A prudent plan to create Montana jobs, train future workers

University biology students and professors from Billings and a Chamber of Commerce representative joined a standing-room-only crowd at the Capitol on Wednesday to ask lawmakers to approve the long-awaited renovation of the Montana State University Billings Science Building.

The MSU Billings project is one of nine projects proposed in House Bill 439, which could become the first state building bond bill approved since the 2005 Legislature.

Two big things would have to happen for the proposed projects to be funded through HB439. First, the bill would have to become law. Secondly, the actual revenue collected by the state of Montana for the fiscal year ending June 30 would need to exceed the legislative revenue estimate introduced at the start of the 2011 Legislature by more than $2 million. Thus, the bonds would be issued only if Montana’s revenue grows.

Full Opinion: http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/editorial/gazette-opinion/article_71d1c0dd-8588-5ad7-ba3e-a6d495d2bf3c.html