Ahead of the Nov. 5 election, the Daily Inter Lake sent questionnaires to state Legislature candidates running in contested races in Northwest Montana. Candidates were instructed to keep their answers to each of the four questions to under 150 words. Answers were lightly editing for brevity, clarity, Associated Press style and grammar.

House District 7

Arthur Fretheim (D)

Age: Not provided

Occupation: Special education teacher

Family: Not provided

Background: Member of the Kalispell impact fee board, Kalispell City Council attendee, active in the teacher’s union and school activities, member of the Flathead Democrats’ executive board and pub trivia fan

What property tax reform policies do you support?    

I think the biggest downsides of the recent property tax increases are a) it makes it hard for working class (currently working and retired) homeowners to keep or buy homes, in an already tight market and b) it makes it harder for local governments (city and schools) to pass voter approved levies when state taxes are already too high. To solve this, we need to lower the state tax rate on resident homeowners and reverse the cuts to major corporations and super rich out of staters. This could be done by altering a single line in our Montana code, and it should have been done by our last Legislature, but the supermajority failed to take action. We could also go farther by implementing homestead exemptions or exempting the first couple hundred thousand dollars of home value from taxation for a first home for genuine residents. I am opposed to making it more difficult to pass school levies or otherwise shifting the burden onto communities. I also oppose the imposition of a general state sales tax, unless all other alternatives have been exhausted. 

Did the 2023 legislative session do enough to address the state’s housing crunch? Are there other avenues you’re in favor of pursuing?    

No, they did not.  Montana’s population has been growing rapidly since the pandemic at least. Ordinary people were able to see the housing crisis coming but the Legislature either did not or was OK with our state being turned into a playground for rich people where no one else can afford to live. The permitting reforms we have seen are too little, too late. In addition to solving property taxes as stated above, we need to reform our landlord tenant laws and give renters an equal voice with owners in community planning, provide a path to homeownership to genuine residents who are working, repeal arbitrary restrictions (for example on accessory dwelling units), limit short term rentals, and allow local governments the power and support to create affordable housing. 

Public school districts across the state are facing budget shortfalls. What role can the Legislature play in shoring up public education funding?

The current funding model of the state only meeting 80% of its constitutional obligation and expecting districts to come up with the other 20% through levies has failed Kalispell. Kalispell is especially hard hit since we share our high school district with a bunch of elementaries, many of whom cannot pass a levy for their own school, let alone for Flathead and Glacier. We have not been able to pass a school bond or levy in over a decade. On the other hand, wealthier communities like Whitefish and some of the bigger cities are able to do quite well. With the increase in state level taxes, school administrations are becoming even more hesitant in asking for voter approved funding. I think that a lot of people who are not in school naturally assume that when the district asks for a levy, they are proposing to add something new, but in a lot of cases it is to maintain the current funding and avoid painful cuts. As a teacher, I have seen our kids lose teachers, lunch ladies, daytime and nighttime custodians, and many other essential personnel. Tutors and hall monitors have already been eliminated at a loss to student safety. It is often impossible to find subs, which means combining classes or losing instructional time. Music is possibly on the chopping block. This next session will have the opportunity to review the funding model and we need to shift to one where the state pays 100% of its legal obligation. We already pay enough in taxes, including income, marijuana and others, to fund it. 

How do you view the judicial branch in the state?    

Montana’s judges are a separate branch of government that is elected by the people. I think that our judiciary should be kept independent and nonpartisan. If the voters have a problem with a judge’s ruling they can vote that judge out of office or amend the constitution through initiative. The role of the Legislature should be in assuring that the court system has an appropriate level of funding and in preventing corruption. I would like to see the Nonpartisan Appointment Commission restored. 

What other policies or issues would you like to address if elected?   

I will see what can be done to fight the rising cost of living, especially in health care. We have a huge mess of in network and out of network insurance. Our costs have gone up significantly since Logan Health established its monopoly. Even something as simple as going to the doctor or dentist can result in an arbitrarily large bill. We need transparency in funding and reimbursement. I support union rights and working families. As a general rule, I am opposed to monopolies and licensing regimes that favor established interests against consumers and new businesses. 

Courtenay Sprunger (R)  

Age: 43

Occupation: CEO/founder of Big Sky Public Relations

Family: Aunt to 13 nieces and nephews, and mom to a small farm full of friendly critters

Background: One-term legislator, CASA for Kalispell board member, Rotary basketball coach and former chair of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce as well as a fifth-generation resident of the Flathead Valley

What property tax reform policies do you support?

