City Council 2025: Jennifer Owen

I’m running for Mayor because I believe in Billings. Our city is at a crossroads, and we need bold, thoughtful leadership to deliver on the incredible potential of this community. For over two decades, my work has focused on bringing people together to solve complex problems – experience I’m ready to put to work for this community.

My background is in policy, law, and community development. I’ve led large teams, managed public budgets, and run my own business. Along the way, I’ve learned that good policy starts with listening: what’s working and what’s not, where city government must act and where it needs to get out of the way.

As a Councilmember representing the Heights, I have prioritized public safety and fiscal responsibility, digging into our city’s budget and advocating accountable government. My legal work on behalf of abused and neglected children gave me firsthand insight into the consequences of untreated addiction and crime in our community. At the same time, serving on the boards of Rocky Mountain College and Big Sky Economic Development has shown me the amazing opportunities we have in Billings. Yes, we have serious challenges that require real leadership, and I am prepared to confront those issues. But we also have momentum to energize Billings. We need leaders with courage and vision, and I will bring that as your next Mayor.

Billings is my home. It matters to me that we have safe neighborhoods, a vibrant economy, and the best quality of life possible. I bring a big-picture perspective and an action-oriented mindset. I don’t have all the answers, but I will always do my homework, ask tough questions, and ensure that residents have a real voice. Together, we’ll put first things first, avoid waste, and build a city that works for everyone.

It is no secret that I am the conservative choice in this race. I believe in responsible budgeting, transparency in government, and a common-sense, community-based approach to solving problems. But the truth is, most issues facing Billings aren’t partisan; they’re things a majority of us agree on, like safe neighborhoods, better roads and infrastructure, more housing, and using limited taxpayer dollars wisely.

At the local level, good leadership means listening to a range of perspectives, asking tough questions, and staying focused on results. That’s the kind of leadership I have demonstrated on City Council and will continue to offer as Mayor. I’ll work hard to make sure our city stays financially sound, lives within its means, and delivers core services effectively. Residents of our community deserve to see real impact across Billings, meaning we are improving all neighborhoods and providing return on investment for your tax dollars.

I also genuinely believe in the power of community. Government can’t — and shouldn’t — solve every problem. Often the best solutions come when we bring residents, businesses, and local leaders to the table. That means having a variety of perspectives and opinions, coming together as neighbors to make Billings better. I’ll work to strengthen those partnerships while keeping city government accountable and limited in its role.

Representing all of my constituents is something I have always taken very seriously. I will continue to be someone who listens carefully, invites people to the conversation, does the homework, and votes based on what’s best for the people of Billings, not what’s popular or driven by outside agendas. I’m committed to making local government work better, not bigger. That’s the perspective I’ll bring to every issue.

Public Safety. My top priority is and will continue to be a safer Billings. Public safety is the foundation of economic prosperity and the most fundamental role of government. I want Billings to be the safest place for our children to grow and the best place for business – we can’t do that if people fear going downtown or walking on our trails. Billings needs more housing and commercial development, but those investments don’t happen when job sites get robbed and properties are under attack. Public safety is the first step in having better schools, more economic opportunity, a stronger workforce, and a thriving community.

Infrastructure. Residents across Billings are frustrated with congested roads, crumbling infrastructure, and a lack of clarity in how investments are made. Strategic, smart decisions to build our transportation and utility networks will catalyze private investment, bringing the housing and amenities we all want. But City government needs to do better in planning and communicating with the public. We must streamline regulations so that projects move faster, engage neighbors more, and reduce burdensome costs. We must establish visions for new corridors like Skyline Drive and the Billings Bypass, solving infrastructure challenges upfront and providing certainty for developers and neighbors. We need to improve maintenance to protect public dollars and have serious discussions about the challenges of sprawling growth.

