Montana Women Vote!

1st Biennial Governor's Report Card

February 28, 2003

Governor Judy Martz on:
Score
Domestic Violence Programs D
Comprehensive Sex Education Programs F
Family Planning Services D+
Women's Healthcare Programs C
Health Insurance/ Coverage for Children D-
Childcare Programs F
The Right to Choose F
Woman-Friendly Economic Development F
Public and Environmental Health C
Overall Grade F

Montana Women Vote!

1st Biennial Governor's Report Card

Explanation of Score Results

  1. Domestic Violence programs:
    • In her proposed budget, Governor Martz cuts the state domestic violence program's general fund allocation to $75,000 per year, which is more than a 50 percent reduction. 1
    • As a result of providing a minimum of $75,000 in state funding Montana maintained eligibility for federal funding of Domestic Violence programs. Federal funding for both domestic violence and rape prevention programs were included in the Governor's proposed budget.
    • Governor Martz's 2003 budget cuts included a $75,000 cut in general funds for domestic violence programs resulting in 8% cuts to 24 programs across the state. 2
  2. Comprehensive sexual education programs:
    • One of Governor Martz's first actions as Governor was to establish MAP, Montana Abstinence Partnership. This was a federally mandated program which Governor Martz supports.
    • The Governor's proposed budget also includes federal funding for Abstinence Only programs, as well as budget authority for a full-time state employee to work on such programs. 3
  3. Family planning services:
    • Governor Martz's proposed budget cuts general fund support for family planning services by $51,896 over the biennium. 4
    • The Governor's proposed budget includes federal grant funds for family planning services and .50 FTE. 5
  4. Women's Healthcare Programs:
    • The Governor's proposed budget includes $415,552 in general fund support for Medicaid eligible women to use the MT Breast and Cervical Cancer treatment programs. 6
    • The Governor's proposed budget also includes nearly $2.5 million in federal funds for the MT Breast and Cervical Cancer Health and Treatment programs, including 1.00 FTE for American Indian screening. 7
    • The Governor's proposed budget would eliminate the MIAMI/Perinatal prevention program. This program provides community based home visits for pregnant and parenting mothers to reduce the causes of pre-mature births and other health/social issues associated with pregnancy, birthing and early childrearing. Additionally, the general fund support for this program accounts for 30% of the state match for the MT Community Health Block Grant, which provides community health programs across Montana. The elimination of this program jeopardizes the federal matching money for the MCH grant. 8
  5. Children's Health Insurance Programs:
    • The Governor maintained funding for CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) by providing $8.3 million in special funding as mandated by the passage of I-146. 9
    • During the 2003 budget cuts, Governor Martz eliminated $100,000 for covering uninsured children. 10
    • The 2003 cuts also reduced general fund appropriations to CHIP, resulting in a loss of federal/other funds for the program.11
    • The 2003 budget cuts also eliminated out patient & out-of-home services for children & adolescents12; restricted counseling, psychotherapy or social work services only to children certified as Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED)13; and limited children and adolescents to receive only those services provided for under CHIP, unless deemed medically necessary by Medicaid. 14
    • These cuts resulted in a loss of an additional $2.3 million in other funds15 (most likely federal) which would have supported these services for Montana's children, as well as employ numerous Montanans in the social services, fields which traditionally employ high numbers of women.
  6. Childcare Assistance:
    • As a result of shifting funds within TANF to cover increasing caseloads, Governor Martz's proposed budget cuts the childcare base budget by $7.6 million each year of the biennium.16 This affects childcare providers as well as TANF recipients who are working or looking for work.
    • The Governor's proposed budget also reduces the general fund allocation for childcare/daycare that is provided to Children's Protective Services. 17
    • The 2003 budget cuts included a reduction in childcare matching funds, resulting in a loss of $819,900 in federal funds. These funds provided childcare for over 500 families. 18
  7. Supporting a Woman's Right to Choose:
    • Governor Martz has repeatedly stated that she is anti-choice. This was seen most recently at the anti-choice rally held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day this January where Governor Martz was "the event's main speaker". 19
  8. Woman-Friendly Economic Development:
    • Governor Martz has proposed numerous general fund cuts to Medicaid provider reimbursement rates and available services. Both Medicaid provider reimbursements and available services receive federal matching funds, with Medicaid programs receiving $3 to $4 for every $1 spent by the state. Six of these cuts add up to approximately $9.6 million20, these cuts result in a loss of approximately $19.3 million in federal funds. That is a loss of nearly $30 million to Montana's healthcare economy. According to a study commissioned by St Vincent Healthcare and Deaconess Billings Clinic; a 20% cut in Medicaid reimbursement rates would result in an estimated loss of more than 500 healthcare related jobs in Billings, over 400 jobs in Miles City and nearly 550 jobs in Butte.21 Similar results could be expected across Montana. Healthcare has been one of Montana's fastest growing economies, and is a traditionally woman-dominated field.
    • One of the Department of Health and Human Services divisions alone contracts with over 700 non-profit healthcare providers.22 Governor Martz's proposed cuts to HHS programs would result in cuts to non-profits, healthcare providers and social service providers. These organizations typically employ high numbers of women and would be facing potential layoffs.
    • According to Childcare Resources, Governor Martz's proposed cuts to the Childcare Base Budget could place a projected 4,700 children on child care subsidy lists, leaving 3,000 families without access to child care and causing approximately 400 jobs to be lost statewide. Childcare is another field that predominately employs women.
    • Interestingly enough, many of the programs that Governor Martz targets for cuts employ primarily women. Instead of leveraging the economic benefits that local communities reap from state money spent on human service programs, Governor Martz's support of the decrease in business equipment tax and other tax breaks or cuts show a preference using state money to subsidize large businesses in those economic sectors employ primarily men.
  9. Public and Environmental Health:
    • After months of consideration, Governor Martz eventually granted Superfund designation to the extensive asbestos contamination in Libby. This designation established Libby as a priority site for EPA cleanup. This decision will help ensure a thorough cleanup of the pollution, which has already significantly impacted the health of 1 in 5 Libby residents.
    • In a surprise announcement during her State of the State address, Governor Martz stated that she supported the removal of Milltown Dam. This will help guarantee a long term and permanent cleanup of the toxic sediments which currently threaten water quality in the Clark Fork River.
    • The Governor's proposed budget would eliminate general fund support for the state Public Health Laboratory. 23
    • A $1 million federal grant for an Environmental Health Tracking program designed to avert environmental and public health disasters like Libby, was included in the Governor's proposed budget. 24

