How would You fix the problems in Montana? (Helena: insurance, mobile home)

[ElkHunter]

Nothing like rejuvinating 2 year old threads.

[Reziac]

Well, it does save reinventing the wheel since folks can more easily see what's already been discussed to death.

[Montanafarmwife]

We need a better business climate, better employment prospects, brilliant entrepreneurs to start new businesses, more industry, better infrastructure, fewer environmentalists tying up our industries, better non car transportation such as inter city buses.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Well, it does save reinventing the wheel since folks can more easily see what's already been discussed to death.

Some I delete the post so the thread goes back to the original date and disappears off the list. Some I let go. Here's the reasoning.

If it's a thread that is a year old and the thread is about the job market. Those jobs are not available now. The places are not hiring anymore. Or a 2 year old thread on rental availability. Those houses are no longer for rent. Rent has increased by now.

So those threads get put back in the arcive.

But some threads, like this one, have good info on Montana and things that can fix it. It's kind of a never ending "change". So it can stay.

As far as how to fix Montana. The people need to quit selling to developers. When you want to sell a large portion of land, put a clause in the contract that it can not be sub-divided.

[havreman]

What would I do to improve Montana? The first thing I would do is give Butte to Idaho! Surely if we offer enough money, Idaho will take on the butt of Montana!

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by havreman

What would I do to improve Montana? The first thing I would do is give Butte to Idaho! Surely if we offer enough money, Idaho will take on the butt of Montana!

Montana paid Idaho in 1901 for the land that Montana Territory stole from Idaho Territory in 1864 when the territorial boundary was set. Originally, the Montana Territory was supposed to stop at the Continental Divide however, the surveyors were paid $2,000 to move to the next mountain divide (The Bitterroots) beyond that. That put Butte, Missoula, Hamilton, Kalispell, and the rest into the State of Montana. The Organic Act was passed during the Civil War so I don't believe many Congressmen were interested in splitting Idaho Territory as much as Sherman's March to the Sea so this was never corrected. Montana, from my memory, paid over 8 million dollars to Idaho as compensation. Doing the math, it is 203 million in 2010 dollars.

We paid for it so we might as well keep it.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by flyingcat2k

Montana, from my memory, paid over 8 million dollars to Idaho as compensation. Doing the math, it is 203 million in 2010 dollars.

We paid for it so we might as well keep it.

Alternatively, we could sell it back to Idaho, priced in 2010 dollars. That would fix the predicted budget shortfall for the next couple years.

On that note, this is interesting (and alarming):

Montana state budget - Sunshine Review

One problem with "Gross Domestic Product" is that as I understand it, it includes not only service jobs but also government spending including welfare. The first is ephemeral, the second is actually a cost and if anything should be subtracted from the GDP -- unlike the old GNP that was strictly hard goods. Per one estimate, around 1/3rd of GDP is therefore economic bunkum and should be discounted.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

If it's a thread that is a year old and the thread is about the job market. Those jobs are not available now. The places are not hiring anymore. Or a 2 year old thread on rental availability. Those houses are no longer for rent. Rent has increased by now.
So those threads get put back in the arcive.

But some threads, like this one, have good info on Montana and things that can fix it. It's kind of a never ending "change". So it can stay.

As far as how to fix Montana. The people need to quit selling to developers. When you want to sell a large portion of land, put a clause in the contract that it can not be sub-divided.

Well, that's all pretty sensible...

I think perhaps more to the point on land sales would be a restriction that it must maintain its present use (which in these cases would normally mean agricultural) regardless of whether it was subdivided into smaller parcels or not. That would allow small ag producers to buy a smaller parcel (not everyone needs a full section) but would NOT allow it to get used for McMansions. This was essentially what Chouteau County did -- land outside of existing municipalities can only be used for ag and housing for ag producers, not for subdivisions. This makes it unattractive for developers, but still doable for people to get into the ag industry without spending their grandkids' inheritance just for the initial investment.

But it still runs into the problem of "Joe Neighbour's ranch got whacked up into McSubs last year, so now everyone's naked ranchland is assessed and valued at McSubs rates" rather than the more-realistic ag-value rate. So something has to be done about "contagious assessments" before it drives every farmer and rancher off their land, whether they want to sell or not.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Reziac

-Snip -
But it still runs into the problem of "Joe Neighbour's ranch got whacked up into McSubs last year, so now everyone's naked ranchland is assessed and valued at McSubs rates" rather than the more-realistic ag-value rate. So something has to be done about "contagious assessments" before it drives every farmer and rancher off their land, whether they want to sell or not.

Does not Montana give a different tax rate to Agricultural Zoned land then it does Residential Zoned land?

I think they do, but then comes the problem of the McMansion having 20 acres and because he puts in a garden, it remains zoned Agricultural.

They should go by income. If 51% of your raw income comes from "stuff" grown on the property, then Ag zoned. That would still allow the small operations that also Haul Cattle for everybody with their small trucking company, could keep their Ag zoning.

And, I'm not sure 51% is a fair percentage. Would have to be assessed before picking a percentage.

[Klapton]

Get rid of property taxes altogether. Then get rid of ever other form of coercive taxation. Let those services that are truly needed be funded through voluntary means. Then stop sending federal tax dollars to DC, and refund them to the people. Be the first TRULY free state in the world and watch businesses, industries, and freedom-loving people make Montana into the most propsperous state in America.

But I doubt even Montanans have that kind of courage, or that they will ever throw off their home-grown parasites and oppressors (i.e. state and local governments).