Montana is experiencing multiple demographic and economic transitions due to a growing population lack of housing and federal stimulus funds. Dr. Patrick Barkey from the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research recently noted on Voices of Montana how these are currently factoring into the state’s labor market.
Montana Public School Funding Formula Approved
The U.S. Department of Education has accepted the state’s public school funding formula distributed to approximately 400 public school districts. The Montana state funding formula is unique as it is driven by prior year student enrollment and a 3-year average and has specific components that safeguards Montana’s very rural school a...
IRS Ditching Facial Recognition Tax Verification
The Internal Revenue Service will reverse a decision to require taxpayers to provide facial recognition data through a third-party vendor to access some tax services and instead will work toward providing an alternative form of verification. Senator Jon Tester recently came out opposing the initial decision citing privacy concerns and potentia...
Former Budget Director Optimistic For State’s Economy
According to former Budget Director Kurt Alme, Montana’s economy is on the right upward track. On Voices of Montana recently, he said this about the ARPA funding the state has received from the federal government intended to help states in need because of the pandemic’s impact.
Montana Unlikely To See Liquor Shortage Despite Supply Chain Issues
During fiscal year 2020, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division shipped out 935,539 cases of liquor and saw a 14.34% increase last fiscal year. This year, there is plenty of product available in Montana even though halfway through this fiscal year, the number is on pace to match the record-setting fiscal year of 2021. Historically, Montana li...
Montana DEQ Exploring Changes For Water-Quality Standards
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is considering new rules for a law passed in 2021 that changed water quality standards and opponents say it could roll back current standards across the state. Andrew Gorder with the Clark Fork Coalition says the state needs the ones being used now to protect waterways that are essential to Monta...
Jefferson County Gold Mine On Track To Begin New Operations
The Golden Sunlight Mine about five miles northeast of Whitehall in Jefferson County is hoping to finish its commissioning and ship its first concentrates which will be used in gold production before the end of the month. The mine employed 17 people full-time in January and expects to employ up to 37 once reprocessing is in full production not...
Elder Abuse Reports Rising Across Montana
A record 4,500 Montanans were victims of elder abuse in 2020 an increase of nearly 30% since 2018. Former San Diego County District Attorney Paul Greenwood was on Voices of Montana Friday.
Attorney General Says All Meth In Montana Now Coming From Mexico
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen recently visited the Mexican border to check on what’s being done about a drug that is the main driving source behind many of the crimes in Montana.
January Snowpack Reported As Below Normal Levels
Monthly Natural Resources Conservation Service SNOTEL site totals across Montana show January precipitation was below to near normal. As of February 1st, all major basins had below normal snowpack except the Lower Clark Fork, Kootenai and St. Mary’s River basins. In general, west of the continental divide snowpack was better than east of the d...