Transparent Government. Overwhelmingly, people tell me that they don’t know what is happening inside local government. We have to do better. As Mayor, I am committed to genuine public engagement, improved communication about policy and budget decisions, and truly listening to the needs of all neighborhoods. I believe we are underutilizing technology to empower citizens, provide information, and educate voters. We need to become more nimble, sophisticated, and accountable, so that Billings knows its local government is working.

While Billings has made progress, too many families still don’t feel safe in their own neighborhoods and violent crime continues to take a heavy toll. As Mayor, I won’t be passive on tackling crime.

I’ve spent years on these issues, well before my time on City Council. I have led efforts to strengthen our community’s response to child abuse and family violence. Hearing that the public wants to see local governments work together, I helped build a partnership with the County to jointly fund a holding facility for low-level offenders who need to be held accountable faster than our system currently allows.

The work on safety in recent years is significant, but the hardest conversation is yet to come: expanding capacity at the jail. In 2023, I was appointed to a multi-jurisdictional team, led by the County Attorney, to find efficiencies in the criminal justice system and evaluate the need for more jail capacity. The team has made meaningful system reforms, and now we as taxpayers will need to engage in a difficult conversation about the jail. I am convinced that expansion is necessary, but the costs are significant.

I will continue to bring people together work on policy strategies that are smart, affordable, and results-oriented. That means ensuring our police and first responders have necessary resources, but also ensuring the entire system is working, from arrest through prosecution and incarceration. However, prevention also matters. We can’t arrest our way out of every problem. We need to focus on root causes of violence, including addiction, mental health, and repeat offenses. That takes coordination, experience, and leadership. Our officers, prosecutors, and dispatchers are doing their jobs – it’s time for us as elected officials to give them the tools they need. As Mayor, I’ll bring urgency and experience to public safety.

I support housing strategies that make sense locally, especially when they address housing needs without expanding regulations, increasing taxes, or undermining neighborhoods. Two strategies I’m most interested in are: (1) zoning for higher-density housing near job centers, schools, and transit corridors; and (2) allowing multi-unit or mixed-use development in commercial zones.

Both approaches help put housing close to where people already live, work, and go to school. This reduces traffic, makes better use of existing infrastructure, and lowers the cost of delivering services like police, fire, and water. It’s a fiscally responsible, common-sense approach to growth. Identifying areas where mixed-use development can be used more also creates neighborhood gathering areas, activate public spaces, and attract amenities like restaurants and entertainment. It is a strategy that accomplishes multiple goals and makes sense for our growing community.

We need more housing options in Billings, especially for working families, young people, and seniors. But we also need to be thoughtful about the character of established neighborhoods. These two strategies allow us to add housing without forcing drastic zoning changes on residential areas. They focus new development in places where higher density already fits the context.

By aligning housing with existing commercial areas and transit routes, we can meet state requirements, support our local economy, and preserve what people love about Billings. Going forward, we should continue to evaluate whether our development rules make sense. If there are areas where setbacks or parking minimums need to be reevaluated, let’s have those conversations. If the City is holding land that won’t be used for parks or open space, let’s explore using that land for housing and growing the tax base. Let’s not be afraid to talk about managing growth in Billings consistent with our values, rather than just allowing growth happen to us.

I am proud to have brought the amendment that directed a zero-based budgeting analysis for fiscal year 2027 during this year’s budget adoption — building off of the leadership of previous Councils that also explored the need for a fresh look at the entire budget. We have very serious fiscal questions in front of us, due to the tax-shifting property tax bills passed in the 2025 Legislative Session. Our tax structure in Montana has fundamentally changed and now City Council has real work to do to protect our voter-adopted charter provisions, address budget needs, and show the taxpayers that we are able to be good stewards of their resources. That means we have to look at every program, question every assumption, and ensure that dollars are being appropriately allocated in line with taxpayer expectations.

This one-time zero-based budgeting exercise for FY2027 is an important community conversation. It will not be easy, but it is vital to being much more honest with voters about where tax dollars are going and what changes we may face in coming years due to the state’s property tax structure. I am serious about a more transparent City government and this planning process for FY2027 is part of my commitment to being more open with the public about where your tax dollars are going.

