MONTANA HOUSE DISTRICT 45
State House Representative – the office of state representative serves in the Montana legislature’s lower house. There are 100 representatives who are elected from districts. Representatives are elected to 2-year terms. Representatives propose and vote on proposed laws during the legislative sessions that meet for 90 days in odd-numbered years, and provide oversight of state agencies and study issues through interim committees that meet between sessions. Representatives are limited to four consecutive 2-year terms.
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DENISE BAUM
(Dem)
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KASSIDY OLSON
(Rep)
Question 1:
Please briefly provide the following information: place (town or county and state) of birth, age as of election day 2024, place (town or county) of permanent residency, occupation/employer, and education. How do these things and your other life experiences qualify you to be an effective legislator?
Question 2:
What do you consider to be the most pressing issues facing Montana heading into the 2025 session and what legislation would you propose and/or support to address these issues?
Question 3:
Many Montanans are concerned about rising residential property taxes, which primarily fund local government services such as schools, counties and city/town programs but are calculated through a system set by the Legislature. What changes to the state tax system, if any, would you support to provide property tax relief while maintaining sufficient revenue for essential services?
Question 4:
Considering the state’s role in mental and physical health care services, especially in helping cover the costs of services available to lower-income Montanans, what additional steps, if any, do you believe the Legislature should take to enhance health care access and promote Montanans’ health?
Question 5:
Many education leaders are concerned that the state’s existing school funding formula isn’t keeping up with the costs of educating students. What proposals, if any, would you support to ensure adequate and sustainable long-term funding is available for public pre-K–12, college/university, and vocational education programs?
Birth place: West Allis, WI; Age: 56; Residency: Billings, MT; Occupation: Detective with the City of Billings Police Department; I am also an incumbent legislator in the House of Representatives; Education: BS in Criminal Justice Administration with an area of specialization in psychology from Mount Senario College in Ladysmith, WI. I have proudly served the Billings community as a law enforcement officer for over 20 years, with the last 15 years as a detective primarily investigating crimes against children; sexual and physical abuse cases. I am a problem solver and I understand the issues that contribute to crime and what it takes to reduce crime in order to make our communities safer for all Montanans.
2) Unfortunately, the 2023 super majority failed to address any long-term solutions for affordable housing, even with a $2 billion dollar surplus, so this remains a concerning issue. However, Medicaid expansion is undoubtedly the most pressing issue heading into the 2025 session. Medicaid expansion keeps Montanans healthy & working especially those working in jobs which are critical to the economy such as childcare or other service sector jobs. I support legislation that lifts the sunset on Medicaid expansion & would also support permanently removing the sunset. Expansion keeps the doors open on our rural hospitals and keeps the uncompensated care costs down. Medicaid expansion improves healthcare for all Montanans.
3) A once-in-a-generation opportunity to fully invest in a better, affordable Montana for all was wasted when the legislature chose to prioritize significant tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent, and chose to dish out multiple one-time rebates instead of utilizing the historic surplus towards any type of long-term policy solutions. Families with the lowest incomes are paying a greater share of their income in State and Local taxes, and residential taxpayers (ie, homeowners and renters) are paying a greater share of property taxes. I support legislation that will reduce property taxes for those whose property taxes exceed a percentage of their incomes and require corporations and those with higher incomes to pay their fair share of taxes.
First & foremost, pass Medicaid expansion. The federal government pays 90% of the costs for expansion; the state pays the remaining 10%. Expansion improves heath care access for all Montanans by providing more options for mental health & substance abuse treatments, increases services offered at Indian Health Service facilities and provides greater access to preventive care & early screenings which lead to healthier and better lives. Expansion brings in millions in new federal spending creating jobs, helps maintain a healthy workforce & promotes economic growth.
5) A strong public education system not only benefits the individual student but plays a crucial role in the development of an informed and engaged citizenry. Quality public education ensures that individuals have the tools to learn, adapt and thrive throughout their lives and strengthens communities by fostering collaboration and shared responsibility. The State needs to focus on investing more resources and money into our public education systems rather than diverting public funds to support private schools. The school funding formula is complex and does not adequately fund larger school districts. I support looking at ways to improve the school funding formula to address this funding gap.
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