Hansen: Wants to rein in government
Born: Illinois, 1969
Military: National Guard since 2004; judge advocate for the Montana National Guard; deployed to Iraq in 2008 with Task Force 49, Aviation Brigade HQS. 
College: Bachelor of Arts in public administration and political science, 1992, Doctor of Law, 2002
Work: Chief deputy Hill County attorney, previously partner in a Bozeman law firm, a legislative aide to the House Republicans for the 2005 session; a law clerk to Montana Supreme Court Justice John Warner; a law clerk to Federal Bankruptcy Judge Bruce Black; station manager for the Central Intelligence Agency in Mogadishu, Somalia
Family: Single, no children, two parents, two brothers, four nephews, one niece, two sisters-in-law
 Republican Kris Hansen said she decided to run for the Montana Legislature because she sees too much government, and wants to do something about it.
 “I kind of feel like the governments, at the federal and state level, are kind of at a crossroads,” she said. “They have grown too big and gotten out of hand, and we need to slow that growth down, and I thought I had something to offer in that respect.”
 Hansen faces Democrat Jack Trethewey in the Nov. 2 general election in the race for the seat in House District 33, which includes part of Havre and western Hill County.
 Incumbent Rep. Bob Bergren cannot run for re-election in the district due to term limits.
 Hansen said she wants to do more than rein in state government, although she said that her actions, of course, would be on the state level. But, she said, she wants to fight for state and individual rights.
 “Anything that I vote for or propose, or anything else, is going to be at the state level ,but I do think the federal government has poked its nose in too many times in too many places.
 “When asked or told by federal government, we should say no,” she added.
 She listed the controversy over the Bureau of Land Management including a site in north-central Montana in a list of prospective federal monuments, the federal health care reform passed in 2009 and education requirements as examples.
 “Some of those things I would like to look at … ,” Hansen said. “They are pushing things on the state I don’t think the federal government should have any control over. We are a sovereign state.”
 She tied in her desire to reduce government obligations to improving  the state’s budget situation.
 While program cuts are on the table for the next legislative session, Hansen said that until she sees more information on the budget. A key part of that will be hearing the department representatives justify their budgets to the Legislature, she added
 “I cant intelligently say what should be cut because I just don’t know.” she said.
 She said another of her primary issues is state taxation.
 “I think we have to take a close look at our tax laws,” Hansen said. “We have businesses and individuals paying a lot of taxes for a lot of service. Some services are effective, but some aren’t.”
 The tax structure also equates to double taxation for some, she added. Montana primarily uses income tax and  property tax to fund its budget, but some people pay both while others don’t, Hansen said.
 “A small segment of taxes is paying a lot of taxes,” she said.
 Reducing the taxes and regulations would increase revenue, Hansen added.
 “I really think that Montana has lots of resources and potential for economic growth if we give the creative entrepreneur-type some freedom to put their ideas into practice,” she said.
 That includes developing natural resources, which would increase state revenue, Hansen said. Reducing regulations on that industry would move the state forward in job creation and economic growth, she said.
  “If people are interested, if their political philosophies line up with  my answers, they should vote for me,” Hansen said. “I am the candidate who will vote for reducing tax burdens, reducing regulatory burdens. Those are the philosophies I believe in and will vote for, so if they want those they should vote for me.”

Born: Illinois, 1969

Military: National Guard since 2004; judge advocate for the Montana National Guard; deployed to Iraq in 2008 with Task Force 49, Aviation Brigade HQS. 

College: Bachelor of Arts in public administration and political science, 1992, Doctor of Law, 2002

Work: Chief deputy Hill County attorney, previously partner in a Bozeman law firm, a legislative aide to the House Republicans for the 2005 session; a law clerk to Montana Supreme Court Justice John Warner; a law clerk to Federal Bankruptcy Judge Bruce Black; station manager for the Central Intelligence Agency in Mogadishu, Somalia

Family: Single, no children, two parents, two brothers, four nephews, one niece, two sisters-in-law

 

 

 Republican Kris Hansen said she decided to run for the Montana Legislature because she sees too much government, and wants to do something about it.

 “I kind of feel like the governments, at the federal and state level, are kind of at a crossroads,” she said. “They have grown too big and gotten out of hand, and we need to slow that growth down, and I thought I had something to offer in that respect.”

 Hansen faces Democrat Jack Trethewey in the Nov. 2 general election in the race for the seat in House District 33, which includes part of Havre and western Hill County.

 Incumbent Rep. Bob Bergren cannot run for re-election in the district due to term limits.

 Hansen said she wants to do more than rein in state government, although she said that her actions, of course, would be on the state level. But, she said, she wants to fight for state and individual rights.

 “Anything that I vote for or propose, or anything else, is going to be at the state level ,but I do think the federal government has poked its nose in too many times in too many places.

 “When asked or told by federal government, we should say no,” she added.

 She listed the controversy over the Bureau of Land Management including a site in north-central Montana in a list of prospective federal monuments, the federal health care reform passed in 2009 and education requirements as examples.

 “Some of those things I would like to look at … ,” Hansen said. “They are pushing things on the state I don’t think the federal government should have any control over. We are a sovereign state.”

 She tied in her desire to reduce government obligations to improving  the state’s budget situation.

 While program cuts are on the table for the next legislative session, Hansen said that until she sees more information on the budget. A key part of that will be hearing the department representatives justify their budgets to the Legislature, she added

 “I cant intelligently say what should be cut because I just don’t know.” she said.

 She said another of her primary issues is state taxation.

 “I think we have to take a close look at our tax laws,” Hansen said. “We have businesses and individuals paying a lot of taxes for a lot of service. Some services are effective, but some aren’t.”

 The tax structure also equates to double taxation for some, she added. Montana primarily uses income tax and  property tax to fund its budget, but some people pay both while others don’t, Hansen said.

 “A small segment of taxes is paying a lot of taxes,” she said.

 Reducing the taxes and regulations would increase revenue, Hansen added.

 “I really think that Montana has lots of resources and potential for economic growth if we give the creative entrepreneur-type some freedom to put their ideas into practice,” she said.

 That includes developing natural resources, which would increase state revenue, Hansen said. Reducing regulations on that industry would move the state forward in job creation and economic growth, she said.

  “If people are interested, if their political philosophies line up with  my answers, they should vote for me,” Hansen said. “I am the candidate who will vote for reducing tax burdens, reducing regulatory burdens. Those are the philosophies I believe in and will vote for, so if they want those they should vote for me.”