An Open Letter To Governor Gianforte
Dea r Sir,
I’m writing this hoping you already know of the truth and ultimate design of the CBDC-Central Bank Digital Currency– just as communist China controls the actions of its population, the Federal government is attempting to do the same to the American people via the CBDC!
In Senate Bill 370 are the seeds to force the citizens of this great state in accepting the control of the New World Order, having incorporated the evils of the government over site of digital currency accounts. Imagine going to the store to purchase weekly groceries only to find your account frozen because you exercise your First Amendment right and posted to social media your opinion to purposed governments legislation, just I am doing now: and what is and has been happening in China!
SB370 is the foothold step for such an occurrence in Montana if allowed to become law! This summer CBDC is being rolled out in selected cities across America. So, unless, Governor Gianforte, you are looking forward to a New World Order (let us pray the MT state House rejects this vile piece of legislation), I can not urge you enough to VETO SB370 should it come across your desk!
Submitted By Robert Edmundson
Myriad Changes To Montana Tax Code
The 2023 Montana legislature began its legislative session with an unprecedented surplus, mainly due to the over-collection of state taxes from Montana taxpayers. Since this is ultimately taxpayers’ money, I – along with other conservatives in the legislature – were determined to return money to Montana taxpayers and to reduce your taxes in the future.
Tax relief has long been an objective of mine, like in the 2021 session when I passed a bill that effectively moved Montana’s standard deduction from $5,000 for a single person and $10,000 for a married couple to beginning in 2024 to $14,000 for a single person and $28,000 for a married couple. This change eliminated taxes for almost 100,000 low-income taxpayers in Montana and benefits all taxpayers with taxable income above the standard deduction. This change could result in savings of $600 for married taxpayers making $50,000 per year or more compared to what they may pay on their 2023 income.
This year we passed a bill to move the top marginal rate from 6.5% to 5.9% – this bracket starts at $20,500 of taxable income for single individuals and $41,000 for married couples, so anyone making $20,500/$41,000 or higher will benefit. Since taxes are paid as a percentage of your income, the more you make, the more you will save due to this tax rate reduction. This bill also raised the earned income tax credit from 3% of the federal amount to 10%. This may result in a refundable credit of $275 or more for low-income taxpayers with children.
I also passed Senate Bill 124, which will increase taxes on large, out of state corporations doing business in Montana who have very few employees or property in Montana. Large corporations like Amazon will now be required to pay their fair share of taxes in Montana. This will result in a state revenue increase of up to $17 million per year and save taxes for Montana based corporations that also do business in other states.
I, along with our GOP super majorities, passed legislation this year so that Montana resident taxpayers will receive a tax rebate of up to $1,250 for a single taxpayer and $2,500 per couple for married taxpayers. The rebate is equal to what you paid but cannot exceed the $1250/$2,500 amounts.
Also, a property tax rebate of up to $500 will be coming to Montana resident taxpayers for taxes paid on their principal residence. No second homes or investment property are eligible for these rebates. Resident taxpayers may claim these rebates for both 2023 and 2024, resulting in property tax savings of up to $1,000.
Even with all these rebates and tax reductions, our legislature still has up to $1.5 billion to address many other issues in Montana. We have accomplished a great deal this session to lessen Montanans’ tax burden and plan to build on those successes in the final month of the 2023 legislative session.
Submitted By Senator Greg Hertz
Nothing Tells The Truth Like Evidence
The Bible says, “ Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” 2Corinthians 5:17 The disciple Thomas became famous for demanding physical evidence of Christ’s resurrection. A very real, resurrected human Christ walked and talked and ate with His disciples for 40 days before He ascended back to His rightful place beside His Father, the “only true God”, on the throne of the universe.
We contend that the Bible is a divine revelation, and as such the message of the Bible transcends every other source of information available to humanity. Yet we recognize that we live in a jaded generation, flooded with information by means of electronic devices on a scale probably never equaled in human history. Experience has taught us that much of what we are offered must be very carefully evaluated. “Half-truth”, is the stock-in trade of the spin-meisters whose nefarious craft aims to sway our attitudes toward their agenda. But the Bible, in print in the millions of copies is available in hard copy to almost every language group on earth. We can check our thoughts against a standard that has remained the same for millennia. We have strong evidence that the information and message in this ancient volume is ultimately trustworthy.
While fulfilled prophecy is a powerful vindication, the most telling proof of the Bible’s divine origin is that millions have experienced changed lives when they chose to follow Jesus and obey the scripture. And the most dramatic confirmation is yet to be revealed, when the prayer of Jesus Christ to the Father forecasts a time when believers will be so thoroughly transformed that the world will know without contention that Jesus Christ, Son of God, was sent by the Father to redeem lost sinners who put their faith in Him. (Please see John 17:21-23).
Submitted By Patrick Stevenson
Daines Statement on Passing of Montana Hero Charlie Dowd
Senator Daines today released the following statement in response to the passing of Pearl Harbor veteran Charlie Dowd.
“I’m saddened to hear about the passing of Montana hero Charlie Dowd, the last survivor of Pearl Harbor in our state. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who loved him today. Charlie’s story is a solemn reminder that freedom is never free and the price paid by the greatest generation is a debt that we will never be able to repay.
“I am proud that Montana is home to almost 100,000 veterans of nearly every conflict since Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders took San Juan Hill — each one has a unique story of service and sacrifice. Heroes like Charlie Dowd are who make Montana the last best place. He will be missed greatly.”
Background:
In 2018, Senator Daines honored Charlie Dowd with a tribute in the Congressional Record.
Courtesy of Blake Kernen