Tuesday’s Quick Hits

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Hello friends – Today is Tuesday, August 15, 2023, and here are the topics that I am providing commentary about today:

  • Montana Property Tax Rebates
  • Landmark Climate Decision
  • Lining Up
  • Trump Indictment #4

MONTANA PROPERTY TAX REBATES:

It’s time – August 15, 2023 – The Montana Department of Revenue is accepting claims for the rebate for Tax Year 2022. The Property Tax Rebate is a rebate of up to $675 per year of property taxes paid on a principal residence. There is a rebate available for property taxes paid for Tax Year 2022 and another rebate available for property taxes paid for Tax Year 2023.

Click HERE for more information.

My wife submitted our claim early this morning (Aug. 15). She had gathered the information needed beforehand. Completing the claim form was pretty easy.

LANDMARK CLIMATE DECISION:

It was a big court decision that gained national attention. The headline in the Washington Post (WaPo) tells the story:

Judge rules in favor of Montana youths in landmark climate decision

The case is Held v. Montana.

WaPo reported that in the first ruling of its kind nationwide, a Montana state court decided Monday in favor of young people who alleged the state violated their right to a “clean and healthful environment” by promoting the use of fossil fuels.

Good to these young people who care about our environment.

WaPo also reported the Montana case will face an appeal to the state Supreme Court, Emily Flower, a spokesperson for Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen (R), confirmed Monday.

Read the complete report from WaPo HERE. (It could be behind a paywall)

LINING UP:

Lee Newspapers and several other sources are reporting that Elsie Arntzen, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction, is exploring a U.S. House run in Montana’s Eastern district, provided incumbent Rep. Matt Rosendale doesn’t seek a third term. Other Republicans expressing interest in replacing Rosendale include State Auditor Troy Downing and Montana Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci.

Arntzen would be a formidable candidate (she has won two statewide races) and I would consider her the frontrunner for the Republicans if Rosendale decided to run for U.S. Senate. I think the Eastern District is pretty much assured to stay in Republican hands, so a Republican primary will basically decide who the next U.S. Representative for Montana’s Eastern District will be.

Read the complete Lee Newspapers report HERE.

TRUMP INDICTMENT #4:

The Associated Press (AP) reported that Donald Trump and 18 allies were indicted in Georgia on Monday over their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state, with prosecutors using a statute normally associated with mobsters to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power.

Of all the indictments, I think this one may be the strongest. They have a recording of Trump urging the Georgia Secretary of State to “find” the 11,780 votes needed to overturn his election loss. (AP)

CNN is reporting that Trump is facing 91 charges across the four indictments in all.

Trump and the 18 others have until August 25 to turn themselves in.

The MAGA folks, like Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, are singing the same tune about the latest indictment:

Justice should be blind, but Biden has weaponized government against his leading political opponent to interfere in the 2024 election.
Now a radical DA in Georgia is following Biden’s lead by attacking President Trump and using it to fundraise her political career.
Americans see through this desperate sham.

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5 thoughts on “Tuesday’s Quick Hits”

  1. Gianforte was headed into politics before he even sold his company. He started his politicking then, blustering about ‘free enterprise’, ‘government overreach’, ‘entrepreneurial spirit’, ad nauseam. All while 17% of his company’s revenue came from government contracts. He had the hypocritical lying down pat before he ever became a candidate.

  2. Be sure everyone to give them your SSN when you fill out that property tax rebate form, so the State and Feds can nick you this winter for tax on it as “other income”. Because they were concerned you might still have a few measly bucks left over after the big property tax increase coming this Fall and think the remainder is yours, but it isn’t you deluded fools – it’s all theirs.

    See HB 222, Section 4 about additions to adjusted gross income, item (u):
    “(u) the amount of the property tax rebate received under [section 2].”

    https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2023/billhtml/HB0222.htm

      • Our state legislators (and governor) intentionally wrote in that (u) amendment to claw back part of the rebate as taxable income, in both the property tax rebate bill as well as the income tax rebate bill. They couldn’t leave even a paltry $675 alone without sticking their snouts in the trough to get their taste.

        Somehow Gianforte neglected to mention this when he was braying about the tax rebates from the Capitol steps.

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