If each legislative session in Helena were akin to a three-month football game, then the players and spectators alike would be thinking now about lively offensive strategies and formidable defenses.
The Montana Legislature’s 2019 session launches Jan. 7. And members of the Kalispell City Council want to nail down the city’s legislative priorities in the weeks ahead. The priorities will guide conversations with regional legislators before and during the 2019 gathering in Helena.
The ideal legislative session would yield for Kalispell at least a few wins and no losses.
At a work session on Tuesday, the council will review priorities proposed for the last legislative session, with some minor revisions, to examine their utility for the months ahead.
For example, a priority could be supporting legislation that would allow local communities to seek voter approval for a sales tax within municipal limits. The proceeds could help pay to maintain infrastructure and services for a city impacted by large numbers of people who don’t reside in Kalispell.