Vote Yes on I-185

Paw Print Readers,

Montana tax Initiative 185 is a tax being proposed to voters on November 6th, 2018. If enacted, it would increase the price of Big Tobacco products including e-cigarettes and all vaping products by $2.00. It is crucial that the people of Montana vote Yes on this ballot to ensure the health of Montana and to provide stable healthcare for all its citizens.

This tax would help fund a permanent extension of Montana Medicaid that would otherwise expire June 30, 2019. Helping to pass this initiative will ensure the continuation of Medicaid expansion services under the Affordable Care Act and according to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, decrease youth and adult smoking rates in Montana.

Opponents are saying that the law is unconstitutional because it would appropriate state funds to expand Medicaid outside the legislature and that the tax will not produce enough revenue to pay in full for expanded Medicaid, leaving taxpayers with a deficit to fund. They also argue that if passed, I-185 will make Medicaid expansion permanent without fully funding it, proponents, such as Healthy Montana, argue that the tax would generate

continued revenue for 100,000 Montanans covered by Medicaid currently. In reality, Steve Bullock, the MT governor, states that no committee in our state’s history has spent as much as big tobacco companies have, which

is up to three times more than Montana's most expensive profit.

Medicaid is a law that was passed in 1965, alongside Medicare for the entire United States

including The District of Columbia and all of the U.S territories. It provides healthcare coverage

to those who cannot afford it. Each state sets up their Medicaid differently, making variations of the same law in each state. The Montana Medicaid currently in use was passed in 2015 but is set to expire next year, If the I-185

ballot passes, it could permanently extend benefits for 100,000 people currently getting healthcare.

Many people in the state cannot access crucial health care without Medicaid health coverage. If the ballot does not pass,Rewire News states that nearly 1 in 10 people throughout the state will lose their health insurance, meaning that thousands of people who cannot

afford health care will not be able to access the resources they need or to take care of their health. If I-185 does not pass there will be an increase of suicidal deaths due to untreated mental health issues (Montanans rates are already significantly high) and an increase in untreated physical health problems. Not to mention people who cannot afford healthcare will go into significant debt to cover health costs

that Medicaid would otherwise cover. In the U.S more than 25% of cancer deaths are from lung cancer, according the the American Lung Association. This is more than colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined. For decades, the Big Tobacco industry has been targeting teens and young adults, getting people hooked on their addictive substances so they will have loyal customers who will always be supporting them due to the fact that tobacco is so addicting. Fruit and candy flavored e- cigarettes and chic, cool-looking vape pens as well as appealing

marketing strategies help to draw in youth and young adults along with millions of dollars. According to Healthy Montana if I-185 is not passed 19,000 kids in Montana will die prematurely due to smoking.

Big tobacco industry does not care about the health of the people of our country. They are solely focused on profit and money. Big tobacco companies have poured millions of dollars into defeating the bill and have no other vested interest in Montana citizens other than having them hooked on their products.

Tobacco related diseases cost Medicaid $81 million a year currently, and if I-185 is not passed, all Montana taxpayers will need to pay this tab. Stand with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association by Voting Yes

on I-185.

Sincerely,

Willa McArdle

Support I-185

I-185 will let Medicaid’s coverage help more people. The expansions will cover 26 million dollars or 52% of the state-created revenue in this next fiscal year.

I-185 helps expand this so many more people can live a more perfect life. The revenue money from this will allow for more people to be covered under Medicaid. The amount of people who need help in their life shouldn’t be limited because of money.

The money created by the I-185 will help stop people from putting harmful chemicals into their body. I-185 will raise the cost of cigarettes which will lower the number of people buying cigarettes. Thus, fewer people will be slowly killing themselves. It’s an obvious choice based on who this helps: it’s the people of Montana.

Vote yes on I-185.

Sincerely,

Reese Sheldahl

Dear voters,

In this upcoming midterm there are a great many options in the ballot. One of those would be I-185. I’m sure most have seen an ad supporting it or bashing it, but the point of I-185 is lost through lobbyists and the tobacco companies not wanting to lose money. Voters should support I 185.

A quick run through of what the I-185 is: it is a tax on tobacco products like cigars and vapes. The tax dollars from said charge on tobacco goes to expand Medicaid. That is the main reason for taxing tobacco: support Medicaid.

Medicaid is a support system for low income, disabled, and older class workers. It provides health insurance to help the people in our society that need assistance to survive in the world. Medicaid is a state and federal funded program that supports the elderly, low income adults, and many more people in need.

There is a plethora of questions raised by 1-185. How much is the tax? How much will Medicaid expand? Each one is simple enough to understand.

The tax itself is 83% of the wholesale price of the product. If the packet of cigarettes were a dollar, for simple math, then the tax itself would be 83 cents.

Approve 6 Mill Levy

Dear editor,

On November 6th, voters in Montana will see the 6 Mill Levy on their ballots. Many voters do not know what the 6 Mill Levy is. Put simply, 6 Mill Levy is a bond for post secondary education. The 6 Mill Levy is not a new tax or tax increase; it is simply a bond issue that every 10 years must be put in front of the voters for renewal. The 6 Mill Levy has been around since 1948 and has never failed to pass since 1948. The 6 Mill Levy is a key point of funding for all public universities and colleges in Montana. The passage of the 6 Mill Levy is of utmost importance.

The 6 Mill Levy has been around for 76 straight years in Montana. It is important that we keep this tradition alive because without it, the price of admission / tuition for college or universities systems in Montana would skyrocket. Without this levy, college tuition would increase by 18% in Montana. According to data from the Montanans for Six Mill Levy website, today the average student already pays 60 to 80% of college tuition completely by themselves. And without this Levy, that number would only rise.

I myself have personal experience with the 6 Mill Levy. This summer I knocked on doors around Helena, Montana to spread the word about the 6 Mill Levy. As I went around town, I noticed that 95-100% of people I talked to liked the 6 Mill Levy; the only people that did not like the idea of this Levy simply were not educated about its use. I believe that this is a by-partisan issue, for it simply gains support if you tell people about how useful it is to everyone. That’s why I'm writing this letter, to simply educate people about how useful this bond issue it.

This levy creates many opportunities for people that often would not have the chance to do so to be able to attend a 2 to 4-year college program. A 2 to 4-year college program creates many opportunities for students. For example, Montana State University gives people education in STEM fields, something that is hard to come by in a high school setting.

There’s also very little reason to vote against the 6 Mill Levy. Even if it didn’t pass, the changes in your taxes would be so inconsequential that you wouldn’t even notice if it were to go away. On the Montana Public Interest Research Group website, they state that the annual cost of this tax is only $24. This may seem insignificant to many, but with this money, universities can help pay for 18% of every student’s tuition. Once again, the 6 Mill Levy, if renewed this November, will not increase your taxes at all. The 6 Mill levy is just up for renewal.

The reason that funding our colleges and universities systems is so important is that a bachelor’s degree is directly comparable to that of a high school diploma 20 years ago. Today Mont Pirg website reports that 80% of all college graduates in Montana have jobs. This high percentage clearly shows the importance of post secondary education for Montanans. In Montana, the scientific and agricultural research done at colleges and universities powers many of our communities. The research done here keeps our farmers and ranchers on the cutting edge of technology. This is why the 6 Mill Levy must be passed. Without it, many students will not be getting the education needed to join the future Workforce of America.

Sincerely, Bryson Jones