The Frontier Institute and Schreiber sales tax plan (updated)

California transplant, “Tax-Hike” Trish Schreiber, recently published a letter in the Philipsburg -Deer Lodge newspaper entitled “Just Say No to a Sales Tax”. I realize that not many folk in the Anaconda area read that paper and, if you didn’t see her article, it was fundamentally incoherent and you didn’t miss much. Schreiber did, however, make one fantastic, yet false claim that bears a response.  She claimed that “Fitzpatrick and his Democratic Allies” are pushing a sales tax.

When a candidate makes up falsehoods out of thin air, it’s a clear demonstration her campaign is not going well and she is getting desperate.

To be clear, I am opposed to a sales tax and I will not vote to enact a sales tax.

Schreiber’s enormous lie, which she has repeated before, is based on a conversation at the Powell County Commission meeting on November 4th where there was a discussion of the sales tax as an alternative to the property tax for funding local government, nothing more.  You are free to contact any or, all, of the Commission members to determine who is really telling the truth, Fitzpatrick or Schreiber.

Schreiber’s claim that I am working with Democrats to promote a sales tax is testimony to Schreiber’s complete ignorance of Montana politics. Historically, the sales tax has been promoted by Montana’s largest industries and selected “Republican” politicians.  Very few Democrats have ever publicly supported the sales tax and Montana unions have always opposed a sales tax.

On the matter of the sales tax, the evidence points to Schreiber as being the real promoter, albeit secretly. On December 10th, the Frontier Institute, allegedly a conservative “think tank”, gave a presentation to the Montana Taxpayer’s Association where it proposed a 4% general state-wide sales tax and a 2.81% local option sales tax for a combined total of 6.81%. 

The Schreiber family has close ties with the Frontier Institute. Schreiber, herself was an “educational fellow” at the Institute for several years and her husband, Matt, is currently on the Board of Directors.

The San Francisco based, Educational Promise Foundation, has given $131,000 to the Frontier Institute during the past two years. The officers of the Educational Promise Foundation are Matt, Trish, and Rita Schreiber, her mother-in-law.

So, we have the Schreiber family funding the Frontier Institute, the organization promoting a sales tax.  At the same time, “Tax Hike” Trish hides in the background and tries to blame me for what she and her family are actually doing.

Schreiber has repeatedly endorsed changes to the property tax system which will double your property taxes. Now she is secretly promoting the sales tax through the Frontier Institute which is on the Schreiber payroll.

The contest between me and “Tax Hike” Trish is about the direction of Montana.  Do you want to turn Montana into a mini-California with high property taxes, a sales tax, and California style schools?  That is Schreiber’s vision.  Or, do you want Montana to stay like Montana with low property taxes, no sales tax, and quality public schools which is my vision.

With her property tax and secret sales tax proposal, “Double Tax-Hike” Trish Schreiber is not on your side.

Rep. John Fitzpatrick is a Republican from Anaconda representing House District 76.

Editor's note: Due to a technical error on our part, only the first half of this article appeared in Friday's Anaconda Leader. It has been updated online to include the entire article. It will be reprinted in full on our next Commentary page, which will be on Tuesday, Dec. 23.