Welcome! Here are the topics that caught my attention for today’s column:
- Great Falls Public Safety Levy
- Missouri Gun Law
- Tucker Making News
GREAT FALLS PUBLIC SAFETY LEVY:
On his Facebook page last night, Great Falls City Commissioner Rick Tryon stated that the Great Falls City Commission voted unanimously to put a public safety levy on the November ballot.
Shame on them. The city and county are trying to tax us to death.
As I mentioned yesterday, according to The Electric:
Based on the current taxable value of the City, the property taxes on a home with an assessed market value for tax purposes of $100,000 would increase by $140.06 per year, and property taxes on a home with an assessed market value for tax purposes of $200,000 would increase by $280.11 per year.”
I also believe that no matter how commissioners spin it, a “Yes” vote by a commissioner to send the proposal to the voters is a vote by that commissioner to raise our taxes.
What struck me as odd and inappropriate was Commissioner Tryon tying the vote to an incident that happened in Great Falls yesterday where a police officer and a suspect were shot. Here is what Tryon said on Facebook:
This afternoon a Great Falls MT Police Department officer was shot.
This evening the Great Falls City Commission voted unanimously to put a public safety levy on the November ballot.
I know how I’ll be voting in November.
Well, Commissioner, I know how I will be voting in November, too. I will be voting “NO” on raising my taxes.
We should all be prepared to watch commissioners, city employees, and other supporters use every incident to promote the public safety levy.
From what I hear, the folks in Great Falls are tired of seeing our taxes and fees raised. It’s time to do more with less. If the current city manager can’t figure it out on his hefty salary, find someone else.
Finally, it is too bad none of the commissioners had the guts to stand up and say, “Enough is enough.” Remember that when they are up for reelection.
MISSOURI GUN LAW:
The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that a Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws is unconstitutional and void, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the 2021 law is preempted by the federal government under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.
Of course, the Missouri Attorney General will appeal, so this is not over.
There are many local police and sheriff’s departments that think they are the law of the land. They won’t enforce federal laws relating to firearms, but they will take federal dollars and ask for federal help from federal law enforcement departments. You can’t have it both ways. I hope they get this settled once and for all.
Read the AP story HERE.
TUCKER MAKING NEWS:
Tucker Carlson from Fox News is making some news himself. Yesterday I wrote about Carlson using Jan. 6 footage on Monday night to portray those who broke into the U.S. Capitol as mostly peaceful patriots who simply felt wronged by the system.
Several Republicans, including Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, slammed Carlson’s view of the attacks as well as the head of the capitol police.
Then it was uncovered that Tucker’s views of former President Donald Trump were not all that great. The legal filings from the lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News show that Carlson in private messages said he “passionately” hated Trump. (Source)
This stint with Fox News is just another stop in the Tucker Carlson tour. He’s worked at CNN, PBS, and MSNBC, plus he has written for several publications.
He seems to be able to adapt well to his surroundings…
His current job at Fox News has brought him more publicity than any other and probably more headaches, too.
The Western Word 
It can happen here. And is. What will prevent it?
https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-are-systematically-destroying-democracy-with-the-clear-objective-of-replacing-it-with-strongman-authoritarianism/
Jeremy Trebas watch, part 73:
The Montana Senate recently passed a bill SB 477 that would remove the statute of limitations for people to file civil claims over sexual abuse as children. It passed 47-3, like you would think something like that should.
But who were those three monsters, I wondered, who voted NO and would shield and protect child abusers?
Surely some Dems, who as a party are all pervs, pedophiles, and groomers anyhow, right?
Wrong. It was three Republicans – Becky Beard from I don’t know where, Steve Hinebauch the author of much far FAR right legislation from Wibaux, and our very own Jeremy Trebas from Great Falls. Even one of the nuttiest of the nutty senators Daniel Zolnikov backed off his initial opposition and eventually voted yes on this. But not our Jeremy.
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0211W$BLAC.VoteTabulation?P_VOTE_SEQ=S1106&P_SESS=20231
With more on the story here:
https://dailymontanan.com/2023/03/02/senate-kills-medicaid-work-requirements-bill-passes-dozens-of-others-ahead-of-transmittal/
I remember Tucker Carlson at PBS. He had Rachel Maddow on his show many times.
What was interesting about the public safety levy discussion last night was that no member of the public said anything at all about that subject, pro or con. Perhaps everyone already accepts it as a done deal.
There was plenty of public noise about the library and relitigating the library levy decision based on the alleged lie about “hosting” a drag queen event, plus the oppressive tax burden of the very small by comparison library levy, and the money to put on that special library election (which could have been done last November, according to one speaker), and some small quantity of ARPA money that had something to do with something Internet at the library. But not a peep about this new $10.1 million (min) per year tax on property owners.
A couple of commissioners did give long and impassioned speeches in favor of the levy, browbeating the public about it. Commissioner Tryon repeated his familiar mantra about public safety being the most important function of City government (after potholes, of course).
However Tryon did not explain why, if that is so, he and his fellow commissioners have addressed and implemented exactly zero of the other many public safety recommendations of the Crime Task Force in two plus years, many of which were far cheaper than $10.1 million. Or how come we’ve never got an accounting of which recommendations City staff has implemented on its own, if any. He also did not explain how having more cops on the streets would have prevented yesterday’s shooting.
To their credit Commissioners Tryon and McKenney did stand up and vote no against the separate expenditure of “up to” $150,000 (!) of public tax funds for a sales – oops sorry “education” – campaign to convince GF voters to impose this tax on themselves. Commissioner Tryon said he thought using public money to do that was wrong, and Commissioner McKenney said he thought it would invite lawsuits. Ultimately it did not matter and they were defeated 3-2. But they’re on record.
So up to $150,000 of our money it is, for an ad blitz and phony planted “organic” editorials and “organic” planted social media posts. $4 or $5 to buy each voter in the city.
On a side note, I have this sneaking gut feeling Mayor Kelly may not run for reelection this Fall. Just a hunch.
Thanks for the great overview. I appreciate it. -JmB