by WTF 406 Staff | Sep 16, 2023 | Taxes
A new web-based calculator lets you figure out how much your property tax is going up and how much the property tax for big corporations are going down thanks to the Republican Legislature and the Gianforte administration.
There is lots of misinformation floating around about what is happening to residential property tax bills. Most of it is coming from Republicans in the legislature and the Gianforte Administration trying to shift the blame for what happened during the last legislative session. Here is an editorial we ran explaining what happened and why our property taxes are going up.
https://wtf406.com/2023/07/big-corporations-get-tax-benefits-while-montana-resident-get-higher-property-taxes/
Now you can see exactly how much your property taxes are going up and, even more important, how much the taxes for other classes of property are going down. Below is an example of a house in Anaconda. You can get the same information about your home by going to www.taxshiftmt.com Check it out!
by WTF 406 Staff | Sep 16, 2023 | Elections, Energy/Utilities
Last September, Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci said that Misssoula should be targeted for “brownouts”. In a speech calling for Republican elected officials to “flex their political muscle,” Pinocci requested that PSC staff figure out if reductions of power in the grid could be targeted to specific communities. Apparently, Pinocci was responding to citizen protests against NorthWestern Energy.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-regional/missoula-should-be-targeted-with-any-power-brownouts-says-republican-psc-member/article_9060fd7c-4060-11ed-b4f5-27411159d189.html
Last August, Pinocci issued a bogus blackout warning. Pinocci and one other Public Service Commissioner issued a statement which said, “the probable lack of energy leading to ‘rolling blackouts’ in eastern Montana this summer as well as frighteningly real possibilities of hugely inadequate shortages in Montana in winter.” Turned out the whole thing was bogus. The PSC staff was forced to point out that the full Public Service Commission did not support Pinocci’s statement.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-regional/blackout-warnings-by-psc-commissioners-unfounded-utility-says/article_5093ac90-145e-11ed-9d31-7be9c355a4ea.html
In 2020, Pinocci went on the far-right Northwest Liberty News webcast and said he was concerned about fellow Public Service Commissioner Roger Koopman bringing a gun to the office. Koopman denied the allegation.
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2020/02/29/fear-and-loathing-montana-psc-battle-among-some-members-escalates/4904793002/
Also in 2020, Pinocci apparently hacked into a fellow PSC commissioner’s e-mail account and put together a story which he then shopped to media outlets. When The Billings Gazette refused to publish the story, Pinoccci went to Northwest Liberty News which published a story under the headline, “Terror in Helena! ‘I’m afraid that Roger Koopman will bring a gun to work and shoot me. . . .”
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/bullying-spying-and-harassment-revealed-in-montana-psc-documents/article_8682c1bb-8163-5a2b-a192-fe9180b60a13.html
At a speech in Havre In March 2022, Pinocci called for regulation of social media to control “anti-conservative” bias. He went on to compare the supposed oppression of conservatives to the oppression of Black Americans under Jim Crow.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R1IpUvxSB7Ac08EtiYWSJKk2X-EUVk_j4Q20Je5HUQE/edit
In 2016, when he was a legislator, Pinocci called for the jailing of journalists after the Fairfield Sun Times refused to publish an editorial he wrote on gun rights saying, “. . .maybe after we put a few of these idiots in jail we can get better reporting.” https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R1IpUvxSB7Ac08EtiYWSJKk2X-EUVk_j4Q20Je5HUQE/edit
Pinocci has quite a record of expressing extreme views, and there is a lot more than we have listed above. But perhaps the most disconcerting thing about Pinocci and the Cascade County Republicans is their corruption. It is worth noting that two of Pinocci’s family members were recently hired by the new Clerk and Recorder and election denier Sandra Merchant.
Other elected Republicans are also involved in suspect situations. Legislators Steven and Lola Galloway are leasing a big building they own to the state Motor Vehicle Division whose budget they oversee as legislators. (WTF406 filed an information request with the state asking for information on the bidding process for the lease more than two months ago). Speaking of the Galloways, many of Steven Galloway’s bills at the legislature promoted his business interests as a landlord in Great Falls. Then there is the whole saga of Senator Jeremy Trebas’ attempt to change state law to enrich his real estate deals. https://wtf406.com/2023/07/senator-trebas-tax-scam-turns-into-an-albatross-around-his-neck/
And let’s not forget Representative Steve Gist, and the fact that his primary residence and place of business appears to be in Flathead County not Cascade County, where he is supposed to be our representative. https://wtf406.com/2022/10/where-in-the-world-does-steve-gist-really-live/
KT
by WTF 406 Staff | Sep 16, 2023 | Elections, Featured
On Wednesday,Sept 6th, Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court to respond to a ticket for disorderly conduct he received in an incident on July 5.
Pinocci was issued the citation for “quarreling, challenging to fight, or fighting, namely by getting in (alleged victim’s) face and bumping chests during an argument and yelling.” In typical Pinocci style, he said he was unfairly accused and pointed out that he is too fat to bump chests with anyone, because his belly is too big. (Really! Can’t wait to see if he does a reenactment if he goes to trial.)
