Michele Reinhart

Jobs and the Economy
Michele advocates for good paying jobs. In Missoula, we all know wages are not keeping up with the rising costs of living. She advocates for a fiscally responsible State budget that puts people first, including the lowest and the least, mom and pop small business owners, and local Montanans. She defended the minimum wage at the 2007 Session. She supports sustainable economic development, good paying jobs with benefits, work force training, value added agriculture, consumer protection laws, and economic justice. Michele has served on the Economic Affairs Interim Committee and the Business & Labor Committee since 2007.  Montana has more potential to transfer research and development from the public sector to the private sector to create new products, businesses, and jobs, and keep Montana graduates in Montana.  Michele will keep working on changing laws to help businesses start and grow.

Education
It is critically important to investing in students and the workforce for Montana to have strong economy and compete nationally and internationally. Michele supports funding a quality education and putting more money into classrooms. She supports affordable college tuition and investing in K-12 and higher education, so Montanans will have the skills they need to get good paying jobs.

Health Care
Medical bills are the number one reason people go bankrupt. The rising costs of health care are a burden on small businesses.  During tough budget times, it is important to know which critical public health services Montanans want to keep.  One effective way to deliver affordable health care is through Montana’s Community Health Centers, which deliver cost effective services to people based on ability to pay.

Conservation
Michele has been an active conservation leader since 2001, including as a community organizer for Northern Plains Resource Council, a grassroots conservation and family agriculture group on renewable energy, land use planning, value added local food, country of origin labeling, fair trade, and stronger reclamation laws. She has been endorsed by the Montana Conservation Voters since 2006.  She has passed cutting-edge legislation for parks and open space, noxious weed prevention, and water conservation. She carried progressive legislation for renewable energy and biodiesel. Throughout her career, Michele has been a voice for safe drinking water, clean air, family farms and ranches, public access to hunting and fishing grounds, and for the great quality of life Missoulians and Montanans enjoy.
With your help she can go back to Helena and keep pushing ahead for a better Missoula.