2024 Voter Guide: Senate District 3
Carl Glimm (R)
Age: 49
Family: Wife, Amy; children, Matt, Rylee, Annah
Occupation: Glimm Homes Custom Home Builders,
Background: Born and raised in Montana. Hobbies include hunting, horses, haying, chasing kids. Past board member and president of Trinity Lutheran Church, past board member and president Flathead Building Association, past board member and president Montana Building Industry Association, past board member Nurturing Center, past volunteer fireman with Smith Valley Fire. Served four terms Montana House of Representatives and currently serving in first term of the Montana Senate.
What property tax reform policies do you support?
First and foremost, I would like to see more natural resource development, which would lessen the pressure on property taxes. I would also like to see the PILT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) payments by the federal government increased. If they are going to stand in the way of timber management, then the least they can do is to reimburse a realistic tax value. I would like to see property taxes lowered for permanent residents. But property taxes are a complicated issue, the devil will be in the details on each individual proposal. Remember that property taxes pay for the services in the county that all of us use regularly, roads, schools, sheriff and fire protection.
Did the 2023 legislative session do enough to address the state’s housing crunch? Are there other avenues you’re in favor of pursuing?
Last session I carried a number of bills to make the subdivision process more efficient. Additionally, I have worked on the water issues for the last 12 years and that is more important than ever, as a court ruling has virtually shut down all wells unless you can secure a permit, which is very expensive and difficult. I’m not in favor of putting tax dollars into housing, but rather, I am in favor of removing unnecessary roadblocks that make housing more difficult.
Public school districts across the state are facing budget shortfalls. What role can the Legislature play in shoring up public education funding?
We knew this day would come, when the Covid dollars ran out. The smart thing to do at the time was to use that money on one-time expenditures. Years ago, the courts dictated a funding formula and that is what the Legislature has used to fund education ever since. There are schools that are seeing increased enrollment and are having a difficult time convincing constituents of the need for additional money, this is especially true in the smaller rural schools. But, also ties back to the previous issue of property taxes. I am a product of Montana’s public education system and support it. I also believe that the education system needs to spend the tax dollars wisely and student success should be the goal.
How do you view the judicial branch in the state?
The judicial branch is supposed to be a co-equal branch of government. I’m sure what the question is getting at is the frequency that the courts are throwing out legislation passed by the Legislature. It is the job of the Legislature to pass laws. The courts are to be reserved in their judgments; they should be ruling on legislation based on if it complies with the constitution. They have rather decided that frequently, they would like to be the ones writing the laws and inserting themselves into the inner workings of the legislature. They need to stay in their lane.
What other policies or issues would you like to address if elected?
I spent four terms in the House on the Appropriations committee (including chair of subcommittees multiple times and the chair for Appropriations one session), the last two sessions in the Senate, I have been on Finance and Claims and was the vice-chair last session. I see the largest portion of my time will be devoted to the budget. I will try to ensure that the tax dollars sent to the state are used in the most efficient way possible.
Angela Kennedy (D)
Age: 63
Family: Married, two children
Occupation: Retired, worked in consulting with Applied Materials
Background: I was born in the early 60’s into a large Lutheran Navy family in Virginia. My father traveled the world, retiring as a SCPO on nuclear class aircraft carriers. We are proud of him serving. My parents moved to Colorado in 1964 and while attending college, I worked in semiconductor manufacturing and sales starting with Texas Instruments in 1981 and over my career, have consulted to security, food, finance, military, high tech, biotechnological pharmaceutical and petrochemical manufacturers. My husband of 26 years and I successfully raised two children and I moved after 53 years in the Colorado Front Range to Kalispell in 2017 to finish my consulting career with Applied Materials and am currently retired. While being a working mom, and going to school, I served for 6 years as PTA President in my children’s school and as volunteer elementary school crossing guard, track team chauffeur and pParaprofessional reading tutor. I have volunteered politically to help get former President Obama elected working as a Colorado state delegate, campaigned for DIA in Denver to be built, worked as a builder for Habitat for Humanity, and trail maintainer for Colorado and Montana Trails. I am currently president of the Flathead Democratic Women. For fun, I snap photos, horseback ride, kayak, ski, hike with Scout the dog and we gently saunter through the beauty of Montana. I hold a Master’s Degree from Regis University, in Denver.
What property tax reform policies do you support?
The current majority of ultra conservative legislators have failed to maintain equalization between corporate and residential property taxes. Tax revenue generated by residential taxes increased by over $250 million last year and corporate taxes declined by over $75 million. Working as your state senator, I commit to working to support and define adjustments to our property tax formula that works for the average Montanan. Additionally, some residential property is owned by "out of state" and completely commercial ventures and an option would be to support a split in the residency category or consider a higher rate for vacation or nonresidential taxable properties but at the same time offer discounted appraisal values for seniors and full-time residents.
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, The incumbent for Senate District 3, and other GOP legislators wasted valuable time this past session on low value legislation that is discriminatory in nature and wasteful and non-impactful to the majority of Montanans. We need more single family, budget friendly low-cost housing not luxury priced condos and rentals. I see many properties being built that are high density and high rent. Very little to none that fosters first time ownership, loan assumptions or affordable ownership.
Public school districts across the state are facing budget shortfalls. What role can the Legislature play in shoring up public education funding?
We need to fix the formula for residential property taxes, and also evaluate ways to fund K-12 and reduce the costs in higher education. The current per-student funding formulas will need to be reviewed and addressed to see if that can be raised per/student. At a minimum, Montana should be willing to provide budget authority to districts to increase, with the next budget approval period, a minimum increase of 5%/year and provide additional state funding for the Guaranteed Tax Base supporting schools and education. Next we need to look at an overall boost to our teachers’ starting salaries and the salaries over the life of their careers. We need to be able to recruit the best and brightest teachers, and ranking 51st in the US, in teacher salaries, is not allowing for that. Having smart, productive and innovative students starts early with education both at home and with pre-K programs. Finally, not all students want or need to go to college for their chosen career. We need to ensure vocational and industrial arts programs are fully funded and available in our schools. The costs to students who choose college need to be brought back into an affordable range and supported with low interest, stable loans and financing.
How do you view the judicial branch in the state?
I view them as nonpolitical and they should remain so. It is not the business or purpose of the court to support theologies, political platforms or dogma.
What other policies or issues would you like to address if elected?
We need to address worker wages in light of record corporate profit taking. Address the issue of affordability of living and availability of housing for working and Montanans on fixed incomes. Then, ensure we protect and pass on a clean environment and stable climate system for our youth. We need to safeguard and improve public education. It is important to defend the right to privacy as written in the Montana constitution which also supports a woman's right to maintain a private relationship with her God, family and doctor when discussing and choosing medical options when related to her reproductive rights. We need to balance the current ultra conservative super-majority in the state legislature and ensure we protect all types of human diversity and do not allow overstepping our honored system of human rights and freedom and insure we have laws on the books that provide solid checks and balances to support this.
Carl Glimm
Angela Kennedy