When I was coordinating the Homeless Outreach Teams, a program of the Poverello Center that works with the most difficult “shelter-resistant” individuals, some of my best successes were the people who I managed to get OUT of Missoula. One reason I attempted to relocate people, like the Veteran drinking himself to death in his camp down the Kim Williams trail, was because of how little actual help exists in Montanas for those who need it.
The article I saw today makes me VERY angry because it highlights the kind of critical work that DID NOT GET DONE in Helena this session. I guess bathrooms are more important than addressing behavioral health services (emphasis mine):
The excerpt comes near the end of a pretty long article that tracks the history of money that COULD be deployed if this was an actual priority of our legislators.
Heading into the 2025 legislative session, DPHHS had spent a meager $7.4 million of the BHSFG money, according to a December memo, almost all of which had gone toward “studying and planning” expenses.
By that time, the commission had approved $47 million worth of “near-term initiatives,” a bundle of short-term efforts meant to stabilize the system while long-term fixes were discussed. But of that, less than $1 million had actually gone out the door to communities as lawmakers gathered in Helena.
Though that number ticked up slightly throughout the session, it was still a far cry from the total amount of money greenlit despite the urgency of the state’s behavioral health crisis. DPHHS says the near-term initiatives are on track.
Combining what’s already been allocated with the governor’s BHSFG recommendations that were approved and the grab bag of bills from the 69th Legislature that pulled from the fund, around half of the $300 million is still sitting in the state’s coffers with no apparent plans for how to use it.
If you think our legislators are idiots who enjoy open season for their dumb-ass insanity, you are correct. To show off this idiocy the two politicians featured at the City Club event I can’t attend couldn’t even agree if the fucking budget was balanced. Ellie Boldman’s, the dumpster fire from Missoula, said it was, while Greg Hertz, from Polson, said it wasn’t without veto action from the Governor’s office.
Are they ALL retarded?
Hertz and Boldman presented different views on the state budget, which grew by 18% over the last biennium. Boldman said the state kept a balanced budget, while Hertz argued that Gov. Greg Gianforte must veto some bills to keep the state’s finances in check.
Both agreed the state’s property tax system underwent major changes, but said they won’t involve long-term property tax issues and will instead move the burden onto other taxpayers like Montana’s largest businesses.
Closer to home I found an amusing piece of political material sticking out of my door yesterday that I plan on using for my own purposes.
On the back of this adorable brochure there’s nothing specific about the mental health crisis or the drug crisis. Danny definitely wants to save the climate and boost childcare, but the kind of fiery destruction that results from drug addicts burning down private property? There’s nothing about THAT kind of issue.
To highlight how I’m going to be discussing my opposition to the Danny and Kristy Socialist Clown Show I took a pic of me holding up my Lego mushroom near the former HuHot property that burned to the ground because of our rampant homeless/drug/mental-health crisis’.
What I will be insinuating with my Lego mushroom is that our Socialists must be hallucinating the millions of dollars they recently claimed exists somewhere to keep the drug addict warehouse open because how else can we understand that recent effort, which one opposing Council member called bringing a “DOGE approach” to local government.
One more thing before I wrap up this mid-week post, and that’s a warning to anyone calling in public comments on their personal phone. After several attempts to use this option to make a public comment, since I’m barred from making comments in person, I finally got through on Monday, but was a little surprised to hear Mayor Davis say my ENTIRE PHONE NUMBER out loud for everyone to hear. My previous experience is that only the last four digits are read aloud.
I sent the Mayor’s communication specialist an email, but so far, nothing. Wouldn’t it be cool if one of the many lawyers I’ve contacted gave a shit about the Constitution? I mean, there could even be a BIG payday in it for them.
In summary, Montana is a BIG state run by very stupid people, and nothing I’ve seen shows that this will be changing any time soon.
Thanks for reading!