Jane Weber

Jane Weber was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor's degree from Kutztown State College in 1975 and a bachelor's degree from the University of Montana in 1982.

Her career experience includes working as a forester. As of 2024, Weber was affiliated with Great Falls Downtown Partnership, Great Falls Chamber of Commerce Business Advocacy Committee, Black Eagle Technical Advisory Group, and the Missouri-Madison River Fund Board of Directors.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have lived in this neighborhood for over 30 years and raised three children who attended Great Falls Public Schools. I support our Neighborhood Council, attending monthly meetings and participating in park cleanup events. I strongly support public education and advocate for school funding.

I worked for both the USDA, Forest Service and served as a Cascade County Commissioner for a decade. I have experience balancing – often conflicting – infrastructure, public safety, and land use needs within the community.

My USDA, Forest Service and County Commission work involved:

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Making land use decisions on timber and range management, subdivisions, industrial and agricultural developments;

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Conducting public meetings on highly contentious issues;

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Managing the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center;

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Serving as Public Information Officer on a Type II Wildfire Team;

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Approving a $60 million+ annual county budget;

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Serving on the city-county Board of Health;

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Advising on the Black Eagle Superfund cleanup;

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Serving on the Montana Hardrock Mining Impact Board mitigating impacts;

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Delivering Meals on Wheels to seniors;

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Advocating for our city-county public library and historic districts;

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Public Education: the great equalizer.

Public education & early childhood education are important. Children deserve a good education regardless of their household income. Public education is the greatest equalizer, helping all children reach their full potential. Our three children are products of the Great Falls Public Schools – their education afforded them opportunities to establish independence and good paying jobs. Our educators are a valuable resource we take for granted. Montana teacher pay is one of the lowest nationwide, and our best teachers/new graduates are leaving Montana to teach in other states where pay is higher. The legislature can and must do better to fund public education & provide incentives for teachers.Access to healthcare keeps Montanans working.

Montanans deserve opportunities to prosper. We all deserve a safe roof over our heads and a good paying job with health insurance. When our newborn daughter required neonatal hospitalization, health insurance helped pay for it. All Montanans deserve that same peace of mind. When people are sick, they should be able to go to the doctor. Staying healthy and seeking healthcare keeps parents working and providing for their families. For this reason, I support Medicaid expansion because it helps our greatest asset - our fellow Montanans - and keeps Montana’s rural hospitals and economy open for business.Property Taxes Need to be Fair

Montana’s property taxes are placing an unfair burden on homeowners and renters. Centrally assessed properties and industrial corporations are exempted from paying their fair share of the property tax. Seniors on fixed incomes are being priced out of their homes. Young homeowners are strapped with other costs (like daycare) and unable to pay exorbitant property taxes. I believe in fair taxation for residential property owners. Additionally, personal property taxes need to be re-evaluated, because many large businesses are given huge tax breaks for their equipment, thus reducing taxable income for public education, mental health and local government services.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

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Increased access to mental health services to reduce homelessness and help Montanans acquire and retain a livable income;

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Support for alternative energy options to reduce Montana’s carbon footprint;

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Opportunities for local government to have the ability to implement funding flexibility;

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Strengthening our statewide infrastructure;

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Retention of Montana’s clean aquifers to ensure quality drinking water into the future;

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Keeping public lands in public hands and ensuring access to our state and federal lands.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to people who give without expecting anything in return. Those people are true unsung heroes – whether they bake cookies for a widower, visit a friend in the hospital, care for a loved one, volunteer on a community board, coach a youngster or a team of students to be the best they can be, or parent their children to be kind and accepting of others. I look up to these types of people, for they are the ones who can make the world a better place for future generations.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Mansfield and Dirksen - Bipartisan Giants of the Senate by Marc C. Johnson

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe an elected official must

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LISTEN to constituents in order to understand their concerns;

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RESEARCH issues so the elected official is prepared to act/vote responsibly to benefit those they represent;

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ACT honestly at all times;

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RESPECT the opinions of others even when they differ from their own.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am committed to doing the right thing. I believe in our democracy and respect process. I am patient and willing to listen to differing viewpoints before making a decision. I am honest as the day is long. I work hard and take criticism without retribution. I have former government experience that enables me to have a different perspective about state funding.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

1.

Serve ALL Montanans equitably and with respect, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual preference;

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Prepare a balanced state budget;

3.

Abide by the Montana Constitution and seek advice from legislative counsel to ensure policies and laws are legal.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I have no expectation other than for Montanans who know me to believe I worked for their best interests.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I was nine years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first real job (other than waitressing and lifeguarding in my high school and college years), was with the Forest Service. I made it a career and worked for the USDA Forest Service on several National Forests and in several different positions for over 25 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I have so many but will select "Bucking the Sun" by Ivan Doig.

Doig's ability to incorporate accurate historic details into his stories about Montana always draws me into the tale. This story about construction of the Fort Peck Dam tells of the hard life for those working with their hands and backs in a dangerous and daunting undertaking, and the lifeline thrown to them by the New Deal that presented hope for a better life.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Inspector Hercule Poirot, brilliant and persistent.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

John Prine's song, "The Lonesome Friends of Science."

