It’s not news that Gallatin County, like much of the West, is growing rapidly. Planners, politicians, and preservationists worry about the shape of our future. Restricting growth to preserve agriculture and open space increases housing costs (think Boulder, CO). Unchecked growth keeps home prices down but consumes land and other qualities that make this place […]
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If you drive, chances are you have damaged a car. Maybe, through no fault of your own, a fender was damaged or, as happened to me, a violent hailstorm dimpled your car like a large golf ball. What’s next? You make an insurance claim, cash the settlement check, and make a decision to fix or […]
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Our modest ranch lies near the mouth of Gallatin Canyon. It’s 10 miles from Bozeman — an easy 40-minute bike ride — and 27 miles north of the Big Sky turnoff. A mile and a half of the West Gallatin Canal winds through it, and Wortman Creek cuts through the pasture just south of our […]
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Bozeman is the state’s fastest growing and most prosperous city. Much of our public discourse centers around how to manage the stresses that come with our growing popularity. Hence, I was surprised to read that the Bozeman City Commission will soon decide if the northeast section of town is a “blighted” area. This designation will […]
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On July 3rd, Independence Eve, FREE celebrated its 20th anniversary. While we always enjoy Fourth of July celebrations, we wanted more than food, fireworks, friends, and frivolity. An important part of FREE’s mission is to harmonize responsible liberty with environmental quality. Hence we designed a special program to recognize our glorious, though imperfect, nation. We […]
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Will water move uphill toward money? Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. City of New London, makes it more likely. Here’s how. The Kelo case is the latest challenge to the 5th Amendment’s constraints on governmental seizure of private property. In a 5-4 decision, the Court held that the government can transfer property […]
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I have two friends who are salmon innovators. On Al Adams’ quarter-acre lot I watched two species of salmon and a foot-long steelhead living in 50 linear feet of water. I think Al and Jerry Manuel represent a future for native fisheries in Montana and the Greater Yellowstone area. Al and Jerry developed a backyard […]
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Let’s dispel a common myth. Critics deride capitalism and private property as simply a means for the rich to exploit the poor. Actually, the poor have the most to gain from secure property rights. In a system without private property rights, the rich have the resources to buy security, either by bribing government officials or […]
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I applaud state senator Emily Stonington’s (D-Bozeman) Senate Bill 240. The bill would have required methane-drilling companies to seriously consider the impact of their activities on the owners of surface rights. Her bill implicitly recognizes the importance of property rights and illustrates their evolutionary nature. Clear and enforceable property rights subject to the rule of […]
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Social movements, like ecosystems, evolve. Although many challenges remain, there is little doubt that Americans have changed the way they think about the environment. In some cases, the results are dramatic. For example, in the 1960s the U.S. Navy occasionally used whales for target practice. A quarter century later, the Navy spent over a million […]
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