Meet Montana House District 2 candidate Tom Millett

Name: Tom Millett

Age: 58

Family: Married, 2 grown children.

Occupation (current): Independent Contractor/Consultant. Previous: U.S. Navy and Persian Gulf War Veteran, 40-plus years’ experience in the nuclear, electrical, power generation and telecommunications fields.

Community Involvement: Republican Precinct Committeeman, Life member of both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Libby Republican Club (member) Marion Community Outreach (participant), Marion Freedom Day Event (board member).

Why are you running for public office?

Our current state representative, Steve Gunderson, is term limited out and will not be running again. Last September, I informed Rep. Gunderson that I was interested in running for the seat. After talking and much due diligence on his part, he encouraged my run and officially endorsed me.

The primary purpose of government is to protect our God-given rights. I also believe that freedom flourishes when government is small and non-intrusive, that families, the bedrock of society, grow strong when public policy supports them, and an active, engaged, and informed citizenry is essential to the proper functioning of our government.

Accordingly, I’m running for HD2 to protect our God-given rights, to push back against governmental overreach, represent conservative values in Helena, and keep the people of HD 2 informed on what is happening in their state government in a simple to understand way. Of course, there are pressing issues that need to be dealt with such as high property taxes, illegal immigration, housing availability, economic growth and the danger wildfires present to our communities, just to name a few. 

My many years of being involved in the workings of government by participating in community groups, providing public comment to various boards and commissions, as well as testifying at the state legislature has prepared me for the work ahead. In addition, I know the legislative process, have cultivated relationships with current and former legislators (as well as obtaining their endorsement), and I’m ready to work for the people of HD 2 to protect their rights, reclaim their freedoms and represent their interests.

Do you understand the issues Lincoln County faces?

Lincoln County and all of HD 2 face the same issues the rest of the state is up against such as high property taxes, illegal immigration, housing availability, economic growth and increased illicit drug availability, just to name a few. In HD 2 we have unique issues, just like all districts do, and I will address two LC issues as well as two state-wide issues that do affect us, below.

- We must ramp up solutions to address the tinder boxes known as the Kootenai and Flathead National Forests. This is imperative because the forests could explode any time into a once-in-a-century wildfire and decimate not only our forests but our communities. This can be done right now by working more diligently with the Forest Service through the Good Neighbor Authority program to open up more timber lands for fuel reduction.

- We must work towards the return of the manufacturing, mining and timber industries and Montana must take steps to attract these industries back to the district. Reducing burdensome rules and regulations, fast-tracking the permitting of mines and a long-term goal of Montana gaining ownership of the National Forests is where we begin. The latter can be accomplished by partnering with other western states, through the American Lands Council, to sue the federal government into relinquishing ownership of the forests to the respective states. Montana can manage the forests better.

- We must reduce property taxes. No one should be forced from their home because they can’t afford their property taxes. I support reducing property taxes for everyone and not shifting the tax burden from one group to another. This overall reduction in revenue will only be reflected in a reduction in revenue to the State General Fund and not a reduction in revenue to the schools or county government. I do not support a sales tax as an alternative to the property tax.

- We must address illegal immigration. Our sheriffs and peace officers need new laws allowing them to identify, detain and escort illegals out of our communities and out of Montana. Since the federal government allows them in en masse then Montana is empowered by Article IV, Section 4 of the US Constitution (and the 10 th Amendment) to protect ourselves against invasion.

How would you have handled the situation involving Senate Bill 442?

The substance of SB 442 is not in controversy because it had overwhelming support. The controversy surrounds the judicial branch of government interjecting themselves into the legislative process and I agree.

When the District Court ruled that a veto override by-mail process is a rightful remedy they were, in effect, making up law (legislating from the bench), which is a violation of Article III, Section 1 of the MT Constitution (Separation of Powers). By ignoring the veto override by-mail process the legislature sent a strong message to the judicial branch of “Stay out of our business!” which I whole-heartedly endorse.

The rightful, constitutional remedy to this controversy, since SB 442 was ‘dead’, should have been for the legislature to convene a special session to resurrect SB 442, pass it into law, and override the governor’s veto if necessary. The judicial branch should have declined to hear this case citing it as a legislative dispute to be settled by the legislature and not the courts.

Lincoln County has had to rely more and more on federal dollars to balance its budget and provide services for its citizens. In light of your situation for not paying federal income taxes from 2004-2017, how do you reconcile this?

Before answering the question an understanding of my tax situation is necessary. I believe everyone should pay their taxes according to the law. For several years I’ve been in a dispute with the government over how much I owe from several years ago (pre-2018). I believe I owe “X” amount. The government says I owe “Y.” I believe the government has not followed the collection laws (due process). They say they have. We tried to resolve this dispute administratively but were unsuccessful. Currently, this civil case is working its way through the court system and will be settled the American way, in the courts. Once a final decision is reached I intend to abide by that decision. I am current on all taxes from 2018 to the present.

People may ask, “Why take on the federal government, especially over taxes?” As Americans we have a 5th Amendment protected right to due process and I believe in holding everyone, even the federal government, accountable to following the law. This is the same position I will take when it comes to dealing with the government at any level as the Representative of HD 2.

In answering the question posed, reconciliation between my tax case and federal dollars pouring into the county is moot. Regardless of any personal situation I’m dealing with I will do what a majority of the people of HD 2 want me to do as long as it’s constitutional and lines up with my principles. 

From talking to the people of the district they all believe, as I do, that when we rely on federal dollars to pay our bills it places everyone in a dangerous position. This is because any money received from the federal government always comes with “strings” attached (free is never absolutely free) and that entity can become addicted and dependent upon these “free” federal dollars. Let’s also not forget that most of these federal dollars are borrowed (with interest) as well as appropriated unconstitutionally by Congress. 

For all these reasons we must begin the process of weaning ourselves off of this largesse because every “string” we accept is just another excuse that bad actors in government can use to steal our liberties and curtail our freedoms. The way we wean ourselves off of federal dollars can be done through rebuilding our tax base by attracting the manufacturing, mining and timber industries back to Lincoln County as well as obtaining ownership of the National Forests around us.

What is the current status of your tax case?

It is currently on appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. I’m confident that the appeals court will remand the case back to the District Court for reconsideration because the district court judge made determinations that are contrary to what the 9th Circuit has previously ruled.