Back to Top

ELECTIONS MATTER!

City Council ballots and the bond referendum come out tomorrow. Dick Pence, Big Sky Worldview Forum, has published a VOTER GUIDE for this year's ballot. 

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS!

Voters’ Guide: 

Billings City Council Election & Bond Levy 

Dick Pence – Coordinator, Big Sky Worldview Forum, Cell – 406-672-9207 rapence45@gmail.com 

The KEY to this having impact is YOU! 

I am asking you to FORWARD this to several friends in Billings today. Ballots come out tomorrow, Oct. 18th) 

About this Guide: Because I have followed City Council elections for a decade, I know some of these candidates from other elections. Also, I have learned to spot “identifying language” that exposes their ideology. In today’s reality, ideology will determine how they vote and govern! While these races are billed as non-partisan, there is no such thing anymore. This year, my answers are short because the lines are so clear. I can also read the Chamber Questionnaire (referenced below) and smell their ideology. All but one and that is Ward 3 where we have to know the history. 

Billings City Council Races and Comments 

(My choices are color-coded GREEN for yes, RED for NO based upon my evaluation of their being conservative. This guide is based upon considerable research. 

(Here is the Billings Chamber of Commerce Questionnaire.) 

Ward 1 Mike Mayott vs. Kendra Shaw (Incumbent) 

Ward 2 Roy Neese (incumbent) vs Dustin Hanson 

Ward 3 Charlie Loveridge vs. Bill Kennedy 

Ward 4 Scott Aspenlieder vs. Mary Hernandez 

Ward 5 Mike Boyette (incumbent) vs. Beau Mulvaney 

Ward One: (This is a slam-dunk) 

Mike Mayott – is a solid conservative and an established businessman. He doesn’t just pretend to be a business man, he is one. Mike expresses himself well 2 

 

and is known for being very good at understanding budgets. His history of public service is long. 

Kendra Shaw – is a flaming liberal and like other liberals she is an accomplished deceiver as to who she is. Kendra is about as far LEFT as you can get. In her first campaign, it was clear that she wants Billings to be more like Missoula or Bozeman. She is BIG on affordable housing, but ask her about home prices in those Progressive cities. I expect every Progressive group in Montana (Forward Montana) and others will support her and walk doors for her. She was all for the Marijuana agenda and was a grower. NOTHINH is doing more to destroy Montana than Pot. She is for a Non-Discrimination Ordinance and she is for the Parks Bond. She would be all for ANYTHING that was D.E.I. - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is a rabid defender of anything LGBTQ+ 

Ward Two: (A Solid conservative vs. a mystery) 

Roy Neese (incumbent) – Roy is a SOLID conservative, a long-time business man, a critical thinker and a person who is guided by his Faith. He has invested in the City of Billings for years with his service. This man asks good questions as you will observe if you ever go to a Council meeting. He is a proven leader based upon a long record of service. 

Dustin Hanson – Nobody seems to know much about him. He did NOT show up for the Chamber debate. He did not complete the Chamber questionnaire. But interestingly, I saw a survey (done by a Democrat) who appears to support the Bond Levy. She filled in his answers but here Dustin exposes himself as a big spender who would support this bond. No physical conservative would support this insanity. Further, City Council is (arguably) the most time-consuming governmental service. Will he show up? 

Ward 3: This ward is EXTREMELY PROBLAMATIC! This is the Ward many will be deceived about. Kennedy will most likely get the votes that went to the incumbent councilman and Marxist Danny Choriki in the primary. 

Charlie Loveridge – SOLID conservative! Charlie built his own business and has run it for over twenty years. He has served the community in multiple ways including the Metra Board. He has coached sports for years. His service record in Billings 3 

 

reads like a Who’s Who. He is a man of Faith and Integrity and here lies the contrast with his opponent! 

