Here’s how to lower costs for Montanans

If you live in Montana, there’s no doubt you feel the sting of this sobering fact: Montana just surpassed California to become the most unaffordable state in the nation. That’s not political hype; that’s according to the National Association of Realtors.

Out-of-state millionaires and billionaires are flooding into our state, buying up property and jacking up our prices, turning Montana into their own personal playground.

Many of our small schools can’t afford to hire teachers or have five-day weeks. The Bozeman School District is trying to hire teachers who already live with their parents because it’s impossible to buy a home on a teacher’s salary. In Seeley Lake, Pyramid Lumber went out of business this year because our state has become so unaffordable.

I’m Ryan Busse, and I’m running to be your next governor because it doesn’t have to be this way. The buck stops with the guy who’s been doing this job — and not very well — for the past four years. Gov. Greg Gianforte has only made Montana’s affordability crisis worse.

As so many of us well know, home property taxes are the highest they’ve ever been. That’s because Gianforte raised your taxes by as much as 111%. Then he handed out tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires like himself, and to wealthy corporations, while pricing hardworking Montanans and seniors out of their homes.

In March, Gianforte bought his fourth mansion in Montana — a beautiful, $4 million place on Georgetown Lake. I don’t begrudge Gianforte’s personal wealth, but let’s not kid ourselves. He doesn’t feel the impact of his unaffordable Montana like the rest of us do. He doesn’t know how much it hurts for an ordinary family to get a bigger tax bill. He doesn’t have to worry about how to feed his family if his company gives him a pink slip.

So how do we fix Gianforte’s affordability crisis? The first step is to give him a pink slip. He inherited a $2.6 billion surplus when he took over as governor, and all you got was higher taxes. Voting for me, Ryan Busse, is step one.

The second step to making Montana affordable again is by cutting your taxes. As your next governor, I’ll lower property taxes for everyone. I’ll lower tax rates on all classes of property, and I’ll cut residential property taxes by $112 million. My simple plan will also cut taxes on small businesses and family farms and ranches.

Look, I’m not a politician. I’m not concerned about political parties or national politicians. I’m a former firearms executive. During my 25-year career with Kimber, in Kalispell, I sold 3 million guns. I’m a lifelong “gun guy,” who’s tired of watching costs going up. I’m worried about more jobs going away. I’m sick of watching Montana become a playground for the wealthy while the rest of us get stuck with whatever’s left.

It’s time to make Montana affordable again. It’s time to show Gianforte the door. It’s time to get your Montana back.

Ryan Busse is the Democratic candidate for Montana governor. He lives in Kalispell.