[NFBMT] FW: Montana Remains Financially Resilient amidst COVID-19

Thu Aug 27 18:24:56 UTC 2020

Great question!  Yes, we are asking Montana to fund NFB Newsline.  In my opinion, the de-funding of NFB Newsline was never about the ability of the State to pay for the service.  Relatively speaking, the cost of NFB Newsline is tiny within the State budget.  I think our problem is that we cannot convince the Executive Branch to recognize NFB Newsline as a priority.  They don't understand it, and the current administration of DPHHS is far too cut happy even when they do not need to end programs that matter to Montanans.  We must keep asking for the funding by telling Montana's leaders how important NFB Newsline is to us and all its other users.

Jim Marks
President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
president at nfbofmt.org
(406) 438-1421
www.nfbofmt.org

You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of d m gina via NFBMT
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2020 3:02 PM
To: nfbmt at nfbnet.org
Cc: d m gina <dmgina at mysero.net>
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] FW: Montana Remains Financially Resilient amidst COVID-19

Can we then ask for money for news line?
just some thoughts.
Dar
Original message:
> FYI, Gov. Bullock says below in his e-newsletter that the Montana 
> budget is in good shape.

> Jim Marks

> President

> National Federation of the Blind of Montana

> president at nfbofmt.org

> (406) 438-1421

> www.nfbofmt.org

> You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

> From: Governor Bullock [mailto:governor at mt.gov]
> Sent: Monday, August 24, 2020 7:14 PM
> To: James Marks <president at nfbofmt.org>
> Subject: Montana Remains Financially Resilient amidst COVID-19

> Friends:

> I wanted to write to you today to give an update on our state budget 
> and how we are using our Coronavirus Relief Fund to provide much 
> needed aid to support our local businesses and communities.

> Despite the many unprecedented challenges amidst the COVID-19 
> pandemic, Montana has remained financially resilient, providing us 
> with the resources we need to face this year’s fire season as we 
> continue to respond to the spread of the coronavirus in Montana.

> Thanks to their responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, state 
> agencies under my leadership finished the fiscal year under budget, 
> allowing for an estimated $46.7 million transfer from the general fund 
> to the fire fund. This puts the fire fund at its statutory maximum of
> $101.5 million, or 4% of fiscal year 2021 appropriations, for the 
> first time in history, enough to cover nearly five average years of 
> state wildfire suppression costs.

> Additionally, the Budget Stabilization Reserve remains at its 
> statutory maximum, which is $114.2 million or 4.5% of fiscal year appropriations.
> This represents the second year in a row that the Budget Stabilization 
> Reserve has been funded to its statutory cap and it is available to 
> sustain the budget should revenue collections or expenditures vary 
> from projections.

> The balances of the general fund, the fire fund, and the Budget 
> Stabilization Reserve total $620 million as the 2021 fiscal year 
> begins. While we all know a lot can change before the year is out, 
> these are optimistic signs that we can continue to navigate these 
> challenging times without needing to make painful cuts to the 
> essential services Montanans rely on.

> Separate from the state’s budget, we received funding from the federal 
> government to help spearhead our economic recovery. To date, we have 
> allocated nearly 80% of the CARES Act dollars, with over $270 million 
> of that awarded, to help Montanans, small businesses, schools, 
> nonprofits, farmers and ranchers, and local governments and more 
> toward economic recovery. We continue to get dollars out the door to 
> support the small businesses and workers across the state as we work to safely reopen.

> In addition, we recently doubled the funds available through our 
> Business Stabilization Program, allowing us to distribute more money 
> directly to the nearly 8,000 small Montana businesses who are already 
> participating in the program and increasing the amount available to 
> new applicants.

> For additional information on current grant funding, eligibility 
> requirements or to apply, visit 
> <https://commerce.mt.gov/Coronavirus-Relief>
> https://commerce.mt.gov/Coronavirus-Relief. A transparency dashboard 
> is available to provide information on which businesses CARES Act 
> funding is going to, in every community of the state, at:
> <https://commerce.mt.gov/Montana-Coronavirus-Relief/Awarded-Grants>
> https://commerce.mt.gov/Montana-Coronavirus-Relief/Awarded-Grants.

> Thank you for everything you have done over the last five months to 
> keep your families and communities safe. I continue to be amazed by 
> the determination and resiliency of the people of this state.

> Sincerely,

> STEVE BULLOCK
> Governor

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