Budget Cuts

Missoula County Health Department Director Ellen Leahy is in back-to-back meetings discussing the impacts of immediate and possible budget cuts from the State of Montana.

The effort to reduce personnel costs on the University of Montana continues by extending the voluntary severance offer to eligible employees.

On Wednesday, top Republican state leaders gathered in a conference call with the media to discuss their views of the current budget crisis in Montana.

Governor Steve Bullock has told his state budget director to ask all state agencies to submit plans for another 10 percent budget cut.

The state budget office notified department heads this week that an alarming drop in anticipated tax revenue could lead to deep cuts in programs and services, including the Montana University System.

Associate Commissioner of Higher Education Kevin McRae said the legislature came through in a big way for higher education in a season where the cuts could have been catastrophic.

University of Montana officials are surveying their staff to see how many may wish to retire in order to cut the budget.

There is danger brewing in Helena in the halls of the Montana Legislature over how many millions of dollars may have to be cut from the University system budget.

At the Montana Legislature's House Appropriations budget hearing on Wednesday morning, Director of the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, Sheila Hogan, had harsh words for what she termed drastic budget cuts to her department.

For years now, the University of Montana has dealt with falling enrollment and subsequent budget cuts.