Well-managed and accountable TIF districts are a useful economic development tool. I currently represent the Heights, and business leaders in our neighborhood are discussing options for a TIF to address blight and attract new development. TIF districts help to encourage investment in neighborhoods that present more challenges for development and can be effective tools for reducing crime and expanding economic opportunities.

We presently have three TIF districts in Billings, each doing work to improve conditions within their area. Each district has accomplished demonstrable outcomes, based on their own redevelopment plans. However, I would like to see our TIF districts be supported by and connected to a more comprehensive vision for economic growth in our community. While each TIF does well on its own, I believe Billings would be better served by encouraging more collaboration in line with a bold plan to truly embrace Billings’ status as the economic hub of the region. I am bullish about our future and will not apologize for Billings being the biggest city with the most opportunity to attract new business to Montana. I want to see us capitalize on our strengths, invest in our youth, and be the robust powerhouse that Billings deserves to be. Bringing our TIF districts together to drive that vision, rather than continuing to operate largely independently, is a step in the right direction for a more agile and sophisticated approach to economic development.

Truthfully, there are no great answers. Given the impact of 2025 legislation on property taxes, there simply are no extra dollars to fund these maintenance needs right now. That’s not a reflection on the importance of these properties to the community – it is simply a reality of the present budget situation.

So, what can be done? We can partner more collaboratively with these facility operators on private fundraising, grants, and other resources outside of the public budget. We can be aggressive about attracting downtown development so that the downtown TIF can be an option for maintenance — not the only option, but one of many strategies. We can develop a detailed list of maintenance needs and prioritize them, so that when funds are available, we know what the highest needs are. And, as difficult as the conversations may be, we need to continue open, good faith dialogue with the operators about whether City ownership makes sense going forward.

Having vibrant, downtown cultural assets is important to our overall health as a community and as a crime reduction strategy – active spaces improve neighborhood safety. I believe we have untapped opportunity to work together to program these spaces more frequently, bring more foot traffic to the downtown area, and support local businesses. Maintaining community properties is necessary to their ongoing use, but we must also be candid that the current city budget does not have space for major facility investments at this time.

I support transitioning to an airport authority. The Airport is working on a transition analysis that may identify some issues to be resolved, but overall, moving in the direction of an independent authority makes a lot of sense. Most airports in Montana have already made that move and in all candor, City Council provides very limited meaningful guidance to the airport. We don’t use general fund dollars to support the airport and we have little reason to maintain oversight of the operations of a facility largely governed by federal rules.

I want Billings to be the number one airport for passengers and cargo in the state. Airport leadership has secured federal funding for beautiful renovations – now we need to increase the flight options and make sure our airport leads the region. Giving the airport the independence it needs to move fast and solve problems with an experienced board is a step in the right direction.

Part of the airport authority conversation also revolves around the inclusion of transit. Currently, the airport and MET transit are a single City Department, and our discussion about an airport authority should also examine whether transit goes with the airport under a new structure. Including transit in an airport authority maintains an interconnected public transportation system and may provide more flexibility to expand services in a way that makes sense for the broader metro area. I am in support of strategies that help Billings operate with more agility, innovation, and responsiveness to the public. An independent airport authority moves us in that direction.

The TBID is a self-imposed fee that is voted on and supported by the hoteliers. I see no reason to disturb the choices of private businesses. In my time on Council, I have observed TBID to be open to a variety of innovations and to work strategically with community partners. TBID underwrites some beloved community events that attract people to Billings and continues to work to support quality of life projects in Billings. TBID is also a critical stakeholder in expanding air service to Billings.

In recent years, I have observed TBID and Visit Billings highlighting more tourism options throughout the community, supporting neighborhood businesses better. I also think the focus on sports tourism aligns with what Billings residents want to see. Finally, TBID and Visit Billings have worked together to focus internally as well – not just attracting people to Billings but also helping local residents to better understand all the amazing events and amenities that we have in our backyards.