by WTF 406 Staff | Oct 20, 2025 | City, Elections, Mayor
Great Falls, Mont.
[[Jasmine Taylor has stepped away from the blog, and she was not consulted or informed about this article.]]
About a week ago, Great Falls Mayoral Candidate Jasmine Taylor posted a video on her candidate page showcasing the hate language she has to deal with as a female candidate. https://www.tiktok.com/@montana_jasmine/video/7559640921394973965
Honestly, the comments are pretty sickening. Women face extra hate speech when they step up and run for office. In 2008, when Hillary Clinton was running for president in the Democratic primary against Barack Obama, the dudebros were chanting “make me a sandwich” at her rallies and worse. Things haven’t improved much for women since then, as recently as last year someone with Great Falls license plates was driving around with a “Joe and the Hoe” bumper sticker. Why are they calling Kamala Harris a Hoe?? Not misogynistic at all, people!
Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves Eggs on Attacks
Jasmine Taylor’s opponent, Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves, likes to egg on the attacks on Jasmine Taylor. He posts half truths and misleading information about Jasmine, and lets the trolls say hateful things about her with no push back from him.
Aside: If you didn’t know, Cory, you can (a) block comments from hateful people on your posts, (b) respond to the comments and ask them to stop, or even better (c) don’t encourage their attitude in the first place!
Mud Slinging 101
For example, on the topic of “throwing mud”…see a classic instance of Cory throwing mud in his post from September 23rd that we wrote about here.
Recently Cory shared an AI-generated video he saw posted by the Montana Resistance Facebook page. In the post Cory asserted that Jasmine Taylor supports the “false” video “involving kids.”
But what does he deem as her support for the video? The fact that it is not flattering to Cory? Jasmine does not run the Montana Resistance page, and she did not generate the video. The video shows AI-generated children examining a Homophobic Mayor of Great Falls costume that “says it comes with diversion of library funds and higher utility rates!” How is that false? Cory has repeatedly made announcements that he refuses to make a proclamation in support of Pride Month (homophobic). Cory has diverted library funds out of a long-standing city contract agreement after the library levy passed (diversion of library funds), and Cory has voted to raise our city utility rates by 27% (higher utility rates). WHERE IS THE “FALSE” PART?
Facebook keyboard warriors commented on Cory’s post to say the AI-generated video that Jasmine didn’t create or support was “literally…disgusting and disgraceful of her!”; “How old is that girl Jazabell [sic]….she is a girl right?”; and so on. You get the picture.
Cory Can’t Handle Criticism
It’s ironic that Cory encourages criticism and attacks on Jasmine when he, himself, cannot handle the mildest of criticism. Several people have personally relayed to us that when they questioned Cory on his stance on certain issues, or criticized him in any way, he reacted by becoming excessively defensive and aggressively attacking them. Three different individuals shared details about conversations that they had with Cory. To protect the privacy of these private citizens, we will only share selected excerpts from their conversations. Evidence was provided via screenshots, their physical phone text message views, and the like.
Example 1
On June 9th, Cory shared a post on his mayoral page stating “…[a]s a mayor, I wear many hats and searching for drowning victims is one of them….” One of his constituents asked for clarification if the searching for drowning victims was a part of his mayoral duties. This is the unhinged way Cory responded:
Example 2
A few days later, Cory shared a post on his personal Facebook page sharing an article from the right-wing hate blog of E Shitty Beat (oops, I mean: E City Beat) that was critical of Jasmine Taylor’s stance of funding for public safety. Someone commented that they dislike candidates posting shit about each other, and Cory jumped down their throat, too. See the screenshots below.
Example 3
To round it off, another community member reached out to Cory after he wrote an attack post against Jasmine Taylor on June 17th. Part of Cory’s post included the follow assertations:
5. Community Values:
I listen to all voices, but I also believe in common-sense leadership rooted in faith, family, and freedom. My opponent pushes divisive politics that don’t reflect the values of most Great Falls families.
- Government Role:
I believe the government should focus on the basics: safe neighborhoods, economic growth, infrastructure, housing, and protecting your freedoms. My opponent wants the city to weigh in on every national political issue, often at the expense of local priorities.”
