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The Montana Board of Regents put a framework in place Thursday that would allow for cuts of up to 5 percent in the university system, the first of the state agencies to publicly heed the governor's request to do so. The board decided unanimously during a conference call to honor Gov. Brian Schweitzer's request to start planning for such cuts, even though it has unique constitutional authority among executive branch agencies to establish its own budget. The board recognized the cuts are needed as Montana grapples with...
The Board of Regents will evaluate budget cuts of up to 5 percent for the state's colleges and universities at a meeting this week. The regents have decided to join other state agencies that are drafting the proposed budget cuts following a request from Gov. Brian Schweitzer — even though the university system has the authority to establish its own spending priorities. "The regents want to be responsible leaders in the state and contribute as much as possible," Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns said of the effor... Full story
Gov. Brian Schweitzer, speaking to land use managers, said that state and federal agencies must tell the public that the scarred forests left behind by voracious pine beetles will remain for years. Millions of acres of forest land in the state are affected by the pine beetles, which kill trees in large swaths. The trees turn red as they die, leaving behind a stark landscape that once was green. Schweitzer, speaking to a group of land use managers from state and federal agencies this week, said that only so much can be done.... Full story
Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Wednesday he wants ideas from the public on how the state can save money without reducing services, and he promises to implement the plan that gets the most votes. Schweitzer said ideas will be collected over the Internet through the end of March, then four finalists will be put up for a public vote on the state Web site. The person who submitted the top vote-getter will receive a palladium coin worth $400 donated by Montana's Stillwater Mine, Schweitzer said. There are some catches. The idea has...
A conservative group filed a lawsuit in Montana on Monday that seeks to overturn the state's ban on corporate political advocacy. The challenge from a group called the Western Tradition Partnership comes in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision paving the way for more corporate financing in elections. The Denver-based group said that it is joined by Champion Painting of Bozeman, a corporat ion that would l ike to get involved politically, in the lawsuit that was filed in state district court in Helena. Montana state law... Full story
A new budget forecast indicates that state coffers will run into a deficit by the middle of 2011 — a forecast the governor's office called irrelevant even as it makes plans to start cutting agency budgets. The Legislative Fiscal Division reported Monday that tax collection trends indicate the state will be in the hole more than $60 million when the budget period ends in the middle of 2011. It is the latest in a string of forecasts describing an increasingly bleak budget picture as weak tax collections show no sign of i... Full story
A state agency that sued The Associated Press over a request to see documents on alleged sexual misconduct of prison employees must hand over the records, a Helena judge decided in the constitutional right-to-know case. The issue stems from the resignation of four female Montana State Prison employees and the departure of one male employee after allegations surfaced of employee sexual misconduct with a male inmate in late 2008. The AP later sought the investigation documents — prompting the state to sue the news o... Full story
U. S. Rep. Denny Rehberg is in the familiar position of being the obvious frontrunner in his re-election bid, but says he is not taking anything for granted in a primary in which he faces challenges from both the left and the right. Rehberg, who considers hims e l f a " c o n s e r v a t i v e Republican," is facing challenges from two political newcomers. One, lab scientist Mark French, seems to be riding the rising tide of tea party politics to mount a campaign as someone even more conservative. So far Rehberg, seeking his...
Montana lawmakers started work Tuesday on the finer points of many proposals to crack down on drunk driving amid growing concern over repeat offenders in the state. Some of the ideas include stripping driver's licenses from those under 18 caught drinking, allowing game wardens to issue tickets to minors caught drinking in the woods, and a slew of tougher laws and proposed expansions in treatment. Rep. Shannon Augare of Browning, chairman of the Law and Justice Interim Committee that is drafting proposed laws to take to the...
A state lawmaker carved money out of last year's stimulus spending bill for an energy study shortly before investing in a company to help get that money, according to newly released documents. Rep. Llew Jones of Conrad used his position on the House Appropriations Committee last March to propose an amendment to carve out $475,000 for a biomass energy study. E-mails obtained by The Associated Press show that Jones was also actively contemplating starting a company to get that money. Jones defended the arrangement, saying he... Full story
Gov. Brian Schweitzer finalized about $40 million in state government budget cuts on Monday — but said he would release several million dollars in local stimulus grants that had become the focus of tense disputes with local officials. Schweitzer said key tax collections have increased for two months in a row, providing a glimmer of hope that the state budget picture is improving. That news, along with an expected $86 million windfall from a coal deal, prompted him to release the grant money. But it wasn't enough to fend o...
State budget cuts could be getting far more severe following an order Tuesday from the governor that agencies prepare contingency plans for 5 percent spending reductions, a move that surprised legislative leaders who were not told of the plans. Gov. Brian Schweitzer made the announcement following a string of reports showing the state budget picture is getting worse, not better. A report due out today is expected to make an even gloomier forecast. Schweitzer said state law gives him the authority to cut spending if projected...
A move by Gov. Brian Schweitzer's administration to freeze a bunch of money spent on local projects came under fire Wednesday as lawmakers started looking at a budget situation that has prompted the governor to consider widespread cuts. Republicans said that the Schweitzer administration overwhelmingly targeted rural counties with GOP lawmakers when it recently decided to hold back spending on $3.5 million in grants to local governments. "Of course that's what it was," said Sen. Dave Lewis, R-Helena. "The majority of it is...
Recently appointed Montana Supreme Court Justice Mike Wheat filed for a run at the of f i c e Wednesday, whi le Just ice William Leaphart said he won't run again for his seat. Leaphart, 64, who was first elected to the court in 1994 and again in 2002, said the time has come for him to step aside. "I was just not confident that I still wanted to be reading briefs at that age," Leaphart said. "I elected to call it quits at the end of this year. It has been a real great run." Wheat was recently picked by Gov. Brian Schweitzer to...
The Montana Supreme Court said Thursday that nothing in state law prevents patients from seeking physician-assisted suicide, making Montana the third state that will allow the procedure. Patients and doctors had been waiting for the state's high court to step in after a lower court decided a year ago that constitutional rights to privacy and dignity protect the right to die. The Montana Supreme Court opinion will now give doctors in the state the freedom to prescribe the necessary drugs to mentally competent, terminally ill... Full story
The Office of Public Instruction said Tuesday that budget cuts being considered at the request of Gov. Brian Schwei tzer could lead to higher local property taxes, just as the governor cautioned that all such ideas are preliminary. Th e p o t e n t i a l impact of the 5 percent budget cut plans across state government, put together at Schweitzer's request, began to crystalize Tuesday as the governor freed his agencies to discuss their proposals. Other agencies not under his control were already discussing the plans with...