  1. Governor's proposed FY 04/05 budget, Section B, Division 03, NP 274, $77,641 cut general fund dollars for Domestic Violence programs, each year of the biennium.
  2. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 03, $75,000 general fund cuts to domestic violence grant.
  3. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 04, NP 32 MT Abstinence Program, $84,000 Federal Funds each year biennium + 1.00 FTE.
  4. Governor's proposed FY 04/05 budget, Section B, Division 07, NP 252 Eliminate $51,896 in general fund support for Family Planning.
  5. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 07, NP 37 Family Planning federal grant funding in the amount of $367,546 including 0.50 FTE.
  6. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 07, NP 52 Medicaid Breast & Cervical Cancer Treatment Program, $415,000 General Fund of $1,092,450 total (including federal funds).
  7. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 07, NP 52 (Above) and NP 53 MT Breast & Cervical Health Program, total $2.5 million federal funds including 1.00 FTE for American Indian screening.
  8. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 07, NP 250 eliminate MIAMI/Perinatal prevention program, general fund $1.1 million, 30% state match for MCH block grant.
  9. Governor's proposed budget, Section B, Division 07, NP 253, Fund switch for CHIP $8.3 million from General Fund dollars to Special Fund dollars.
  10. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 07, Eliminate $100,000 for covering uninsured children.
  11. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 07, Reduce appropriation for CHIP by $89,222 general fund resulting in a loss of other funds of $466,110.
  12. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 33, Eliminate outpatient therapy for children &adolescents;, $75.336 general fund dollars resulting in a loss of other funds of $322,218.
  13. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 33, Limit Counseling, Social work or psychotherapy services to SED children only, cut $486,197 general funds resulting in a loss of $1,309,879 in other funds.
  14. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 33, Children &Adolescents; limited to services provided for by CHIP, cut $174,911 of general fund money resulting in a loss of $748,102 in other funds.
  15. See footnotes 13, 14, 15 and 16.
  16. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 02, PL 14 Reduction in Childcare base budget, $7.6 million in federal funds each year of the biennium.
  17. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B, Division 02, NP 273 Base adjustment for CPS Daycare, $325,013 in general fund money each year of the biennium.
  18. Governor's Final Report, 2003 Budget Cuts, Section B, Division 02, Reduce Childcare matching funds. Cut $302,021 in general fund money resulting in a loss of $819,900 in federal funds.
  19. Farrel, Allison. "Anti-Abortion Rally Packs the Capitol." Billings Gazette 21 Jan. 2003.
  20. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B; Division 07 NP 242, NP 254; Division 33 NP353; Division 09 NP 297, NP 294; Division (senior long term) NP 992.
  21. Hagengrubber, James. "Budget ax threatens hospital jobs." Billings Gazette. 9 Jan. 2003.
  22. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B; Division 07 Introduction.
  23. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B; Division 07, NP 247 Eliminate General fund support for Public Health Lab for a savings of $370,748.
  24. Governor's Proposed FY 04/05 Budget, Section B; Division 07, NP 255 Environmental Health Tracking, five year grant $1,021,732 over the biennium.

2nd Biennial Governor's Report Card


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