As someone who’s worked in the Montana tourism industry for decades – from spending nearly 25 years at Big Sky Resort to serving as director of the Montana Department of Commerce from 2013-2016 – I know just how important small businesses are to our tourism economy.

Now I run M2O Group and help local businesses and community organizations thrive in our great state.

I’ve made it my mission to support Montana’s small businesses and assist them in job creation, which is why I can’t in good conscience sit idly by as massive corporations like Target and Walmart threaten to harm them.

Currently, big box stores are lobbying for proposals in Congress that will bolster their bottom line at the expense of small businesses.

All in all, this will transfer an estimated $40 to $50 billion per year from consumers and small businesses to big box stores.

By Meg O’Leary