit the wealthy at the expense of middle class
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte announced his "406 Tax Relief" plan, which he says will cut taxes and freeze government spending. Even before the Republican released his plan, the re-election campaign for
Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock said the proposal would benefit the wealthy at the expense of middle class families. The Bullock campaign released this statement:
"Greg Gianforte's self-serving tax plan is nothing more than a tax giveaway for millionaires like himself, at the expense of Montana's middle class families and our state's fiscal prudence. The fact is, under Steve's leadership,
Montana is ranked the most fiscally prudent state in the country, he's balanced the budget while maintaining a rainy day fund, and cut taxes for thousands of small and medium sized businesses."
Source: KFBB Fox News on 2016 Montana gubernatorial race
Apr 18, 2016
Susan Good Geise:
2017 tax cut burdened us with huge deficit
The tax bill in 2017 blew a multi-billion dollar whole through our nation's pocketbook, and has resulted in a record trillion-plus dollar deficit,
and by the way, that is a deficit that will burden countless generations of Americans and Montanans and added no real value to our nation and our state.
Source: News Talk KGVO on 2020 Montana Senate race
Apr 28, 2020
Tim Fox:
Opposes applying out of state sales tax to Montana
Fox took action to fight sales tax expansion efforts to non-sales tax states Montana. In a brief filed in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, Fox highlighted Montana's long history of opposing sales taxes. "Montana businesses shouldn't bear the burden
of serving as deputized tax collectors for states and municipalities with an online sales tax," Fox said. "I'm standing up for Montana businesses and pushing back against efforts to force an online sales tax on Montana consumers."
Source: DOJMT.gov press release for 2020 Montana gubernatorial race
Apr 4, 2018
Whitney Williams:
Strongly against state sales tax
Williams also came out strongly against a sales tax, an issue that played a role in the 2016 governor's race when old audio from 2002 emerged of Rep. Greg Gianforte presenting a tax advisory council possible solutions to create jobs in Montana
that included the idea of a sales tax. However, Gianforte said in the 2016 campaign he would never support a sales tax. Montanans have voted against a sales tax twice before, and it's been seen as the third rail in tax policy for political candidates.
Source: Helena Independent-Record on 2020 Montana Gubernatorial race
Oct 3, 2019
Whitney Williams:
Tax out of state residents with vacation property in Montana
Williams focused on tapping money from out-of-state residents who vacation in Montana or purchase properties here. "They are buying up big tracts of lands, they are locking it off and they are not paying their fair share," Williams said. "It is well
past time that we say you are welcome in Montana but you are going to pave the roads that you drive on, you are going to pay for the schools that you're not sending your kids to and you are going to pay for the Main Streets you're not shopping at."
Source: Helena Independent-Record on 2020 Montana governor debate
Feb 22, 2020
Greg Gianforte:
Provide relief to Montana taxpayers at every income level
All of our tax proposals are rooted in a simple philosophy: hardworking Montanans should keep more of what they earn. The fact of the matter is Montanans overpaid their taxes, and we're going to give it back. Our plan delivers Montana's largest
income tax cut ever. Our plan provides relief to Montana taxpayers at every income level, because even after our historic tax cuts in 2021, we still have the highest income tax rate in the Rocky Mountain West and one of the highest in the nation.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature
Jan 25, 2023
Tim Sheehy:
High time to provide tax relief to military retirement pay
We are the greatest country in the world and our veterans should be treated with dignity, respect and a fair tax environment. They do not need charity or handouts, but they should not be penalized by an outdated tax code. Dozens of other states provide
tax relief to military retirement pay, it's high time for Montana to catch up so we can retain this talented and motivated workforce. This tax cut will make Montana's business environment more competitive and enticing to veterans nationwide.
Source: Independent Record on 2024 Montana Senate race
Apr 4, 2023
Tanner Smith:
Implement policies to lower taxes, promote economic growth
Recognizing the burden of high taxes on Montanans, implementing responsible
fiscal policies that will lower taxes and promote economic growth
Source: 2024 Montana Governor campaign website TannerForMontana.com
Nov 1, 2023
Ryan Busse:
Tax breaks for renters and homeowners, not corporations
This tax thing, dude: we start with a $2.8 billion surplus. The legislature and Gianforte have enough time to make sure that Northwestern Energy, which reported
$183 million in profits in 2022, got a big tax break. But they didn't have time to fix the walloping tax increase that was coming down on renters and on homeowners.
Source: Big Sky Chat House on 2024 Montana Gubernatorial race
Nov 1, 2023
Tim Sheehy:
Pledged not raise any income taxes
Taxes: Raise or lower taxes on corporations and wealthier individuals?Tim Sheehy (R): Lower. Pledged not raise any income taxes. The "Trump tax cuts," that included the largest corporate cuts in US history and tax cuts
for the wealthy, should "stay in place."
Jon Tester (D): Raise. Supported a 15% minimum corporate tax. Opposed the 2017 Trump tax bill that cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy. No "tax giveaway to the wealthy."
Source: Guides.vote candidate survey on 2024 Montana Senate race
Sep 9, 2024
Ryan Busse:
Released his tax returns publicly, to ensure debate occurs
Ryan Busse provided 10 years of income tax records as he sought to goad Gov. Greg Gianforte into debating him ahead of the November election.The release of the tax records comes after Gianforte last week dismissed Busse as not a "serious candidate"
and suggested he wouldn't debate him since the Democrat had not released his tax returns. "It's a complete charade," Busse told AP after providing his returns. "If this is the singular reason why Gianforte will not debate, I'm not going to let him have
that excuse."
Last week, [Gianforte's campaign wrote] a memo to reporters that Gianforte was prepared to debate a credible candidate but suggested that was not Busse. "The first step to getting a debate is we need a serious candidate who
releases his tax returns just like every other candidate has done, and then we can talk about scheduling a debate," Gianforte said in an Aug. 28 interview with KECI-TV in Missoula.
Source: The Missoulian on 2024 Montana Gubernatorial race
Sep 3, 2024
Greg Gianforte:
We should reduce the income tax rate from 5.9% to 4.9%
I've heard from many of you that this is a priority--that Montanans should keep more of what they earn and that we shouldn't tax work more than we need to. Since 2021, we've lowered the income tax rate most Montanans pay from 6.9% to 5.9%. We should go
farther. We should reduce that income tax rate from 5.9% to 4.9%, providing tax relief to workers and small business owners alike. That's why we should expand the earned income tax credit for hardworking lower- and middle-income Montanans.
Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature
Jan 13, 2025
Steve Daines:
Permanent tax cuts is "a hill that I'm willing to die on"
Senate Republicans are making a huge push to permanently lock in the Trump 2017 tax cuts. And a notable rank-and-file senator has led a series of bold moves to score points in that debate: Sen. Steve Daines. "I'm not normally seen as one who is a
hostage-taker in the United States Senate," Daines said in an interview. "But there are times you stand on important principles, and this is one of them." Making the tax cuts permanent is "a hill that I'm willing to die on," Daines said.
Source: Punchbowl News, "Tax cuts," on 2026 Montana Senate race
Mar 4, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026