Sometimes it’s difficult to know how to vote the ballot. Some issues are just more obscure, with less public awareness. But a lack of knowledge or attention on any particular ballot item does not indicate it is any less important or less deserving of our focus. Liberty is local, and deserves to be protected even in little-known or lower-profile instances. The current “review of the government of Flathead County” on the June 4 Primary ballot is one such issue. Here’s why you should vote NO.
The “Local Government Review” of each city and county was established as part of the 1972 Montana Constitution, and “automatically” comes up for approval/disapproval every 10 years. This does not mean such a review is needed every 10 years. But the option appears on the ballot. In this case, such a review would involve spending more taxpayer dollars, both for the review itself (up to $250,000) and additional taxpayer money required by a potentially larger county budget commensurate with any approved growth to the county government. “To my knowledge, such a review has never been passed,” said Precinct 52 Committeeman Ed Byrne. “The core issue is this,” says Byrne. “Do we need additional county commissioners or greater staff through the review/study? The answer, affirmed by local conservative Republican leaders and current county commissioners themselves, is NO.”
As Republicans, we must continue to uphold and preserve the crucial principles of lower taxes, limited government, and avoidance of unnecessary government spending. Liberty starts locally.
FCRCC Communications Committee
May 20, 2024