Regarding his “common-sense leadership rooted in faith, family, and freedom” and “weigh in on every national political issue,” the community member recognized that as a nod to Cory’s repeated decision to make a public announcement that he would not make a proclamation in support of Pride Month. The not-so-constructive discussion on the topic is provided below.
… A further exchange between the two on the topic of homophobia…
This November’s Electoral Choices
Our ballots for the municipal election are going in the mail on Monday, October 20, and we hope that people will take into consideration the tone of this race that has been set by Cory Reeves. He has created a culture and atmosphere that stirs up the vile and obscene comments Jasmine Taylor has to wade through during her campaign. Is that the type of mayor that Great Falls wants?
Big Sky 55+ has endorsed Casey Schreiner, Matt Pipinich, and Jasmine Taylor in this year’s municipal race. Please take that into consideration when you cast your votes.
by Ken Toole | Oct 14, 2025 | City
The City of Great Falls has reached a labor agreement with the Great Falls Police Protective Association (GFPPA). The cost to the city in the first year of the agreement is $430,000. For the second year, it’s $455,000. The total cost for the agreement is $885,000.
Gaye McInerney, the city’s Human Resources Director, said that as of July 1, 2026, GFPPA members will have received increased wages of 24% over four years.
Here’s where the money for the contract comes from. State law limits municipalities’ ability to increase taxes to one half of the inflation rate. In Great Falls that amounts to $448,882 in the current budget. This new contract uses that entire amount. For comparison purposes, funding taken from the library’s voter-supported levies was projected to be $471,413 for fiscal year 2026.
The Specifics of the Agreement
The new agreement sets wages for entry level police officers who are no longer in their probationary period at $74,559 (that is effective last July 1). In the second year of the contract, effective July 2026, wages will increase to $79,116. This applies to new/less senior police officers.
In addition to the entry level amounts above, current, more senior and higher ranking officers are also getting pay increases. The average for these officers is referred to as base wage. For a police officer in the first year of the agreement, base wage is $89,842. In the second year, base wage increases to $94,325. According to the city, the ‘base wage’ is the wage floor, to which additional time in service wages are added. Base wage would be higher for a captain versus a sergeant, etc.
In addition, the salaries for all officers will increase by a total of 6% – 2% for market adjustment, 3% for cost of living, and 1% for health insurance adjustment. Shift differentials are also increased. Officers working the afternoon shift will receive an additional 75 cents per hour, and those working late afternoons and nights will receive an additional $1.25 per hour.
Police officers will be paying more for health insurance. Officers will now be paying 20% of the insurance costs instead of the 15% in previous agreements. That increase is consistent with other city employees.
It is also worth mentioning here that most police officers are eligible for overtime pay in addition to regular pay.
How Does Great Falls Compare with Other Cities?
As stated previously, under the new agreement, Great Falls’ average base wage for a police officer in the first year of the agreement is $89,842, and, in the second year, it’s $94,325.
Butte: Average police officer salary is around $60,000 to $78,000 per year.
Kalispell: Police officers’ average salary ranges from approximately $61,654 to $72,328 per year.
Helena: The average police officer salary is around $55,943 to $69,326 per year.
Billings: The average annual salary for a police officer is approximately $68,000 to $70,000.
Bozeman: The average salary is approximately $63,422 per year (as of November 2024).
Missoula: Starting police officers are paid approximately $88,670 annually.
Cascade County Deputies: Salary ranges from $73,777 to $79,768.
Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) trooper: $74,598 after completion of probationary year.
Note: Comparing officer compensation from jurisdiction to jurisdiction is difficult, because there are many differences in health insurance, overtime, leave and other benefits. In addition, there is no information regarding where various jurisdictions are in their process of contract negotiation. Moreover, the Montana Department of Justice apparently does not keep, or make available, comprehensive officer compensation information. The figures above are provided by internet searches.
The Politics Of “Public Safety” in Great Falls
The failure of the public safety levy in November 2023 was a stinging rebuke for one faction of city government, particularly council members Rick Tryon, Joe McKenney and, more recently, Mayor Cory Reeves. In March 2023, the city commission unanimously (before Reeves was mayor) voted to send a public safety levy to the voters which requested approval of $10,717,305 to fund public safety. In addition, they authorized $150,000 to the Wendt Agency to conduct a “public education campaign.”
