DAVID PASSIERI
Active candidates for House District 91
Republican
Democrat
ON THE ISSUES
Answers here were solicited from legislative candidates via a written questionnaire in April 2024, conducted in collaboration between MTFP and the Montana League of Women Voters. Responses here are presented exactly as submitted, without fact-checking or editing for minor punctuation or spelling errors. Readers can access the league's Vote411 resource here.
Legislative candidates who haven't submitted answers to these questions can do so at any time by contacting montanalwv@gmail.com or calling 406-233-9015.
Born in La Mirada California. 56 years of life experience with 20 years vested in Montana. Permanent resident in Lake County, Ronan. Real estate professional since 1989. Currently working with Mission Valley Properties in beautiful St Ignatius. Nearly 2 years of college until passing my real estate exam at the age of 19, my childhood dream. Father of 3, grandfather of 7 and spouse to Natalie Passieri. Known to be a forward-thinking community leader. Previously involved as a St Ignatius volunteer firefighter, past president of the Dixon Senior Citizens Center, past member of the Lake County Planning Board and current member of the Lake County Board of Adjustment. Dedicated as a strong, property-rights voice for all people of Montana.
The most pressing issue is the very high residential and small business owner property taxes. Montana is a tourist destination and in my view a Bed tax is an overlooked source of new revenue for local governments. It would tax people passing through the area instead of those living locally. It may incentivize less vacation-rental residential investment demand which could ease the ongoing unaffordable housing crisis, especially for our new teachers. The state general fund is currently carrying a surplus. These new funds could be earmarked as a voucher/credit/refund to the local residential property owners. A triple win outcome for the people of Montana.
Property taxes are the worst form of taxation, tantamount to the ongoing discussion of collecting “unrealized capital gains” as a new source of government revenue. The Legislature needs to focus upon relief for full-time Montana residents and small business owners. Most states use a homestead exemption to provide relief to full-time residents and Montana should do the same. Giving local taxpayers more control over tax increases will also help control the future growth of property taxes. Those changes should include approving levies by a greater majority of taxpayers than is now required, sunsetting tax every 10 years to allow voter options on choosing priorities for their communities and creating an overall true cap on property tax rises.
Promoting Montanans health would benefit greatly by supporting our freedom of expression by actively eliminating "anti-hate speech, malinformation, disinformation and misinformation" censorship narrative tactics. New innovative ideas must lead to the humanitarian response for the mental and physical health care services. Questions needing answered: (1) Do current reimbursements rates made by the state and Medicaid adequately cover the cost of providing services? (2) How is it prudent to award out-of-state contracts for mental health services? (Cheaper is not always better!) (3) Why does it take in some cases, up to 90 days to pay for services when most providers do not have the cash reserves? I support term limits on future expansions.
I feel schools are adequately funded and in need of major reform with a focus to getting back to the basics, such as classical education and smaller classes. Additionally, granting teachers greater authority over student discipline and an incentive program rewarding student meritocracy would carry my vote. Ultimately, we must teach the children the ability to think critically, challenge narratives, and to be inquisitive. I would welcome vocational instruction, such as agrarian, mechanics, welding, carpentry, plumbing, electric, et cetera. I will support a template similar to what exists in Billings where a 12% increase for new teacher hires be immediately instituted and funded by reducing upper management cost-of-living pay increases.
MTFP COVERAGE
Election outcomes
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| JOE READ | 1,246 |
Common voting questions
When are Montana’s 2024 elections?
Voters picked party nominees for the November general election in the June 4 primary. The November General Election that will decide the ultimate winner in each race is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Who runs Montana’s elections?
Montana elections are administered at the county level. The process is overseen by county clerks and election administrators, who help to train and monitor the volunteer election judges that staff the polls. Ballots are typically processed and counted at central county locations, with the results reported to the Montana secretary of state’s office via a statewide software system called ElectMT.
Once polls close, the secretary of state’s office provides results through its website. The state-level office also provides guidance to local election administrators to ensure compliance with state election laws. Additionally, enforcing compliance with some laws governing political campaigns, particularly those involving campaign finance, falls to a separate office known as the Commissioner of Political Practices.
Do I need to be registered in order to vote?
Yes. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it through the Montana secretary of state's My Voter Page. You can register to vote by stopping by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office by mail or in person (the latter option is strongly recommended close to Election Day to ensure your application is received in time). If you do present your application in person, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.
Can I register to vote on Election Day?
Yes. The state Legislature has sought to enact an earlier registration deadline, but under a March 2024 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, same-day voter registration remains legal in Montana. Residents can register to vote or update their voter registration at their county’s election office prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Does Montana have voter ID requirements?
Yes, you will be required to present identification when voting at the polls. However, under the Montana Supreme Court’s March ruling, changes made to those requirements by the 2021 Legislature remain blocked. The current forms of identification voters can use at the polls are a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.
Are there situations where I wouldn't be eligible to vote?
According to state law, you can't vote if you'll be under age 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of "unsound mind" are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you're good to go.
Can I vote online?
No, that’s not an option in Montana.
Can I vote by mail?
Yes, you can sign up as an absentee voter by checking a box on your voter registration form. If you’re already registered to vote, you can fill out a separate form and submit it to your county election office.
If you’re registered as an absentee voter, a ballot should be mailed to you a few weeks in advance of each election day. You can make sure your address is current via the My Voter page. County election officials are slated to mail ballots to voters for the November 2024 General Election Oct. 11.
You can return ballots by mail, or drop them off in person at your county’s election office. Either way, the election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count it.
How do I vote in person?
If you plan to vote at the polls, just be sure you know where your polling location is and head there between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. You'll need to provide a photo ID or other accepted form of identification and sign the precinct register, at which point you’ll get your ballot and be directed to a voting booth. If you have any technical questions or run into any problems, the election judges at your polling place should be able to help you.
I have a friend or family member who isn't able to drop off his or her mail-in ballot. Can I do it for them?
Yes, you can. The Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021 related to paid ballot collection, but those changes have also been blocked by the Montana Supreme Court.
Who should I vote for?
That’s your call, not ours. We hope the information we present on this guide is helpful as you make that decision for yourself, though.
About this project
This guide was produced by the Montana Free Press newsroom with production by Eric Dietrich, web development by Eric Dietrich and Jacob Olness, editing by Brad Tyer and Nick Ehli and contributions from Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Mara Silvers, Alex Sakariassen, Amanda Eggert and Stephanie Farmer. Questionnaire responses for legislatiive candidates were collected with help from the Montana League of Women Voters, through the league's Vote 411 program. Contact Eric Dietrich with questions, corrections or suggestions at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.
Montana Free Press is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit, reader-supported news organization serving Montana. MTFP's donor base includes supporters from across Montana's political spectrum, including some Montanans who are candidates in this year's election. MTFP's major donors are listed here and a current list of other supporters is available here. MTFP's news judgments are made entirely independently from donor involvement.
This material is available for republication by other media outlets under Montana Free Press' standard distribution terms.