City Council 2025: Denis Pitman

Thank you for asking this and all of the following questions, they are actually very important to the selection of the next Billings City Council. I find it an amazing honor to represent the residents who elect me, and I believe that leadership is about listening, learning, and acting in the best interest of the people. My decision to run for City Council is rooted in a deep passion for serving this community, addressing its challenges, and building a brighter future. Billings deserves leaders who care deeply about sustainable development, and the well-being of its residents. I am eager to represent your voice and turn aspirations into actionable strategies. I am committed to getting things done, and not just talking about them. I have a proven track record of having a vision and then getting it completed. Granted even Skyway Drive and the By-Pass have taken almost 20 years, it was that kind of vision and commitment that are needed on the council. Following the law, and making sure that items voted on by the council are followed by staff is a priority. A strong council allows for the citizens to be heard, and for the vision of the council to be implemented. You can learn more about what I have done that makes me the most qualified person to fill the vacant seat in Ward 2.

Billings City Council run as non partisan, and yet with my background, people also understand that I am a fiscal conservative that works hard to balance budgets, and keep the tax payers informed as to the budgeting decisions we make. Both parties have increased their influence on the council, especially since local governments are the closest to the people and probably have a more direct impact on their lives. But I have never met a pot hole that was Republican or Democrat, or a garbage can that claimed to be liberal or conservative. What I do see every day when I go to the store or help people in Billings Heights are people concerned about how to pay their taxes, and remain in their homes while wanting more public safety and other services provided by the city. As elected officials we need to find ways to balance all of those needs place them in a priority list of needs and wants. I can work with anyone on either side of the political spectrum if they are truly wanting to collaborate and find positive solutions.

A. Every resident deserves to feel safe in their home and community. Strengthening law enforcement resources, enhancing emergency response services, and addressing the root causes of crime are central to my approach. Recent events show that every time police, firefighters or other responders are called to help, they truly place their lives on the line. We deserve to make sure that have the best resources available. We need to be working closely with all our city and state counterparts to make sure that we have their support in providing treatment, incarceration facilities, and mental health care for us and for all our citizens.

B. A balanced and fair budget. Priority based budgeting and making sure the budget can be sustained while we grow and mature as a community. We don’t need to raise taxes if we increase the base population in a manner that does not get the growth of goverment faster than the growth of the community. Billings has been methodically pufting in infrastructure preparing for this growth. Now we need to make sure that it is used to its maximum potential and has a positive return on investment.

C. Growth and expansion. One of the main reasons for the IBL Skyway Drive was to unite our city and provide a path for growth and expansion in the Northwest area of our county. It is more than just a road, it is a pathway to future infrastructure and utility routes for our community. It provides an alternative route in and around the city, and gives a beautiful area for growth and development. Infilling will only go so far within the current city limits, and thoughtful planning and development will provide our city with additional revenue, and provide our citizens with additional places to live or operate their businesses.

Unfortunately as we grow, the issues of larger communities follows that growth. Violent crime, drug and alcohol abuse as well as mental illness have a tremendous effect on public safety. Billings has become a hub for services which also brings some of these issues into our community in disproportionate levels. Working on all levels we need to not only support our law enforcement who are facing tremendous stress trying to do their jobs, but we must also look for resources and assistance from the communities that surround us, and are sending their needs to Billings. Just as we expanded the State of Montana crime lab to Billings, we need to expand the incarceration facilities and mental health hospital facilities from the west of the state to Yellowstone County and the City of Billings.

Public Safety has more risks, as we have seen in the news lately, and those who choose to serve us need all the resources we can provide to make sure that they return home to their families at the end of their shift. We need to work with the county officials to follow the recommendations of the public safety survey in which it was indicated that our number of cells needs to almost double its current capacity. Mutual aid agreements need to be reviewed and approved so that we are working with our neighbors. I have worked on these issues and know that it is not just one issue, from our first responders to our courts we must find ways to make the system fair and effective.

