
This state is debt free. Why isn't Washington?
Reckless spending in Washington has left our nation and future generations saddled with $35 trillion in debt, as recently noted by the Treasury Department. It doesn't have to be this way.
Thanks to good fiscal discipline and strong budget management, we had a budget surplus of $2.5 billion in 2023. While some in Washington might look at a surplus of that size and be tempted to expand government, we resisted. Instead, we allocated the surplus as any family would.
First, we returned over $1 billion to taxpayers through tax cuts and reductions. As a general principle, I believe hardworking Montanans deserve to keep more of what they earn. It's their money, not the government's. That's why we delivered the largest property tax and income tax rebates in state history.
You tighten the belt live within budget pay down the deficit you decrease the pressure on inflation and help people be able to spread out their money further on the things they individually value and need instead of being given what the government thinks they need at inflated rates.
Then Everyone has better value for their dollar rich and poor alike. We become a better destination for tourist and businesses to operate in both of which brings jobs for everyone. And as long as we have a closed border with gates to control who gets in and in what quantities, keeping out those we don't want so we don't have to go through the danger and cost of deporting them years later, we can insure wages stay up, relative to cost, and social services doesn't get overwhelmed. Yes we would still need social services but those who can work should bee made to work or sent out into the wild country in our flyover states so they can learn how to live on their own without jobs.