Letters to the editor Dec. 5

Property taxes

A solution to property taxes doesn’t really have to be that hard. Fact is, it’s easy. 

Just give a homeowners discount to Montana residents and increase property taxes for non-residents. That way you are supporting the people who support the state year-round by living in Montana. They buy gas which supports the roads; they buy from local business which supports the economy; they pay taxes which supports the government, and on and on year-round, not just a few months a year. 

Don’t pass increase taxes onto local business and commercial, only to non-residents who are inflating home prices and using Montana on a part-time basis while paying income tax elsewhere.

Are non-residents a boon to our economy ? Yes, and some will just become residents, thereby paying income tax to help fund government, but most won’t and they won’t go away.

It’s really not hard, it just requires our state government to put Montana residents first, all the time; not just when it suits them.

— Dennis McDowell, Bigfork

Protect democracy

Montana is known for its commitment to upholding Big Sky values and ensuring a safe, secure democracy for all of its citizens. Unfortunately, threats to our nation’s election system are hoping to undermine these values and erode our democratic foundation.

Presently, we face the daunting challenge of dark money attempting to creep into Montana’s electoral process. The influence of covert interests undermines the voice of the everyday voters, turning our government away from the people it’s meant to represent.

Thankfully, there is legislation that can help reaffirm that our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people. Named for the late congressional icon and civil rights leader, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act as well as the

Freedom to Vote Act are bills that will root out the corruption and dark money that plague our system. By setting basic federal standards for donor disclosure, we can continue to curb money flowing in from out of state.  This protection is about more than holding politicians accountable; it restores power to our communities and rebuilds confidence in our democratic rights.

Additionally, these bills actively safeguard every voter from discriminatory policies, especially benefiting Native Americans, African Americans, and other minority voters who have historically been targeted by voter suppression efforts.

Sen. Jon Tester has been a leading voice and champion on these issues -— fighting to preserve Montana’s election integrity. We need more leaders like him who are willing to put the will of the people over covert agendas. I encourage the collective power of Montanans and leaders like Tester to continue standing together to protect our democratic legacy.

— John Lewis, Helena