Repeated warnings from some in the community (significantly Jasmine Taylor who is currently running against Cory Reeves to be mayor) stated that the proposed levy was asking too much of the voters and recommended that the city break the levy into smaller component parts (police, fire and emergency services). At the time, the city asserted that a home valued at $200,000 would see a property tax increase of $280.11. Most people understood that owner-occupied homes valued at $200,000 or less did not represent voters in the election. Instead, the numbers presented were seen as cynical propaganda to promote the levy.
After the safety mill levy failed and another, much smaller, levy to support the library passed, Tryon, McKenney and Reeves, with the support of local opponents of the library, targeted the library and took voter-passed funds and gave them to public safety. For a complete explanation see our previous post. https://wtf406.com/2024/11/city-council-takes-money-from-library-after-the-public-voted-to-increase-funding/
But the sad truth is that,during this campaign season, neither Reeves nor McKenney has said much about alternatives to support public safety in Great Falls. Nor have they talked about ways to reduce the cost of public safety activity, such as using mental health workers to help reduce the cost of uniformed police officers, which mayoral candidate Jasmine Taylor has advocated for years. The city deserves better from its elected officials.
Thanks to the Electric for its coverage of this issue. It’s easy to overlook the service provided by The Great Falls Electric. Case in point is the recent coverage of the new contact for the Great Falls Police Protective Association. The information about the provisions of the new contact would not be easily available to the community with out the work of the Electric.
by Ken Toole | Sep 25, 2025 | City, Elections, Mayor, Property Taxes, Public Library
Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves is mad. . .really mad. In a recent Facebook post Reeves went after Jasmine Taylor for getting into the “mud” in the mayor’s campaign. Too bad the post was long on indignant rhetoric and short on facts. Here’s a copy of Reeves’ post:
“When I ran for mayor in 2023, I faced three well qualified opponents. The campaigns were very professional, and they focused on ideas to move Great Falls forward.This reelection year is different. My one opponent has chosen to throw mud, distort facts, and attack instead of offering real solutions. She has openly said she wants to defund public safety, she doesn’t support the American flag, and she believes we should strip away the rights of anyone who appeals their tax assessments. I won’t join her in the mud and I won’t waste time trading shots on social media. Leadership is about knowing the facts, respecting the law, and putting Great Falls first. I will continue supporting affordable housing developments, public safety, and enhancing our city’s infrastructure, the things that truly make our community strong and livable. Ballots arrive in about three weeks; let your voice be heard and let’s stay “different” from Missoula and Bozeman. @topfans”
Wow! What has his opponent done or said to set off his tirade? Hard to tell. The specifics he does provide are inaccurate and misleading.
It’s ironic that Reeves couches his attack by saying that he will not sling mud in this campaign. It’s a political trick as old as elections and campaigning, throwing mud while saying you are staying on the high road.
Perhaps demonstrating the difference between these two candidates, Taylor responded to Reeves’ post with the following:
“I have offered nothing but legitimate criticism of your public policy and voting record. Conversely, you have refused to debate me. Please offer me a concrete example of me ‘slinging mud’. You’ve shown a keen inability to handle criticism, and I fear this is the most recent example.”
Reeves has not responded to her request for specific information.
Where Do Reeves and Taylor Stand on the Issues . . .
On Calumet’s Repeated Property Tax Appeals
Reeves’ campaign so far has been remarkably devoid of serious discussion of issues. But every now and then he gives us a glimpse of his positions. For example, in the Facebook post above he says of Taylor, “she believes we should strip away the rights of anyone who appeals their tax assessments.” This is an obvious reference to Calumet Refinery’s repeated property tax appeals which have shifted costs to Great Falls’ residential taxpayers and strangled local governments and schools trying to make and meet their budgets. Calumet routinely receives significant reductions in their property tax from the State of Montana. Taylor has never said Calumet doesn’t have a right to appeal their valuations. She has been a critic of the “revolving door” settlement process used by the Department Of Revenue to settle these appeals. Reeves apparently thinks that’s all okay. Taylor does not.
