Kalispell Chamber releases survey results

Kalispell businesses appear to support a local-option tax, as well as cash and bond proceeds to improve state infrastructure.

In a recent survey sent to its members, the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce looked at the top three issues it felt would concern the city during the upcoming legislative session.

The survey asked for opinions on a local-option tax, funding for early childhood education, and how to fund infrastructure projects throughout the state.

Respondents strongly favored the local-option tax and infrastructure work but opposed preschool funding. A total of 121 Chamber members returned the survey.

Here are results from the three questions:

1) “Should local governments have the authority to implement a local option tax if approved by the voters, for the purpose of local property tax relief, local infrastructure development and/or other local needs as identified by voters, or not?”

• 73 percent said yes.

• 18 percent said no.

• 9 percent answered “don't know.”

2) “Governor Bullock asked the 2015 Legislature for $37 million to fund preschool for 4-year-olds, dubbed ‘Early Edge Montana.’ Montana is one of eight states without a publicly funded pre-kindergarten program.”

• 52 percent oppose early education funding.

• 31 percent support early education funding.

• 17 percent answered “don’t know.”

3) “The Governor proposed investing over $300 million across Montana using both cash and bond proceeds deployed as either direct state investment or grants to local governments. Proposed investments include: water, sewer, roads, bridges, broadband Internet connections. The proposed budget requests $95 million from cash and $212 million from bond proceeds.  While legislative leadership from both parties agree on the need for infrastructure investment, some say all cash should be used and others say historically low interest rates make bonding appropriate.”

• 71 percent — Use both cash and bonding for infrastructure.

• 14 percent — Use cash only for infrastructure.

• 15 percent — Don’t know.

The results of the survey were not surprising, according to Joe Unterreiner, president and chief executive officer of the Kalispell Chamber.

“With the local option [tax], our results were really similar to what the Montana Chamber [of Commerce] found in their poll, and what the Billings Chamber of Commerce found,” Unterreiner said in a phone interview. “It’s pretty consistent across the state.”

The chamber plans to take these results into account as it forms its agenda for the next legislative session that begins Jan. 5 in Helena.