“I don’t have any money, but I want to advocate for an issue. What can I do to help?” In local elections, one of the best ways to advocate for an issue is by writing a letter to the local herald, tribune, or gazette. The best part is that it’s free. The second best part…
Tag: billings
Yes, Montana, I love you too
When I met my husband Johnathan my home had dial-up Internet; no one had cell phones; my last paper had been researched using the dewey decimal system. My sister dragged me to church camp less than 24 hours after I’d returned from a trip to visit my host family in Australia. I was exhausted and…
The City of Billings needs a Youth Advisory Committee
What I hear at the doors: “You used to be able to bike down these streets, but now the cars whip through here way too fast.” “My son lives in Bozeman and I can’t get him to move back.” “My friend/sister/old roommate won’t live in a city without THIS or THAT.” “Billings leadership is such…
Why we can’t have nice things: property tax edition
So at the doors when I say something like, “We haven’t had a public safety mill levy pass in 15 years,” sometimes people are like, “That’s right, police and fire need more support,” and sometimes people say, “But property taxes.” And I get it. Because in Billings, the ONLY way to raise revenue is through…
Canvassing: Monday edition
What does City Council actually do, anyway?
The office I’m running for is not a “big” one—in fact most people (myself included) make it to adulthood without ever understanding exactly what City Council does. We never learned that City Council is the voting body for zoning decisions—not just controversial ones like casinos, medical marijuana, and micro-breweries, but also multi-family housing, and new…