On A General Sales Tax
Then there is the issue of a general sale tax. In his recent interview with the Montana Free Press, Reeves said this about potential solutions to the city’s lack of revenue, “Me personally, I would like to see us eliminate a tax in the state of Montana. So, eliminate an income tax or something and implement a sales tax.” https://montanafreepress.org/2025/09/15/incumbent-mayor-talks-priorities-in-election-interview/
We all know that big corporate interests in the state are gearing up to promote a general sales tax in Montana. They are using the Republicans’ failure to address skyrocketing property taxes and underfunded local governments and schools to build support for a general sales tax. Reeves’ idea to eliminate income taxes and replace them with a sales tax would put money directly in the pockets of rich people and big corporations. The lost revenue would be replaced from the pockets of moderate and lower-income people at the grocery store. Taylor opposes a general sales tax. https://montanafreepress.org/2025/08/18/time-for-an-adult-conversation-about-a-montana-wide-sales-tax/
On Public Safety
Reeves also has little to offer on what the City of Great Falls can do about public safety. Despite the fact that he portrays himself as a big supporter of increasing funding for public safety, he has almost nothing to offer to address the issue. He has this to say about asking the voters to fund needed improvements, “But I also know if we were to put that before the community right now, they’d say, ‘Get bent. We’re not doing it.’ So I don’t know. The police and fire departments, even legal, the courts, are making do.” Apparently he is still pouting about the failure of the public safety levy two years ago.
Taylor has suggested going back to the voters for support for public safety. Instead of one huge levy which covers police, fire and first responders, she has proposed going to the voters with three smaller requests, possibly spread over some period of time so voters are not hit all at once. https://montanafreepress.org/2025/09/22/mayoral-challenger-pitches-her-vision/
On Respecting the Will of The Voters
Speaking of the voters, Reeves continues to say it was his job to take money which had been approved for the library by the voters and reallocate it to public safety. He said, “And I feel I did something very courageous. We were looking to come after all seven mills, and a group of supporters of the library came forward and let their voices be heard, so I knew we had to revisit this.” Unfortunately the truth is that the library mill levy vote created deep divisions in the community as social conservatives attacked the library. Following one of the most contentious mill levy campaigns in Great Falls history, the social conservative crowd lost. Then the mayor and the majority of the council stepped in and took voter approved funds from the library. The amount they took from the library was a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of public safety and everyone knows it. Reeves now uses public safety as a screen to justify his pandering to his political base. Taylor was one of the organizers of the pro-library campaign.
Good Old Boys Are Alive And Well
Early in the campaign Taylor challenged Reeves to a public debate on the issues important to the citizens of Great Falls. He declined, saying there would be ample opportunity in forums for that discussion to occur. So far, there has only been one such forum sponsored in Great Falls. It was organized by the local Realtors Association. But they somehow sent the invitation to an old email address for Taylor. She did not attend, because she didn’t know about it. Taylor did have a subsequent meeting with the association’s CEO, and he issued an apology on social media for the snafu with the email invitation. However, the local realtors did not offer her any opportunity to address their board or membership and then went ahead and endorsed Reeves. Apparently the good old boy system is alive and well in Great Falls. It may or may not be enough to carry Reeves over the top. Stay tuned.
by Helena Lovick | Aug 20, 2025 | City, Elections, Mayor
Disclaimer: Jasmine Taylor has stepped away from the blog during her campaign for Mayor. Jasmine was not consulted nor informed about this post about her candidacy. It was all me. – Helena Lovick
We’ve all heard the quote, “well-behaved women seldom make history.” It’s been in my mind a lot as Jasmine Taylor runs for mayor of Great Falls. She is the breath of fresh air that we need. So why don’t we elect our own not so well-behaved woman this year?
Right Wing Attacks
Ever since Jasmine Taylor entered the public sphere, she has taken up space and the City Commissioner Rick Tryon and his like-minded cronies CANNOT STAND IT. If you’re looking for a history refresher, we’ve talked before about some of the unhinged attacks on Jasmine here.
Because Jasmine Taylor is running for mayor against MAGA favorite Cory Reeves, attacks against her have gotten more off the rails. As accurately described by The Western Word, “Taylor is being attacked almost daily by Reeves’ supporters, who are mostly MAGAs. He seems to be afraid of her. She would destroy him in a debate,” and “[t]he comments from Reeves’ supporters were pretty vile and obscene about Taylor. Apparently, a well-educated female who stands up for what she believes scares the shit out of Reeves and his supporters.” Thank you, Mike Brown, I couldn’t agree more.
