Montana's Fiscal Outlook: Preparedness Pays Off

As we move through the Christmas season, I hope you’re finding time for what matters most—family, friends, and fellowship. I spent the week before Christmas in Helena in long days of budget meetings—going line by line through Montana’s year-end finances to prepare for the new year. That’s how Montanans do things: you make sure you’re ready before the weather turns.

This week the Legislative Finance Committee reviewed the FY 2026 financial report. Bottom line: the “record surplus” era is cooling off. Montana’s budget picture is tightening as economic conditions shift and major tax reductions ta...