Broad-based tax the answer: An Interview with Montana Senator Bob Keenan 
A selective sales tax--dubbed a "tourist tax" by some; a "hospitality tax" by others--would place an additional tax burden on Montanans and could scare away tourists.
That's the assessment of Sen. Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork, who has been elected president of the Montana Senate.
"Calling it a tourist tax sends the wrong connotation," said Keenan, who is owner of the Bigfork Inn.
"We want to be a tourist state," he said, but the selective sales tax will send the wrong message to tourists. Moreover, he contended that tourists will not be the only people to pay the tax.
"I can't help but be disturbed by the fact that it makes an assumption that Montanans don't purchase many of the items," he said.
"If we're going to have a sales tax, let's have a sales tax," Keenan declared.
Although he does not necessarily support a general sales tax, Keenan said Montana's tax system is in need of reform, not increases.
The lack of tax reform, he added, "is the reason we have come to this economic situation in Montana."
"The House Taxation Committee and the Senate Taxation Committee will have to look at all the proposals for tax reform and be bold," Keenan said. "Let's run some new ideas up the pole."
Keenan said Montana's fiscal situation will not change until the legislature broadens its tax base to be the "Treasure State" as well as the "Big Sky State."
"The people who have developed our environmental policies want it to be the 'Big Sky State'," he said. "We need a better overall economy than to become (solely) a tourist state."
Keenan said Montana cannot continue "in the same old mold" and support the services that are demanded by the public.
"We need bold but fair tax reform," he said. "Everybody wants the other guy to pay the taxes."
Part of Keenan's view of tax reform would be to develop Montana's natural resources, such as methane natural gas.
"We need some kind of balance," he said. "We have tremendous amounts of coal."
Keenan also contended that many of the same people who want state-financed services also are opposed to development of natural resources.
"They want us to be a national park," he said. "That's not going to get the bills paid. It just won't work that way."
Source: Special Reports,
Jan. 2002, published by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite, Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.