WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO RUN AS A CANDIDATE?  WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST TO GIVE VOTERS A GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH AS MAYOR?

I am running for mayor because I would like to start a conversation aimed at answering one tough question:  What do we want our community to look like in 30 years?  Billings has never been in a better place, but historically we tend to plan for the next fiscal year, not the next decade, and certainly not the next half-century.  If we do not act proactively, our future will be decided for us by our inaction.  I do not have all the answers, but I am pretty good at asking questions, and I hope I can help encourage dialogue that will lead to sound solutions.

Montana is my home, and I have devoted much of my life to building community.  I was born and raised in Bozeman, and after graduating from Dartmouth College and Columbia University School of Law my wife and I settled in Billings where I worked for a large law firm.  In 1999 I started my own law firm and now have a successful practice that focuses on real estate and commercial law.  I have a proven track record of community leadership, having served as head of the board of directors of the Yellowstone County Bar Association, the Alberta Bair Theater, and the Billings Chamber of Commerce.  I also lead our community’s Trail Development Committee and currently serve on the board of directors of Faith Evangelical Church.  For three years I have spearheaded efforts to plan, design, fund, and now build the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site in Swords Rimrock Park, which will open to the public later this summer.

THE CITY OF bILLINGS ZONING COMMISSION VOTED TO NOT ALLOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA STORE FRONTS IN THE CITY LIMITS.  THE DECISION IS BEING RECOMMENDED TO THE BILLINGS CITY COUNCIL.  DO YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE MEDICAL MARIJUANA STORE FRONTS?  WHY?

The recommendation of the Zoning Commission was to add a single sentence to Section 27-304 of the City Code that would say “No use of land shall be permitted by right or conditionally permitted within the City of Billings that is in violation of federal, state or local law.”  Because marijuana is an illegal Schedule 1 controlled substance under federal law, this would have the effect of banning the sale of medical marijuana in the city limits.  The use of medical marijuana (as opposed to sale) would remain legal in the city and Yellowstone County under the Montana Medical Marijuana Act.  I believe Great Falls, Helena and Kalispell prohibit the sale of medical marijuana while Missoula and Bozeman allow it, albeit under various restrictions.

Although the use of medical marijuana is legal everywhere in Montana under the MMA, which was liberalized by the voters’ approval of CI-182 in November 2016, I think we should proceed with caution before allowing it to be sold in Billings.  We should monitor the experience of other cities in the state and learn from their mistakes.  If sale is eventually permitted here it should be subject to taxation and restricted to areas a reasonable distance from schools, churches and other facilities frequented by children.  Although changes in state law have reduced the abuses associated with the sale of medical marijuana, marijuana use by teenagers and driving under the influence remain major concerns.  Accidental drug overdoses (from drugs other than marijuana) are now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States.  Doing anything that could promote even greater drug use in our society would be unwise.

During the 2017 Legislative Session, the Billings Chamber of Commerce initiated a local option tax bill of which the Billings City Council supported while the Yellowstone County Commissioners opposed at the time.  The bill did not gain enough support to move forward in the session.  Do you support a local option tax and why?

I was chairman of the Billings Chamber of Commerce board of directors during the last legislative session and worked to get local option authority approved.  I met with area legislators and testified in Helena in support of two bills that were introduced but not passed.  We made substantial progress toward developing a workable bill and forged a state-wide coalition in favor of the concept.

Many details still have to be worked out, but the legislature should permit local voters to determine whether they want a local option sales tax that would be limited in rate (not over 4%); limited in application (focused on alcohol, prepared meals, hotels, luxury goods with exemptions for basic necessities and certain “large ticket” items); inclusive of a reasonable property-tax rebate; terminable at a sunset date if not renewed by the voters; earmarked for capital projects with public oversight; etc.  Enthusiastic support by Billings city officials, public education around the Montana, and the assistance of more Yellowstone County legislators will be essential to passing a local option bill in the next legislature.

In 2014, the Billings City Council conducted a series of hearings in regards to the NDO (Non-discrimination Order) that brought widespread feedback from Billings and area Montana residents.  As some say the last recent city council election was a referendum on where candidates stood on the NDO, where do you stand on NDO and why?

Everyone deserves to feel at home in their own community.  That means we all have an obligation to extend a ready smile and open arms to everyone, regardless of sexuality, ethnic background, politics, or religious views.  In my opinion that goes beyond mere “tolerance” and also requires genuine love, that is, placing the interests of others ahead of ourselves.  We should vigorously enforce existing laws intended to protect individuals from physical abuse, threats, discharge from employment without good cause, etc.  But that is not enough.  Communicating this message of acceptance, community, and love is everyone’s job, especially elected officials. 

In the 2015 election, voters chose four council members who opposed the NDO and only one who was in favor.  Although I need to study the issue further, right now I share the voters’ skepticism for several reasons.  First, it is premature to take any definitive position right now because there is no measure before the council, and events in other venues may determine the permissible scope and enforceability of these measures.  For example, the US Supreme Court case Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Human Rights Commission may determine whether religious exemptions are constitutionally mandated, and the Montana “bathroom bill” initiative that is currently being circulated would, I assume if passed, impact the enforceability of any NDO relative to transgender individuals.

I also have real concerns about using the long arm of the law to force conformity on social issues, especially when that conformity would, in some cases, require the suppression of religious liberty.  There are also important practical considerations.  Like most Montana cities, Billings is not currently in the business of adjudicating anti-discrimination rules, meaning that this would be totally new territory that might require the investment of additional staff or other resources and result in costly litigation.

If elected, what are your economic priorities for the City of Billings for the present and then for the next 5-10 years?

The city council just adopted the city budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.  My first priority will be to make sure that city spending stays within the guidelines established by the budget. Long term, I would like our city to track and publish data that shows how our municipal spending and taxes compare to other cities in Montana and this region.  I also want to make sure that pension funds for our police and firefighters are on sound financial footing.  To maintain a stable and expanding tax base we also need to encourage growth, and it is estimated that businesses in Billings will need to fill approximately 32,500 job vacancies over the next 10 years.  That means that we have to position our city to compete for workers in the 25 to 40 age group.  We want our kids to stay (or return) here, and we want kids from Bismarck, Boise, and Bozeman to move here. 

To attract young workers and professionals, Billings needs to burnish its image as the city in Montana.  Young people will locate here if we invest in our brand as an urban center and create a city with an exciting downtown, cultural facilities, good air service, a large trail network, attractive entryways, and easy access to the beautiful Rimrocks and majestic Yellowstone River.  We have a long way to go when it comes to developing those community amenities.  For example, for more than 50 years we have talked but not done much about taking better advantage of the Rims and the river, and Billings has not developed a large, general use park in the last 35 years.  Making these changes will require hard work, financial investment, and real leadership by government officials.

How are you different from your opponent(s) in this primary election?

I am honored to be associated with all of the mayoral candidates in this race.  They all want the best for Billings, and some have devoted many years in the service of our state and city.  But good intentions are not enough.  This is a critical time in Billings’ history.  We are transitioning from a big town to a small city, and many of our top city employees are retiring.  Effective leadership requires passion, experience, hard work, communication skills, vision, and a leadership style that emphasizes consensus-building.  Although each opponent has his or her strengths, I believe that I offer the best combination of these traits to lead Billings into the future.