My Priorities
As your State Senator, I will focus on reducing costs for working families, advocating for Montana's children, and protecting your constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Addressing the Cost of Living and Affordable Housing
The most pressing issue facing Montana’s families is the cost of living—from skyrocketing property taxes to a profound lack of affordable housing. If I am elected, I will fight for immediate property tax relief and will advocate for a recalibration of the tax system that is fair to working and senior Montanans. I will advocate for investments in housing that Montanans can actually afford, and I will support the creation of a tax credit to protect families and seniors from being priced out of their homes. Last legislative session, I co-sponsored legislation to increase affordable housing, to keep costs reasonable for renters, and to ensure renters are treated fairly. I will support similar measures in the coming legislative session if elected.
Ensuring a Quality Public Education for Every Child
My daughter is in Helena's public schools, and I’ve had conversations with many teachers and staff in our town. These community members pour their hearts and souls into educating the next generation, yet public school funding isn’t keeping up with inflation, rising costs, and the quality of education all children are entitled to under the Montana Constitution. I support reexamining and recalibrating our schools’ funding formula and removing the three percent inflation cap to ensure that our local schools can adequately budget for the needs of their individual communities. I do not support draining public school funds to pay for private schools that serve a select number of families who are able to afford it.
Advocating for Kids
I have a personal passion for policies that protect the childhood of every Montana kid, from affordable housing and quality public schools to neighborhood safety and a fairer tax system. Each of these issues impacts a parent’s ability to provide for themselves and their children, not to mention the financial strain on parents when legislative policy doesn’t work for them. Last legislative session, I championed and passed legislation to protect vulnerable kids and teenagers, to support families caring for sick children, and to protect kids from predators. As your State Senator, I will continue this work to ensure every child and family in Montana has the opportunity to thrive.
Protecting Public Lands
Our public lands are a huge part of what makes Montana great, and as a public lands owner I want to make sure our wilderness stays accessible for my daughters and all Montanans. I will fight to keep our public lands accessible to everyone, and I will support measures to keep public lands intact for future generations.
Making Your Government Work for You
Our government should be accountable to all Montanans. In addition to keeping my legislator files open to the public, I will champion legislation to make our government more transparent, and I will support measures to root out corruption and end wasteful spending of state resources.