City Council 2025: Tony O’Donnell

I have always enjoyed public service whether in an elected capacity or volunteer. My training and dedication to listening to all sides of an issue has benefited my decision making. I believe my experience and mature judgement will be beneficial to Billings.

I am a conservative and therefore a republican and not the other way around.

Real property tax reform, better public protection through improved policing, not necessarily more cops, and paying attention to avoid deferred maintenance. Bond issue results are skewed by those who have an financial inability, especially “little old ladies” on very minimal fixed incomes, and simply cannot afford an increase on their property tax and therefore vote ‘no’ even on something they really support. I would be quite interested in an “efficiency study” on the BPD. Deferred maintenance is the costliest way to balance a budget.

While recognizing that most, if not all, crime is drug related, it is of interest to me if there is a particular reason underlying what you pinpoint as ‘violent crime. Aside from the purely law enforcement aspect, the general cultural malaise the entire country has slipped into is certainly a major factor. Churches as well as many other groups have the potential to make for a better overall climate, especially with ‘youth’. That said, we must expand our detention center.

Governor Gianforte has made very big strides to streamline and eliminate regulations which inhibit new housing. All of the strategies cited are reasonable but are most useful only when taking into account the particular character of a certain community or neighborhood. It does not seem to me that reliance on any two is going to solve the overall problem. It is of great importance, however, that the city does not become so densely overbuilt that no one wants to live here (although that would solve the demand on housing). I do rather gravitate to the tactic of reducing construction regulations and government fees to provide greater incentives to normal market initiatives.

I am not experienced with this economic planning model and we will see what the council is presented with. As I understand the concept, it makes a great deal of sense if done right. It seems that this method would be a natural enemy of “the way we have always done it”.

I am learning about TIFs and agree with City Manager Kukulski’s assessment that they are very complicated. That said, everything I have learned from realtors and developers is that they are very effective and the necessary tool for accomplishing urban redevelopment and revitalization goals.

At first glance, I do not know what sense it makes for the city to own these properties. One does not begin as a council member understanding as much as will be learned. I am sure that there is a wide body of information to support the status quo which I am eager to learn. 

This is something that, being on the outside, makes me unqualified to form such an opinion. This is what city professional staff and testimonies fleshes out especially in public hearings and other resource material. I well realize that I have a lot to learn and anyone who feels that they have nothing to learn should never be given any opportunity to make important decisions. Council members have access to a lot more information than candidates. Generally I favor less government control.

Every business is required to advertise in order to stay alive in a very competitive world. Our tourism business supports an amazing amount of economic activity in the city as a whole and this TBID is a very efficient way to achieve our civic health. This is a MUCH better method than using city general fund, that is, general tax dollars. It is also a quite a slick approach: using tourist dollars to increase more tourist dollars!