State Legislature 2020: TJ Smith

In 1960 Democrat John Fitzgerald Kennedy became President of the United States of America. My parents were elated. Their happiness made me happy. We kids all got new shoes. As a child I cheered a man who cut taxes to stimulate the economy! Life was good.

Tax cut policies, like the JFK precedent, have been implemented successfully twice since that time. President Ronald Reagan and President Donald Trump followed suit, cutting taxes to stimulate our economy. (In fact, several of the Trump economic records being set today date back to the economic success of the 60s while some records are best ever.)

One might ask, “Why are you, a Republican, speaking so highly of President Kennedy, a Democrat? Why have you moved away from the Democrat Party?” My reply, “I didn’t, the Democrat Party moved away from me.” I am the same person with the same values.

I can’t imagine President Kennedy recognizing the Democrat Party of today? “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” This quote still resonates with me today. Wow . .. What a leader!

President Kennedy was a true visionary. I can’t imagine anyone debating such futuristic vision. Can you?

Are you still a President Kennedy Democrat? Yes! Your values remain unchanged then, and it is the Democrat Party that has moved away from you.

“We the people” must answer the call,”…ask what you can do for your country.” Let’s stand together then, and vote the values we grew up with. Vote Republican in 2020. Just maybe, the Democrat Party will get your message and move back to you. The only way this will ever happen is if you force the issue by voting Republican.

The time is now. Together we will make a difference for freedom.

My father died of lung cancer when I was in the 8th grade. My mother took over operations of the Ringling Bar from that point forward. Despite working 80 plus hours per week, Mother made time to instill the values, in six children, needed to succeed in life.

We were taught that this great country of ours promised two things, freedom and opportunity. This, she said, is all we needed to make a better life for ourselves and a better country for future generations.

Beyond this promise our country owed us nothing. As a young man I was taught having freedom and opportunity was a gift from God. You couldn’t ask for more.

In answering question 1, a JFK quote was discussed because it still resonates with me today. Well, on August 28, 1963, another great man made a statement that still resonates with me as well. Martin Luther King Jr… “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Mother taught us we have the freedom to choose, and even to change, that character we wish to be judged by. “The choice, the action, the character change can only be made by you. Remember, it is not an inalienable right that others must view your character differently, you have to earn that right,” she would say.

The character values instilled in me as a child, freedom and the limitless opportunity of our country, have given me a good life. My policy priorities are to insure that our opportunity and our freedom are front and center, so all may enjoy the same bounty that has been there for me.

Conflicts arise as tax dollars being spent go beyond our means and beyond the constitutionally mandated scope of Government. Unfortunately, the next biennium will be fraught with some very tough decisions. Tough decisions because the shutdown of the Montana economy, by order of the Governor, has created major revenue shortfalls.

Spending cuts alone are simply a short term solution. As this question suggested, we also need a solution for the long term. Therefore, as the budget is tightened, and eventually balanced, we have got to demand something in return. It is paramount that we get deregulation changes to offset the budget cuts. The spirit of these deregulation changes must be to reestablish opportunity for all. We have to create offsetting opportunity and preserve freedom so future generations will grow and prosper.

This looming budget crisis is the perfect example of why we need to stop robbing from the next generation. Now is the perfect time to begin the task of leaving the next generation a manageable future.

The definition of trustee [is] (an individual person or member of a board given control or powers of administration of property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified) and delegate (a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference).

A legislator must act in good faith and trust with regard to the image they presented of themselves to the majority during the campaign. I believe this is what the majority expects, and this is what the majority deserves. This thought process falls more along the lines of integrity, rather than trustee or delegate.

The majority rightly deserve integrity. I will give the majority the integrity they ask for.

Communication in today’s world has never been easier. There are multiple forms of social media, there are smartphones, and there are websites. However, of all the modem forms of communication, the most widely used is still the telephone (cell phone and landline). Folks under the age of 50 tend to use texting while those over 50 tend to use their phone as a phone, and call. Email is also frequently used in the age group from 30 to 65. Thus, since the majority choose to use phone calls, texting, and email, my choice of communication will mirror theirs.

Common ground. In almost every situation there is some common ground. We identify the common ground and achieve consensus on this common ground belief. For example, if black lives matter and all lives matter, can we agree to stand locked arm-in-arm with signs that say such in front of an abortion clinic? Common ground now becomes the nucleus of the debate and we move outward from there. As we move outward, we will occasionally have to move back and lock arms again to remind ourselves of our common ground.

