HELENA – Gov. Steve Bullock Monday said some state spending must be cut to balance the state budget, in the face of a revenue shortage – but that the Legislature could help mitigate those cuts by approving some form of tax increase.
“If legislators will work with me, there is a better way to do this,” he told a group of Montana mental-health providers meeting in Helena. “And that’s both with certainly some cuts, and transfers, and revenue increases.”
“In order to do that, though, I need to have a willing dance partner.”
Bullock also said the tax increases could be temporary, instead of permanent, and listed a few possible items that could be subject to the higher taxes: Tobacco, lodging, rental cars and booze.