New executive orders from the White House are now in effect calling for tariffs on most Canadian and all Mexican imported goods worth over $800. A recent LendingTree study shows Montana imports more than $6.8 billion worth of goods from Canada and over $110 million from Mexico every year. Over 94% of Montana’s imports come from Canada Mexico and China.
The Montana VA Healthcare System has lost a limited number of probationary staff in recent layoffs as the Department of Veterans Affairs has cut nearly 2,400 jobs nationwide. Montana VA has a staff of about 1,500 at 18 sites across the state and serves nearly 49,000 enrolled veterans. About one third of the employees are veterans. One source said the Montana layoffs amounted to about a dozen employees which Montana VA officials would not confirm or deny.
Over 2,000,000 square feet of office space used by the United States Department of the Interior will close. There will be a total of 164 offices shutting their doors with five located in Montana. They include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Bozeman and Great Falls along with the Geological Survey in Bozeman. The Bureau of Indian Affairs in Pablo will close along with the one in Poplar.
Gallatin County District Court Judge Mike Salvagni upheld a majority of four bills from the 2023 Legislature Monday seeking to increase housing in Montana as constitutional but struck down key portions of one tied to the ability for the public to comment on local land use planning. Governor Greg Gianforte and the Attorney General’s Office which represented the state in the case both issued statements calling the decision a win that would make housing more affordable in Montana.
$8.75 million has been granted to seven Montana communities as part of a state Department of Commerce pilot community tourism grant program. It aims to bolster local economies to fortify destinations resilience and diversify tourism-related assets and infrastructure across the Treasure State. According to the website Tourism Matters To Montana in 2023 the state had over 12.5 million nonresident visitors. They spent $5.45 billion and supported over 66,000 jobs in Montana communities.
The Montana Medical Legal Panel is a group of providers and lawyers convened by the Montana Medical Association. That is the first step required by law for medical malpractice cases. Over the last decade of cases from 2014 to 2023 the panel reports receiving an average of 215 complaints per year. An annual average of 18% of those claims proceed to a lawsuit. There patients providers and insurance companies appeal to panelists to determine whether the case could indicate malpractice or patient injury though the findings don’t prevent a person from suing later in district court or agreeing to an out-of-court settlement.
House Bill 440 to incentivize grocers to put Montana-produced food on the shelves lays out a pilot program that would provide tax incentives for the sale of Montana-produced food. The bill passed with an amendment to add a sunset date in 2031. According to a study published by Highland Economics in 2022 retail sales of local food in Montana were estimated at $158.5 million.
Missoula’s for-sale housing market remains challenged by supply and rising costs and the city’s rental market also faces challenges including a low vacancy rate and rising rent. By the end of 2024 the median cost of a two bedroom unit cost $1,490. Missoula’s rental market has rising operational costs faced by landlords which includes year-over-year tax increases.
Gasoline prices in Montana have increased nine weeks in a row. A gallon of regular as risen 1.3 cents in the last week lone averaging $3.08 as of Monday. Prices in Montana are 10.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. Montana is currently ranked 14th in the U.S. when it comes to the average price of gas.
Brad Paisley will make a stop at KettleHouse Amphitheater in Missoula May 22 as part of his “Truck Still Works World Tour” and tickets go on sale Friday at Brad Paisley dot com. Paisley has three Grammys two American Music Awards 15 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards.
