There seems to be a lot of doomsaying about the economy. My experience leads me to question this. My perspective is one coming from a 40 year Bozeman resident, exceedingly middle class, retired from a 32 year Montana state employee career, MSU graduate, life long outdoorsman. I, as well as literally everyone in my sphere of family and friends are all doing well financially. From my 82 year old mother, every surrounding neighbor in my subdivision, my fishing partners — all are financially secure (as we can be) and actively stimulate the local economy through everyday as well as amenity purchases. I bought a new car during the pandemic. Various fishing buddies have recently purchased drift boats and motorized lake craft. A neighbor buys and sells vintage Harley Davidsons motorcycles. My wife’s 401k is doing well thanks to a booming Wall Street. No one I know is financially burdened by the price of fuel or groceries. Nothing about the current economy is negatively affecting my life nor lifestyle.
Well, there is one thing. the recent Montana property value reappraisal process, and its resultant property tax increase was a major hit. The single largest tax increase I have experienced in the 50 years I have been a taxpayer. Interestingly, this tax increase happened under the watch of a GOP governor graced with a GOP legislative super majority. During the half century I have paid taxes, I have continually heard that the Democrat party was saddling me with burdensome taxes. The single tax increase i have ever been stung by was this property tax thing. Hmm…
Its a good thing the economy, under the watch of a Democrat national administration, allows me to pay the exorbitant taxes piled upon me by a GOP state administration.