I would sit down with the builders association, Realtors, and developers, and hear what they think would be the most important to them. I would be in favor of eliminating aesthetic, material, shape, bulk, size, and floor area and other massing requirements and remove at least half of those requirements. It would allow builders to reduce the cost of housing, and give them the option as to how much in aesthetics are wanted and needed to provide the most affordable housing and also meet the needs and desires of those they are building for.

Increase building height limits for dwelling units by at least 25%. Building up allows for a more economical way to maximize a rate of return and not put so much pressure on providing public services. We have plenty of blue sky, and this would be a great tool to have in our city. It would at least give builders some additional options when they are building as to where they want to put their priorities in a project. It will be interesting to see what the builders have to say about this option, and why this tool has not been more effectively utilized. Reducing off street parking requirements may also help as we see more people in higher density areas using MET Transit and alternative forms of transportation.

I have actually used these options, and if we use both a zero-based budget and a priority based budget system, we can find the best solutions for funding the services of our city. Sometimes we have to acknowledge we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. But we need to do these exercises in order to find out what the issues are and what some of the solutions might be. We can either find ways to increase growth and therefore revenue, or we have to make cuts to services based on the priorities we offer the community.

Either we ask where and how we can grow, or we ask where and how we can reduce services. We also need to be working with private and non-profit organizations to acquire grants other resources. I would also suggest that organizations begin to work together to benefit as many people as possible.

Another resource that is often overlooked is the current staff of the city. Asking them options for becoming more selective in projects and vision for the future can allow us to see what they see are the issues facing the city. With the way the legislature implementing the tax system they did this year, cities like Billings are going to face challenges, and now we have to find our own solutions, because the options given by the legislature don’t work for our community.

I believe that TIF districts have been critical in supporting and encouraging growth in our downtown. I would like to see it used to help areas that maybe don’t fit all of the requirements, but would help areas like Billings Heights. With the main issue being blight, as businesses close and we are left with empty storefronts or empty lots, we have to be able to offer opportunities for businesses to utilize these spaces. There also needs to be a sunset so that at some point after all of the investment, there is a return on that investment and improvements. If is one of the few ways that Billings is actually able to retain some of its tax base and invest it back into our community.

Currently, there are no TIF districts in Billings Heights, and I believe we need to find ways to help businesses in the Heights grow, and this can be a great resource. I would like to see parts of Main Street made into a TIF district allowing businesses to upgrade their properties and attract businesses. Now with the Billings By-Pass and Skyway drive open, a major obstacle has been addressed, now we need to focus on our business community to and help them invest in Billings Heights.

This would be an area that I would like to see as a public / private partnership. While they are valuable assets, they also have a liability and cost with them. Some things are better done outside of the government control and ownership. Most of them have also begun to use TIF money to assist in their improvement, which will never directly return any money to the city budget. I believe that they should have to pick one option or the other, but not be able to utilize both. We are doing just that with assets like Dehler Park, the new sports facility on the south side, and even Par 3 golf course. 

I currently serve on the Aviation and Transit board for the City of Billings, and think that moving both the airport and transit to an authority will allow them to do so much more than allowed currently. With the airport, we would see several levels of red tape reduced, and with the transit we would see services be allowed in areas outside of the City limits like Lockwood. Each would be able to used that authority to expand services quicker, and reduce liability to the city. Neither of these departments take from the city budget, and receive the funding federally or via services provided. They also don’t provide any money to the general fund, so having them connected to a system that does noting but slow them down and hinder opportunities does not make sense.

I do support the TBID because it gives us a resource to assist in people coming to our community paid for by people who are visiting our city. I have been part of using these funds to help invite and encourage business and other functions to come to our community. When they come into our city, they spend money and provide our businesses with outside income, and opportunities for future events. It is one of the more effective ways in which we are able to make our mark and advertise all that we have to offer to people who many not have ever been to Billings. As we see with a new hotel being built in downtown Billings, infill is a cost effective, and beneficial way for the city to grow with infrastructure that is already in place. This is done without having to ask local businesses or property owners to pay for it. When we attract organizations and groups to have their meetings and gatherings in Billings we all benefit from the dollars that they bring and spend in our community. We need to encourage people to VISIT BILLINGS!