Dick in front of Main Hall at UM



Upcoming Events



Candidate Filing
January 12 to March 12, 2012

Candidates running for office have to file with the Secretary of State in order to have their names appear on the June 5 primary ballot. Filing opens on January 12 and closes on March 12. After filing closes, we’ll know who is running and how the primary races are lining up.

Pasty Party!
March 4, 2012

A fundraiser for the Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, working for a Democratic majority in the 2013 Legislature! St. Anthony's Parish Center; 4 p.m. no host bar, dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Reserve your tickets at missoulapastyparty@gmail.com.

Primary Election
June 5, 2012

Montanans will elect a US Senator; our member of Congress; all our state-wide office holders, including the Governor; all the members of the Montana House, and half the members of the Montana Senate. The primary election on June 5 will select the candidates for these offices from each party.  Some of these races will be hotly contested, so the primary will be an important election.

General Election
November 6, 2012

Election of the President of the United States, the Montana legislature and all the offices in between. Plus, Montanans will be asked to vote in the number of referendums on important issues such as medical marijuana, the election of the state Supreme Court, and the disposition of surplus state revenue n.



Welcome

I am running for the Montana Senate because for many years I have been committed to promoting the values that I think are important to all Montanans: robust local economies; a sustaining natural environment; vibrant, neighborly communities where families can find decent, affordable housing and support when times get tough; and schools and a University system that will provide all our kids with the opportunity to prosper.  While I’ve had the privilege of working to advance these values in two terms as a member of the House, there is, of course, always a lot more to do.

But just caring about those things isn’t quite enough. I am also running because in Montana we still govern ourselves in an open, accessible and civil way, and that means anybody can participate and hope to make a difference.  In my case, during my two terms in the House I have served on the tax committee during both sessions and the interims between sessions. I have learned a great deal about taxes in Montana, and have come to realize that there is a lot we can do to make our tax system simpler, fairer, and more efficient and progressive. In 2011,  I was the ranking minority member of the House Taxation Committee, and I introduced several bills to significantly reform property taxation.  Those bills failed on highly partisan votes, but I continue to believe they make for good tax policy, and I will work for their passage.

Thank you for your interest in my candidacy and for stopping by this website. You can use it to learn more about my background, my qualifications to represent the people of Senate District 47, and what my stands are on important issues. But don’t stop there: the site is designed to allow you to ask me questions and hold me accountable, and I hope you take advantage of that. And finally, if you want to support my campaign, you can do that from here, and your support will be greatly appreciated.

Dick

P.S. You can also read about my views on a number of economic and political issues on my blog. Just click here. And you can follow me on Twitter at @repdbarrett.