MATR Newsletter – March 9, 2022
The state with the best education wins!

$2 Billion – Total Market Size

39,000 – Job Years Created

$5 Billion – Estimated Economic Output

4 Metric Tons – Carbon Reduction

9 Billion – kWh saved

Come Home Montana

• Tax data says California and Washington were the top origin states for new Montana residents in 2020

  Data culled from state tax filings by legislative fiscal analysts provides one of the first hard-number looks at how pandemic-era migration is bringing new residents — and their money — to Montana.

• Montana Career Opportunities- Regional Field Coordinators and Field Organizers – The Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (MDLCC)

  The Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (MDLCC), the only program that works to elect Democrats to the Montana State Legislature, is accepting applications for our 2022 Field Organizer and Field…

• Most Educated States in America, Ranked – Idaho 41, Wyoming 38, Montana 37.

  As the third-least populated state, Montana has plenty of cheap housing, but not everywhere. In some places, homes are less than $100,000. In others, they are about $600,000. Nevertheless, property taxes are quite low.

Northwestern Energy

• NorthWestern Energy committed to reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy service

  NorthWestern Energy continues to add renewable energy resources to our portfolio.

Big Sky Economic Development

• Big Sky Economic Development – March 2022 Trainings and Events

  Southwest Montana Boots to Business Reboot – March 10th

Great Falls Development Authority

• Great Falls Economic Development Top 10 for 3-8-22

  Here is our Top 17 for last week celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen the Great Falls regional economy — Montana’s Golden Triangle. And, sharing business resources and skill-building opportunities to empower your success.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• How States Can Bring Distressed Places the Jobs They Need
  State governments and governors should follow three principles to most cost-effectively promote job creation in distressed areas.
• The Case for More Backyard Bodegas and Sidewalk Salons

  We used to allow homeowners to operate commercial businesses on their property. By and large, it worked. We can do it again. Say hello to “accessory commercial units.”

• C-Pace – What is the potential impact on Montana’s economy and energy usage if just 15% of commercial facilities participate?

  $2 Billion – Total Market Size

• Survey Paints Clear Picture of Tomorrow’s Infrastructure Needs

  A survey of several hundred public officials at all levels of government polled their thoughts on artificial intelligence, resiliency, climate change and more when thinking on the infrastructure needs of tomorrow.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Report Outlines Broadband Fixes for State, Local Governments

  A new report from the NewDEAL Forum shows different ways that states and local areas can address the digital divide. The report examines approaches from Texas, California, Colorado and several other states.

Senator Jon Tester

• Senate Passes Bipartisan Tester Legislation to Reform Postal Service

  “My bipartisan legislation will put the Postal Service back on solid financial ground and ensure Montana families and businesses can depend on reliable and affordable mail delivery for years to come.”

Housing

• Study puts part of the blame for housing crisis on Bozeman and Missoula’s zoning codes

  The study alleges Bozeman and Missoula are the “least welcoming” cities to multi-family housing.

• BlocPower is turning every home into the equivalent of a Tesla

  The clean-tech startup is tackling climate change by giving every homeowner the opportunity to electrify—starting in low- and middle-income communities.

• Group pitches idea to create more affordable housing in Billings

  Local real estate broker Bob Leach has been telling any group that will give him an audience that if Billings and Yellowstone County don’t take action quickly, it could take a generation for the region to recover.

• Creating a carbon negative construction company

  Robot builders, AI design, and sustainably sourced wood-based materials maximise efficiency and sustainability

Funding and Building your Business

• Public hearing for PACE energy-efficient financing program in Cascade County set for March 22

  County Commissioner Joe Briggs explained during the work session that organizations can get loans for energy-efficiency projects and expansions that include energy efficiency. He said that the debt is paid through the Montana Facilities Finance Authority and that the county would collect it through property taxes.

Incubators and R&D

• Anti-aging molecules safely reset mouse cells to youthful states

  The Yamanaka factors at the center of this study are a set of four reprogramming molecules that can reset the molecular clock found in the cells of the body.

Metaverse

• Reimagining customer experience in the metaverse

  Big brands like Nike, Walmart, Apple, and Ralph Lauren are turning to the augmented reality technology as they develop future marketing strategies

Idaho News & Events

• Boise State Offering Security as a Service to Rural Agencies

  With the addition of Stellar Cyber’s Open XDR platform, Boise State’s Cyberdome program will offer enterprise-level cybersecurity services, led by students and mentors, to state and local agencies with limited resources.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• Attention MT High School Sophomores – Join the Montana Aerospace Scholars today!

  Registration is now open for high school sophomores for the Montana Aerospace Scholars program. MAS offers Montana students the opportunity to explore STEM educational and career pathways.

• Helena College expands trades program

  Helena College is furthering trades education with their new finishing trades program that focuses on skills like painting, drywall finishing, and glazing.

Rural Communities

• Toward Better ‘Rural Places and Planning’

  The authors of the new book “Rural Places and Planning” expand beyond stereotypes of the rural to describe a more supportive approach to rural planning.

2023 Montana Legislature and Politics

• Montana State University to host celebration of 1972 Constitutional Convention Moderated by Sarah Vowell – 3/22 – 7PM

  Moderators for the discussion will be bestselling author Sarah Vowell and John Adams, founder and editor-in-chief of Montana Free Press.

Government News & Events

• White House launches comprehensive plan for cryptocurrency regulation

  The first plan for crypto regulation across multiple federal agencies

• Commerce Announces Montana’s First Commercial Property Assessed Capital Enhancement Districts (C-PACE)

  “This is the first step for businesses to perform energy efficiency and water consumption upgrades to existing buildings or for new construction,” Commerce Director Scott Osterman said. “It’s a great step for Montana businesses, counties, and the state as a whole,” Osterman added.

Government Technology

• Cascade County, Montana rejects bids for computer infrastructure project, citing cost

  Commissioner Don Ryan told the Tribune that the VxRail Hyperconverged Infrastructure project would take the old computer system at the county, upgrade it, and “tie them together” before a complete changeover takes place.

Transportation

• Searching for Ways to Limit Induced Demand in a Car-Loving Society

  Reducing congestion and its problems of pollution and carbon emissions won’t be easy or cheap. But transportation experts continue to search for answers.

• Advocates to Biden: Car Dependence — Not Gas Prices — Is America’s Real Crisis

  If the current oil crisis threatens to temporarily send shockwaves through the lives of American motorists, sustainable travelers have been in the midst of a crisis for their entire lives — and it’s long past time to rescue them.

• General Motors wants its EVs to power homes

  Your GM vehicle may soon keep your lights on.

• Great Falls airport working to get new – and less expensive – flights

  The city received more than $19 million in ARPA funding and $150,000 was granted to this initiative.

• Lead exposure from car exhaust shrinks half of Americans’ IQ scores
  And falling IQ scores are only the beginning of the devastating consequences.

Energy and Climate Change

• New buildings are huge carbon hogs. Here’s how to design them to last for centuries
  The threat of climate change calls for architects to design buildings for reuse, adaptation, and unexpected futures.
• Eco-friendlier hydroelectric tech would swap dams for electric trucks

  The idea is that a fleet of the trucks would be continuously travelling between the two sites, picking up and dumping out water. Importantly, the amount of electricity they consumed on the way up would be considerably less than the amount that they’d generate on the way down.

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