From the beginning of my working career through to retirement, my life has been one of moving from common ground to consensus of a goal and then on to the achievement of that goal. Because this has been a way of life for me, it has naturally become a habit done effortlessly and naturally.

Currently, we have various sales taxes, property taxes, income taxes, and hidden taxes we may not even realize we are paying.  We are paying tons of taxes.  With so many taxes, what constitutes tax reform?  Getting rid of one tax and adding another is not tax reform.  Layering on more taxes, under any cute name, is not tax reform.  Getting rid of a tax and calling the move tax reform is not tax reform.

Reform is taking at least a ten-year historical look at the complete system.  This historical look is to include all taxes.  The cost of collection of each type of tax.  The cost of state and local administration of each type of tax.  Revenue changes of each type of tax.  The causes of revenue changes of each type of tax.  The budgets of the recipients of each type of tax.  The budget changes of recipients of each type of tax.  The causes of budget changes of recipients of each type of tax.  Retained assets from each type of tax.  Depreciation schedules of assets…etc., etc., etc.  In short, the life cycle of each type of tax dollar collected and spent.

Once all data is gathered and analyzed, then decisions on tax reform can begin.  The end result will likely be a different solution than most of us foresaw.

This question asks, “Where does the liability lie for the transmission of ‘the bug’? Communist China.  Beyond this obvious, “the bug” is just like any other natural disaster.  Who is responsible for the major ice storm that causes havoc and kills thousands?  Who is responsible for the major rain storm that causes flash flooding and kills thousands?  Who is responsible for a volcano that erupts and kills thousands?  Who is responsible for the annual flu outbreaks that kill thousands every year?

We live in the United States and are endowed with the one thing the rest of the world would love to have.  We have freedom.  With freedom comes great responsibility.  We must take responsibility for ourselves and mitigate the risks of infection based on the information available.  If a suit is brought forward claiming fault, it should be thrown out of court as a frivolous suit.  However, if you are mandated to wear a mask then, through inference, you may feel that a mask keeps you safe.  Now, if you catch “the bug” in spite of wearing the mandated mask and decide to file suit, then perhaps your suit should be allowed to proceed.

With our freedom comes responsibility.  We are responsible for the government.  The government is not responsible for us.

The next biennium session is going to be focused heavily on shoring up huge shortfalls in tax revenues due to the Bullock shut-down of Montana. By the income stream I have seen, there will not be funds available to do any expanded spending period. In fact, there may be some serious spending reductions. I feel the seriousness of the revenue shortfall could be somewhat mitigated if the Governor would just use his foresight and call a special session.

Perhaps he is too busy strategizing his next campaign? It looks as if we are destined to wait for the Legislature to convene this coming January. I just hope the consequence of waiting is not too severe!

Unfortunately, this question falls under the same category as [the previous question]. The gravity of the problem rests within the Governor’s office. All we can do at this time is wait until January and see what we have left to work with.

We currently have public-private partnerships without special interest laws to augment them. One might ask, “Why do these partnerships work without special laws to push them off the starting line?” The reason is a clear robust purpose for the partnership propels it. There is no pie in the sky. There is no build it and they will come.” There is a robust purpose with clear tangible benefits surrounding the project.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) created the potential for billions of dollars to flow into low-income communities. These “economically-distressed communities where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment” are defined as opportunity zones. Montana has 25 opportunity zones as identified by the Governor and certified the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. One Big Sky, and all the other names that morphed from One Big Sky, was one of those 25 opportunity zones.

There is good reason the 406 Impact Districts (in Billings this was One Big Sky) senate bill failed. As the bill was written, the state of Montana, Yellowstone County, and the City of Billings could not afford it.

Additionally, this bill codified into law the pathway for all 25 Opportunity Zones to spend Montana Taxpayer Taxes at the same pace. Can you imagine? Montana would have had to declare bankruptcy!

I went to most of the town hall meetings concerning the One Big Sky proposal preceding the actual Senate Bill. I wrote several letters to the newspaper and one to Billings City Council. As the bill attempted to weave its way through the Senate, I wrote a few more letters. For your review, I have a letter to the editor, plus a letter to the Billings City Council, posted on my website at: TJSmith4Montana.com