Unless a remedy is found for the state’s looming budget crisis, Montana residents can expect devastating losses to essential services across the board, and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock says any solutions will require more than his efforts alone.
“I need a willing dance partner,” he said in an interview on Friday. “If we don’t figure out a way to generate some additional revenue, these cuts are going to fall on the backs of Montanans. And it is going to hurt. You can’t just cut your way through this by getting rid of state employees.”
To be clear, there will be cuts even with short-term solutions.
But Bullock said he has identified new revenue streams that could salvage services and programs that would otherwise end up on the chopping block.