Who Jasmine Taylor Really Is
As I have gotten to know Jasmine, I got to see first hand the unhinged attacks she faces from the right wingers in this community. I hope all of you can take the opportunity during her campaign to see through the noise. Jasmine has the skill set and heart to be a mayor that we are proud of. She has demonstrated her leadership abilities and professionalism over and over again.
I first met Jasmine after the 2016 presidential election. Horrified with the direction our country had turned, I wanted to work with organizers that saw the urgency of the moment. I had heard of Jasmine through mutual friends, and we started loosely organizing rallies together. All of the work we have done together has spun out of that initial informal organizing.
Jasmine and I ran for the Montana legislature together in 2020 and that’s when I really got to know Jasmine. It was great having a core group of people that passionately shared my values and gave life to them with energy and hard work. Jasmine isn’t some weak flower that bends to the force of every wind. She is a change maker.
Elect Jasmine Taylor For Mayor
We deserve a leader that has principles and values that we agree with. A leader that will work towards a better future for everyone, not just the people that fit in their neat boxes of white conservatism. For example, Jasmine will stand up for the LGBTQ community and not encourage homophobic attacks. We know that, because Jasmine has already done that by pushing for a non-discrimination ordinance and organizing efforts to tear down homophobic and bigoted stickers graffitiing our town. And when the people vote to invest in a community resource like our public library, Jasmine has the vision to understand how that investment will pay itself back to our community ten-fold. (Rather than cutting our library off at the knees like the current city commission, you can read about the fall out of their action here). We know where Jasmine stands. And not just because she has a nice shiny spine and is outspoken. But because she has proven herself by putting the work into our community with her sustained efforts for the Election Protection Committee, the Library Levy pushback, the LGBTQ center, and more.
I really admire Jasmine for holding true to her values and her persistence in working hard to help our community. And if you get to know her, I know you will see what I see. Aren’t you ready for something better?
Let’s vote Jasmine Taylor for Mayor this November.
by Ken Toole | Aug 19, 2025 | Cascade County, City, Elections
Most of us believe we are in deep political trouble in this country. The Trump Administration with its lying, bigotry and bullying has demonstrated it is firmly on the road to unapologetic fascism. Here in Montana our statewide elected officials are a group of millionaires and billionaires in the Republican Party who either agree with Trump or are afraid of him. . . it’s hard to tell which. And here in Cascade County, local Republican Party ideologues dominate almost all local elected positions.
This is not a time for good citizens to sit back and watch the show. This is a time people need to step up and take back our government. And that is most effectively done at the local level. Take a look at the filings in this post and you can see Republicans are already mobilizing. We must do the same. There is plenty of time to file, but the sooner people get into the process the more likely it is that they will win. So, what’s stopping you? Step up and join the fight for democracy.
This WTF406 post has information on local political races. The information was taken from the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices website. There are numerous elections not included in this post. For example, there is nothing on Neighborhood Council races nor is there any information on local judicial races. In addition, it is worth noting that filing deadlines for municipal races have passed. Filing for all other races is still open and will be until spring.