Bill Kennedy – Let’s talk about integrity! Kennedy is a Democrat and will undoubtedly get the votes that DSA member (and Marxist) Danny Choriki got in the primary. Stop, ask yourself, why would that be? Bill is going to tell you he is EXPERIENCED – Ten times! But the DEVIL is in the details. I have to be careful, but I can safely say that his past is shady in multiple ways, with respect to what he says about that experience. He has moved around from job to job a lot. Yes, he was a Yellowstone County Commissioner, but he quit in the middle of a term. Yes, he was the Chair of the MSUB Foundation, but there are questions. He says he stepped down; truth appears to be that he was fired or allowed to quietly go away. There are questions about law suits and abuse – so many that you have to ask; where there is that much smoke, is there is fire? I could say a lot more! Bill is a “good old boy” in the eyes of many in Billings. We don’t want this man anywhere near our City Council. 

Ward 4: (Another slam Dunk) 

Scott Aspenlieder – Solid Conservative, great communicator, good critical thinker! Scott’s best friend, AG Austin Knudson says this about Scot; “I have known Scott for 20 years and I can tell you that he is exactly the type of leader that we need.” He is a native Montanan, and may be the most conservative person in this entire election. He has his head on straight in terms of what the City is supposed to do and it’s NOT providing recreational opportunities - even though he coaches young people. He and his family moved to Billings about a decade ago and started a successful engineering business. I can hardly endorse him more enthusiastically. To say more would a waste of your time. 

Mary Hernandez – IF…. It is possible to be more LEFT and WOKE leaning than Kendra Shaw, then Hernandez is. She is a proponent of the ACLU, the Human Rights Campaign (Supporting all things LGBTQ+, DEI etc.) They can hardly get more WOKE than Mary. In her Chamber write up, she tells you all the work she has done and it is ALL Progressive. In the debate, her answers made no sense – were all over the board. Enough said. 

Ward 5: (A moderate vs. quiet, different Progressive guy) 4 

 

Mike Boyette – is the incumbent and leans more moderate than some, but has voted well where it counts. Mike is a USAF Veteran, served 9 years as Deputy Sheriff, 7 years as Billings Police Commissioner, and multiple other service boards. This is a man with a good service record. 

Beau Mulvaney teaches social studies at West High and is one of the Union Reps for the VERY liberal Billings Education Association. He bills himself as Non-Partisan, but is clearly a Progressive. In the debate, he came across as stiff, my sense was that he is very liberal. If you read his answers in the Chamber survey, you will see that. But on the Non-Discrimination Ordinance question he exposes himself as one who wants Billings to be more like Missoula or Bozeman. He will support the Parks and Recreation Bond. He says, “I do believe the City of Billings needs a Non-Discrimination Ordinance. It is embarrassing that it has failed multiple times with included compromises and exceptions. Multiple cities in MT have passed similar ordinances to support all citizens of their city.”… 

I could find no real record of serious volunteer work. Again, this should be an easy vote. 

Bond Levy for Recreation Center and Amend Park – VOTE NO you are being lied to; proponents have not been transparent. 

In plain language, we cannot afford this. With all the issues (and expenses) Billings faces with public safety, the need for jail expansion, more police officers etc., this is irresponsible. Especially when property owners are facing a huge increase in their property taxes. Most don’t even know what that will be yet. 

  • Billings residents AND Council continue to say that Public Safety is the No. 1 priority. This bond issue jumps to first place without even a slight reference to ending violent crime! 
  • The $110 million Recreation Center is not ready for a public vote as it is still in the concept stage. There has not been architectural/design plans, engineering, or site work. At this stage, costs are likely to go up, 
  • The Debt on the bond will be about $143 million, but this does NOT include interest that will be upcoming. 

 

 

  • The ballot question does not limit Council to only the projects being discussed – funds could be diverted to any park, recreation or trail project 
  • The Amend Park recreation center is estimated at $110 million, but we don’t even have a layout picture of this facility. 
  • The bond does not establish dollars to operate and maintain any of the projects. Another mill levy will be needed in 3-5 years to staff, operate and maintain the projects proposed 
  • Proponents are depending upon VOTER IGORANCE to get this passed! 

 

This irresponsible idea is promoted by the Billings Chamber of Commerce, the most liberal Chamber in Montana.


Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee
PO Box 724
Billings, MT  59103
Michael Scheppele, Treasurer 
Powered by CampaignPartner.com - Political Campaign Websites
Close Menu