Montana Senate President Responds to Governor’s Veto of SB 171

Simplifying and improving our state’s tax code was a high priority of the Republican Caucuses coming into the session back in January, and Senate Bill 171 would have done just that, says Senate President Debby Barrett.  Unfortunately, Governor Bullock has proven that he has zero interest in improving our business climate, instead choosing to allow government to pick winners and losers through a convoluted tax code.

“I hope that everyone recognizes the Governor’s move on SB 171 for what it really is, adherence to an ideology,” stated Senate President Debby Barrett.
“Simplifying our state’s tax code would have improved our business climate, and encouraged expansion of our state’s tax base, helping thousands of hard working Montanans along the way. Governor Bullock’s preference for a complex tax system that benefits a select few Montanans discourages real economic growth, and is no way to govern a state.

Governor Bullock’s veto of SB 171 is just one of several tax relief and reform proposal he has rejected from the 64th Legislature, not only reaffirming his complete unwillingness to work with the opposite political party on the issue of taxes, but also demonstrating that he is unwilling to prioritize improving a convoluted and complex tax code above his own political ideology.