HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-16-26 Public Comment - H. Higgs - Public Comment for February 5From:Heather Higgs
To:Bozeman Goverment Study Commission
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment for February 5
Date:Monday, February 16, 2026 8:27:22 PM
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Dear City Commissioners,
As a taxpayer and City resident, I support special elections to fill vacancies.
Appointments are the antithesis of democracy; they are cronyism.
According to the latest Urban Land Institute Real Estate Market Report co-hosted by the City's
Economic Development Department, people are leaving Bozeman and heading to Belgrade or other
cities in this state. Perhaps it's because, in part, of this very act of usurping the voting rights of its
citizenry? Stop vandalizing your taxpayer base with your corruption.
I support the following:
1. Mandatory Special Elections: If 12 or more months remain in a term, the seat must be filled
by the voters, not an appointment.
2. Appointee Ineligibility: Anyone appointed to a short-term vacancy (less than 12 months)
should be prohibited from running in the next election to eliminate the “Instant Incumbent”
advantage.
3. Representation Over “Savings”: A one-time “savings” of $100,000 is a negligible fraction of
Bozeman’s multi-million dollar budget and should never be traded for our fundamental right
to elect our leaders. This isn’t about how we “want” to spend taxpayer money; it is about
utilizing the opportunity created by the Local Government Study to make Bozeman’s
government as representative of ALL residents as possible.
Thank you,
Heather Higgs