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Losing my mother after a sudden, brief illness.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

It is important that the governor and the legislature operate with mutual respect and open-mindedness. The governor must be willing to discuss critical issues facing the state with both parties in the legislature, not simply the legislators affiliated with his/her own political party. Likewise, legislators need to work for the betterment of all Montanans by reaching across the aisle to attain agreement within their respective legislative chambers and with the governor. Bipartisan dialogue and consensus are possible if both the governor and legislators are willing to share the power and modulate their egos.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Sustainability of local governments, small communities, and public education.

Montana is a rural state. With Montana’s slow population growth, transition from extractive natural resource industries, current tax structure affording tremendous corporate tax breaks, reduced personal property collections, and slow conversion to new technology industries - Montana will have a difficult time generating sufficient public funds for needed local government services and public education. Montana cities and counties will find it difficult to provide essential public services – infrastructure, law enforcement, court services, libraries, public auditoriums, fairgrounds, and more. Without additional funding keeping pace with inflation, public education as we know it will be much diminished. Already, Montana is having a difficult time recruiting and retaining qualified educators at the current low pay scales. If Montana does not continue to support Medicaid expansion, rural hospitals will not survive and small communities will be negatively impacted as residents relocate to larger communities where medical services are available. It could be the demise of Montana’s rural towns and agriculture economy.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Achieving balance in the state legislative makeup necessitates a mix legislators with government experience at various levels, as well as business and agricultural leaders. I have experience as a public employee in federal service and in county government. Both experiences provide me the opportunity to understand how government budgets are developed and managed. Both experiences allowed me to understand the importance of transparency and public engagement in decision-making. Both experiences showed me the value of collaboration/communication with other agencies and at various levels of government. No doubt, those legislators with experience in private enterprise bring a different perspective to the state house - therein my belief we need a mix of legislators with government experience and others with business backgrounds. In the 2023 Montana legislative session, many legislators did not have any experience in local government; therefore, they inaccurately/unfairly portrayed and reproached city and county government as spendthrifts who squander public dollars. They lacked the knowledge and experience of working in local government; therefore, they impugned the work of local officials with no knowledge of the limitations and challenges faced by local officials. Not all legislators need to have experience in local government, but the state house must have a mix to avoid the false name-blame that occurred in the 2023 Montana legislative session.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Certainly. Each legislator will bring a different perspective to the table. It is the responsibility of the legislators to work together to find creative solutions to critical issues facing the state. As previously stated, it is imperative that legislators listen to each other, discuss, deliberate, and evaluate options and decisions. Only by listening and allowing space for safe, creative discussion can our legislative body make the best decisions for Montana’s future.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Three come to mind – Former State Representatives Jean Price and Jasmine Krotkov, and current Representative Ed Buttrey. All three have been able to garner support and respect with a bipartisan approach to governing.

Jean Price was well-liked for her willingness to listen to her fellow legislators, respectfully agree or disagree with them on issues, and remain an equal partner at the legislative table. Like Senators Mike Mansfield and Everett Dirksen, she never disparaged her legislative colleagues, yet remained strong in her convictions and respected by her fellow legislators.

Jasmine Krotkov brought a different perspective to the legislative body. Always willing to listen to an opposing argument, she meticulously researched all angles of important issues, spent her time wisely to fully understand and appreciate the nuance of specific bills, and voted with her heart and mind.

Ed Buttrey was able to set aside partisan politics to establish and reinstate Medicaid Expansion in Montana. Although I do not know the particular strategies he applied to achieve passage and reinstatement of the legislation, I plan to learn from him as he approaches the 2025 re-evaluation and vote to maintain Medicaid Expansion for Montanans.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I visited with a potential constituent who is a single mother in her 40s, raising three school-aged children on a very modest, full-time position with a corporate convenience store. The woman is divorced and her spouse does not have the ability to provide her much financial assistance. She lives with her parents because she cannot afford rent on her own or a house purchase. Her children are on Medicaid, but her income exceeds the Medicaid Expansion requirements and health insurance from her employer is too expensive. She has no healthcare insurance for herself and cannot seek routine preventative healthcare. She survives on minimal additional financial help from her parents and with some food commodity assistance feeds her family. This fully employed woman has little disposable income to maintain her late model vehicle or provide anything more than the necessities for her children. She feels boxed in with no future ahead of her and her children. These types of stories are heartbreaking – a working mom trying to do right for her children with loving parents willing to sacrifice their late years by allowing grandchildren underfoot in their family home. When people tell me that there are “free loaders” taking advantage of Medicaid and other public services, my response is, “some may be doing that, but others are in need of these life-saving services to keep their families intact, housed, and fed.” Those of us who can afford a reliable vehicle, our own private space to live, and enough cash to afford a weekend away with our families should count our blessings.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I am at a loss, call my friend Hena who always has a joke at the ready.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Only in a crisis.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

Support for Medicaid Expansion.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Montana Federation of Public Employees.

What committees interest you?

Taxation

Local Government

Education

Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Natural Resources

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe in our democracy where financial decisions are openly discussed, debated and disclosed to the public. I believe elected officials should not manipulate or design fiscal policies for their own personal benefit. I believe government officials and elected officials must manage the people’s money with integrity and honesty.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

I do support allowing Montanans to vote one ballot during the primary election instead of requiring voters to select either the Democrat, Republican or Green Party ballot. I have not yet decided whether I support rank voting for the General Election.