Kalispell mayor calls on Legislature to return power to municipalities

Ahead of the 2025 legislative session in Helena, Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson said he wants to see authority given back to the cities and out of the hands of “the big government Marxists sitting in Helena.”  

“It’s an insidious cancer, taking away local governments’ ability, local citizens’ ability to craft their future at the community level,” Johnson said during Monday’s Kalispell City Council work session. “All hail [Gov. Greg Gianforte], is what we are looking to.” 

Johnson emphasized the need for legislation giving municipalities the ability to make decisions for the communities they serve, not the state Legislature.