Public Safety Levy fails, Cory Reeves elected mayor
Voters in Great Falls overwhelmingly rejected the proposed Public Safety Levy, sending a clear message to city officials they are in no mood to support a significant increase in property taxes in 2024.
Fewer than 40% of Great Falls voters supported the levy request, which would have raised property taxes on a $300,000 home by $420.13 a year, and increased funding for the city's fire, law enforcement and municipal court system by $13,675,910 annually.
Out of 14,715 total votes cast, 9,095 were opposed to the levy, with just 5,620 votes in support of the levy.
Voters also rejected the city's proposal to issue a $21,175,000 bond to renovate the police department building and to build an additional fire station - though by a less dramatic margin. The General Obligation Bond proposal failed by a vote of 6,726 in support of the bond to 7,925 in opposition. If voters had approved the bond it would have added $66.60 in property tax annually to a $300,000 home within Great Falls city limits.
Another high profile contest in this year's election was to choose a new mayor in Great Falls following the retirement of Bob Kelly after four terms in that office. In a field of four candidates former Cascade County Undersheriff Cory Reeves gathered 5,709, besting former State Representative Casey Schreiner (4,796), incumbent Great Falls City Commissioner Joe McKenny (2,760), and Great Falls-MSU student Abby Brown (905).
The make-up of the Great Falls City Commission will be markedly different in 2024. In addition to Kelly's retirement, freshman commissioner Eric Heinbauch failed in his reelection bid, narrowly losing to Shannon Wilson by just 73 votes. Hinebauch was appointed to the commission two years ago following the resignation of commissioner Tracy Houck, who left the office to accept a job with Northrup-Grumman.
Commissioner Rick Tryon garnered the most votes in the pick-two contest and will be returning to serve his second term. The unofficial results for the city commission race show Tryon with 6,664 votes, Shannon Wilson 5,985, Eric Hinebauch 5,912, Micaela Stroop 3,112, and Kendall Cox 2,262. Beginning in January the Great Falls City Commission will consist of Mayor Cory Reeves and commissioners Rick Tryon, Susan Wolff, Joe McKenny and Shannon Wilson.
Great Falls also has a new Municipal Court Judge. Last December commissioners approved a amendment to the city charter to allow for the election of a second Municipal Count Judge. The first ever Department B Municipal Court election featured Deputy City prosecutor Mark Dunn and Great Falls attorney Cayle Halberg both vying for that position. Dunn easily defeated Halberg by a vote of 8,545 to 3,846.
Presiding Department A Municipal Court Judge Steven Bolstad ran unopposed and will now begin his fourth term in that office.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Great falls voters reject Public Safety Levy, elect two new commissioners