Public Service Commission
District 1, Randy Pinocci, Republican, Incumbent
Pinocci is term limited
Jeremy Trebas, Republican, Treasurer, Jeremy Trebas
Jeff Pattison, Republican, Treasurer, Katie Wenetta
House Of Representatives
HD 19 Jane Weber, Democrat, Incumbent
Jane Weber, Democrat, Filed for 2026, Treasurer Pam Guschausky
HD 20 Melanie Nikolakakos, Republican, Incumbent
No filings as of 8-18
HD 21 Ed Buttrey, Republican, Incumbent
Lela Graham, Democrat, Treasurer, Charlene Graham
Trevor Fundseth, Republican, Treasurer, Trevor Fundseth
Eric Peterson, Republican, Treasurer, Patti Levesey
HD 22 George Nikolakakos, Republican, Incumbent
Kevin Leatherbarrow, Republican, Treasurer, Tony Rosales
HD 23 Eric Tilleman, Republican, Incumbent
Eric Tilleman, Republican, Treasurer, Waylon Finley
HD 24 Steve Fitzpatrick, Republican, Incumbent
Steve Fitzpatrick, Republican, Treasurer, Steve Fitzpatrick
HD 25 Steve Gist, Republican, Incumbent
No Filing as of 8-18
HD 26 Russ Miner, Republican, Incumbent
Russ Miner, Republican, Treasurer, Russ Miner
Senate
SD 10 Jeremy Trebas, Republican, Incumbent
Melissa Nikolakakos, Republican, Treasurer, George Nikolakakos
Jessica Dyrdahl, Republican, Treasurer, Tony Roslaes
Margaret Mitchel, Democrat, Treasurer, Lew Opollito
SD 11, Daniel Emrich, Republican, Incumbent
George Nikolakakaos, Republican, Treasurer, Melissa Nikolakakas
SD 12, Wendy Mckamey, Republican, Incumbent
No filing as of 8-18
County
County Commission, District 1, Jim Larson, Republican, Incumbent
Tom Lynch, Republican, Treasurer, Eric Tilleman
County Sheriff, Jesse Slaughter, Republican, Incumbent
No Filings as of 8-18
County Attorney, Josh Racki, Democrat, Incumbent
No Filings as of 8-18
Clerk and Recorder, Sandra Merchant, Republican, Incumbent
No Filings as of 8-18
County Treasurer, Diane Heikkila, Republican, Incumbent
No Filings as of 8-18
City of Great Falls (non-partisan election)
Mayor
Filing Deadline has passed
Cory Reeves, Incumbent, Treasurer, Cory Reeves
Jasmine Taylor, Treasurer, Desirae Starling
Council (two positions)
Matt Pippinich, Treasurer,Barbara Bassette
Joe McKenney, Treasurer, Greg Smith
Casey Schreiner, Treasurer, Erin Merchant
Pete Anderson, not available
by Ken Toole | Jul 15, 2025 | City, E-City Beat Watch, Mayor, Public Library, Republicans
Mayor Cory Reeves is responding to criticism that he, and the City Commission, reduced funding for the library after the public voted to increase its budget. He wants us to buy his spin about his support for the decision to take funding from the library.
He starts his explanation with the following, “At no point did the City Commission “remove” any voter-approved library mills. That’s simply not true.” Then he explains, at great length, that the city simply renegotiated a reduction to an existing contract with the library. While denying that it had anything to do with the library mill levy which voters approved. Nor did he say much about the fact that money taken from the library was channeled to “public safety” after the voters failed to approve a much larger public safety mill levy request.
A remarkable bit of bureaucratic double speak. The library’s over-all budget, which included mills approved by the voters, was reduced. Funding from an existing contract with the city, which had been in place since 1993, was taken from the library and given to public safety activity, which had been rejected by the voters. Reeves’ effort to split hairs about the source of funds whether voted mills or existing contract is simply a ploy to avoid accountability now that he is running for re-election.
Put simply, the voters approved additional funding for the library. The voters rejected additional funding for public safety. The City Commission and Reeve’s then reduced the library’s funding and gave it to public safety.
But that’s not the whole story. As is often the case, when far-right culture warriors enter the electoral arena facts disappear and wild conspiracies theories take their place. This is especially true when libraries are involved. The library mill levy election was so contentious a judge ordered a special monitor to oversee the election to assure it was run competently and fairly. Thanks to the hard work of dedicated supporters of libraries the mill request passed. The opponents of the library temporarily retreated to their Freedom Caucus and Pachyderm Club meetings and focused on the internal fighting among Cascade County Republicans.
But here is the rub, unfortunately the majority of the city commission, including Mayor Reeves, is more aligned with the opponents of the library. And they used their power to take a pound of flesh out of the library. Ironically Reeves ended his spin about reducing the library’s budget with the following, “As mayor, I will always prioritize facts over spin, and I’ll continue to protect core services, public safety chief among them.”
The reduction to library funding smacked of political retribution and the “renegotiation” of the existing contract was a done deal before the parties even sat down at the table.
The Electric has provided an excellent time line about the library and public safety levies here. https://theelectricgf.com/2024/09/24/timeline-library-public-safety-levies/
