Under current law, which was last amended in 2007, cities and towns must ask for competitive bids on construction contracts and equipment and supply purchases that exceed $50,000. These limits add costs and complications to projects and make it more difficult to do business with local contractors and suppliers. Recommendation: …
Read More
The Public Employee Retirement System is running an actuarial deficit of $1.3-billion, and finding a way to patch this hole will be one of the headline issues of the 2013 Legislature. Interim committees, legislative and agency staff and the Governor’s Office have been working over the past year on proposals…
Read More
Cities and towns in Eastern and Central Montana are responsible for managing some of the heaviest impacts of large scale oil exploration and production. Most Montanans welcome the economic opportunities connected to this development, but many are concerned that the cities and towns in the oil patch are not prepared…
Read More
Cities and towns have worked many years to protect Montana’s land and water resources through wise community development policies that emphasize centralized water and sewer systems, efficient delivery of services to concentrated populations and compliance with fair and affordable environmental standards. Now, most new development in Montana is sprawling beyond…
Read More