Not surprisingly, Pinocci says he did nothing wrong and the whole thing is a big mistake. His lawyer, Ben Reed of Helena, explained that Pinocci failed to appear in court, as requested twice, because he was at scheduled meetings with constituents. KT
For the full story: https://dailymontanan.com/2023/09/12/pinocci-arrested-released-on-misdemeanor-disputes-validity-of-court-warrant/
Randy would like us all to think that he was so busy doing his job that he couldn’t make a court appearance. WTF406.com is well acquainted with how hard Pinocci works. We published this photo of him “representing his constituents” in a hearing before the PSC back in April 2022.
by WTF 406 Staff | Aug 27, 2023 | Elections
Donald Trump took some time between responding to four indictments containing ninety-one felonies to talk via zoom with State Freedom Caucus members, including some from Montana. Great Falls Republican Representative, Steven Galloway, took the opportunity to ask Trump to endorse Matt Rosendale for the Republican nomination for Jon Tester’s Senate seat. Rosendale has been playing coy boy and has not yet announced his intentions in that race. The lone Republican who has filed is Minnesota billionaire, Tim Sheehy, the handpicked candidate of Montana Senator Steve Daines and “establishment” Republicans (whatever that means these days).
Trump responded to Galloway saying that he really hadn’t looked at the Montana race yet but was sure Rosendale was waiting to get his endorsement to make his final decision. No big surprise that the man with the endless ego would put that spin on it. Galloway took the opportunity to take some shots at Tim Sheehy and the “RINOs” (Republicans In Name Only) supporting his bid for Senate touting Rosendale’s record as one of the most extreme members of Congress.
It may be an uphill push for Rosendale to get Trump’s endorsement. On the call, Trump questioned why Rosendale lost to Tester in 2018 and asked why this race would be any different. After all, Trump came to Montana numerous times supporting Rosendale to no avail and, in Trump world, if that doesn’t put you over the top, nothing can. It’s also worth noting that Rosendale snubbed Trump during the fight over electing Kevin McCarthy as house speaker, refusing to take Trump’s call (see image below). The final barrier for Rosendale is the rocky relationship between the hard right super PAC “Club for Growth” and Trump. The Club For Growth has been a major supporter of Rosendale in past elections.
Rosendale waves off Marjorie Taylor Green handing him her phone with Donald Trump waiting on the line.
Thank you to the Montana Free Press for reporting on this story.
https://montanafreepress.org/2023/08/18/hardline-gop-legislators-push-trump-for-rosendale-endorsement/
–KT
by WTF 406 Staff | Aug 27, 2023 | Elections
In case you haven’t noticed, free and fair elections are under attack. Most recently the election denier crowd here in Cascade County is bringing another roadshow charlatan here to Great Falls. This guy’s name is Douglas Frank, a former high school math and science teacher from Ohio. And it appears he is a target of an FBI probe into voter fraud in numerous states.
In April, he appeared in six public meetings in Wyoming and held private meetings with legislators and the Wyoming Secretary of State. His actions prompted the Association of Clerk and Recorders to issue a letter to the Secretary of State, Chuck Gray, which said, “Throughout those meetings, we have concluded that Dr. Frank conveys claims of impropriety but provides no proof to support his allegations.” Malcolm Ervin, Platte County clerk and president of the clerks’ association, also wrote to Gray on March 29. “One would think that Dr. Frank would be eager to prove this capability but rather than proof, Dr. Frank offers an unverifiable story.”
Last spring the election deniers brought other so-called “experts” to town for another public meeting. In addition to Republican State Senator Theresa Manzella, the self appointed Queen of election deniers in Montana, they brought in a shady character named Mark Cook. Among other things, Cook was implicated in litigation and investigations in Colorado over illegal copying of voting records. (WTF406.com has written several articles, some examples here and here, on the election deniers here in Great Falls.)
It turns out that Douglas Frank is also a target in an FBI probe of voting fraud in Colorado arising from some of the same incidents Mark Cook had allegedly been involved in. In September, his cell phone was confiscated by the FBI. Mike Lindell’s (The My Pillow Guy and major supporter of election fraud conspiracy theories) phone was also taken in part of the same investigation. Documents that Lindell showed on his on-line program said investigators were seeking evidence of crimes committed by Lindell and several associates, including Frank. Lindell said that he had hired Frank for several projects but was not aware of all of his activities and denied any involvement in the incidents in Colorado.
As Donald Trump faces state and federal criminal indictment for his efforts to steal the 2020 election, here in Great Falls election conspiracists continue promoting their wacky theories and generally fouling up the Clerk and Recorder’s office. Since taking office in January, our new Clerk and Recorder, Sandra Merchant, has managed to screw up virtually everything she touches. The school election was completely fouled up, a court ordered a special monitor to oversee the library levy election to guarantee it was properly administered, there are currently three lawsuits filed against the county challenging Merchant’s administration of local elections.
Merchant is not just incompetent. She is also corrupt. Most recently Merchant and members of her staff went to a meeting held at the high-end Chico Hot Springs Resort at an estimated cost of more than $3,000 to the taxpayers. Virtually, every new hire in the Clerk and Recorder’s office has been filled by her cronies, including the wife and daughter of far-right Republican Public Service Commissioner, Randy Pinocci. Makes one wonder where the County Attorney and County Human Resources office is since political patronage hiring is clearly illegal under state law.
So, now Frank is bringing his roadshow to Great Falls. He will be appearing on August 29 at MSU College of Technology. It makes one wonder what kinds of shenanigans Sandra Merchant and her cronies are up to now that they control the local Clerk and Recorder’s office.
–KT
For more on Frank and the investigation in Colorado, check out these articles:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/09/15/douglas-frank-fbi-phone-lindell/?nid=top_pb_signin&arcId=FE2NUTK67ZEHBKFRPUDJNDFXGE&account_location=ONSITE_HEADER_ARTICLE
https://wkzo.com/2022/02/17/colorado-elections-clerk-sued-after-passing-on-voting-data/
Photo of Douglas Frank from the Los Angeles Times