We need a multi-faceted approach because our property tax system is based on changing revenue streams, including natural resources, which have dwindled over time leaving homeowners to foot most of the bill for local services. This isn’t sustainable. In response, we should consider the following. First, the 2025 Legislature must institute a significant homestead exemption and consider a constitutional amendment for the ballot that allows properties owned by non-residents to be taxed at a higher rate, offsetting the burden for resident homeowners. Second, increase our natural resources production. Third, reform the property assessment process and estimate notices. Fourth, set a 4% cap on local governments’ annual growth. Collectively, these four approaches could help our state take significant strides to reduce the burden of property taxes on Montanans. 

Did the 2023 legislative session do enough to address the state’s housing crunch? Are there other avenues you’re in favor of pursuing? 

Before adding more reforms at the state level, we need to understand impacts of the multiple bills passed last session to create attainable housing. The most important is House Bill 819, which dedicates approximately $200 million toward attainable housing solutions such as aiding new homebuyers in accessing capital for a down payment. This legislation is still in the early stages of rollout and is currently under consideration by our local county commissioners. If approved by the commissioners, millions of dollars in resources — both to build attainable housing and for homeowners to acquire it — will be available in Flathead County without adding a local financial or administrative burden. In addition to House Bill 819, numerous other zoning and planning reform bills also passed, many of which have been slowed by litigation — this clearly shows why state solutions are rarely the fastest fix. At both the state and local levels, we must reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and empower the private sector to build on smaller lots if we want to increase housing inventory. We also need better trades education, which is why I sponsored and passed Career Technical Advanced Opportunities — it prepares the workforce for the trades and our children with great jobs that pay a living wage for the Flathead.  

Public school districts across the state are facing budget shortfalls. What role can the Legislature play in shoring up public education funding? 

We have to strike a wise balance between addressing the shortfall and not increasing the very real pain Montana taxpayers are feeling in the present environment; threading this needle will be difficult. The Montana Legislature’s Interim Education Committee is presently working to tweak the school funding formula to adjust for inflation, potentially address starting teacher pay in markets like the Flathead where housing prices have skyrocketed, and to provide a financial incentive to school districts that are driving the best outcomes and opportunities for our students. Traditionally, schools have been almost solely funded with property tax revenue but as we face increasing pressures in this arena, I believe the state may have to look at offsetting some portion from the state’s general fund (i.e. income tax). Doing so has its drawbacks — generally, with state dollars come state expectations and some reduction of local control. These considerations will need to be weighed and balanced during the 2025 session.  

How do you view the judicial branch in the state? 

Both a separation of powers and accountability around judicial activism are necessary to maintain balance and protect our God-given rights. In Montana’s present environment, I believe there is significant improvement needed in both areas.  

What other policies or issues would you like to address if elected? 

Enhancing community safety through improved access to mental health services and tackling rising crime will be a top priority for me. We need greater accountability and resources to achieve this goal, which is why I carried and passed bills in the 2023 session like House Bill 791 to ensure mandatory fines and jail time for fentanyl traffickers, House Bill 790 “Emily’s Law” to increase safety measures for survivors of domestic assault, and House Bill 256, which allowed our sheriff’s posse to be armed while protecting our community. In 2025, I will continue to collaborate with law enforcement professionals to develop straightforward, commonsense community safety legislation that addresses real problems. In addition to community safety, I will prioritize improving our roads and bridges. Last session, I delivered on this promise by passing the SAFER Act, which leverages $100 million in Montana tax dollars to match federal grants and accomplish as much as $1 billion in roadway improvements over the next seven years. Stretching those SAFER dollars even further means looking for ways to work with our agencies and contractors to gain efficiencies. As an example, streamlining the timing for utility relocations ahead of highway reconstructions could save days, weeks or even months of delay and the costs associated. We need to continue focusing on opportunities for education in the trades and building on the success of the legislation I had the honor of passing last session, Career Technical Education Advanced Opportunities. This bill cemented pathways for every student to participate in internships, apprenticeships and education outside the walls of a school building. If reelected, community safety, infrastructure and education reform will be my top priorities for 2025. They are priorities based on hundreds of conversations with the people who live in the heart of Kalispell — from the people, for the people — and I hope to earn the opportunity to continue this work on behalf of our community.