MONTANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY

Volume 55, Number 5, Winter  2017

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Poverty with a View

by

Bryce Ward

Buying a house in Montana can be hard. A recent Gallup study found 45 percent of Montanans were dissatisfied with the availability of good affordable housing. Can we make housing affordable in Montana?

Bullying in Schools is a Major Problem

by

Daphne Herling

Montana's sexual minority youth have it rough, despite enormous strides in acceptance. Bullying in schools is a major problem. Sixty percent of LGBTQ students doubted they would graduate high school because of the hostile climate in their school.

The Economic Impact of the Arts in Missoula

by

Tom Bensen

The arts are a big business in Missoula, providing tangible benefits beyond their entertainment value. Missoula's nonprofit arts sector is a $54 million industry - nearly three times that of other communities the same size.

What's Causing the State's Tax Collection Shortfall?

by

Patrick M. Barkey

General fund revenues are weak and grew by just $20 million in 2017. Why aren't revenues coming in as they should be? With 32 taxes, fees and other sources of revenue, what's causing the state's tax collection shortfall?