Guest opinion: Real life consequences of decisions made in Helena

Standing on the doorstep of an 85-year-old widow who had lost her husband just months earlier was a sobering reminder of why public service matters.

Fighting back tears, she looked at me and said, “I just want to stay in my house.”

Those seven words have stayed with me.

Behind every tax bill, every legislative vote, and every political talking point is a real person whose life is affected by decisions made in Helena.

Property tax reform has been the centerpiece of my campaign since its inception. Across House District 3, homeowners are struggling with tax bills driven by rapidly appreciating property values, while income or ability to pay remains flat. Seniors on fixed incomes are especially vulnerable.

My opponent, Rep. Debo Powers, now acknowledges the urgency of property tax relief. Yet she supported HB 231, part of the 2025 Legislature’s property tax overhaul. That vote deserves scrutiny, particularly from Flathead Valley homeowners concerned about how the reforms distribute the tax burden.

No Montanan should be forced from a home they have worked a lifetime to own simply because the surrounding real estate has become more valuable.

Powers and I share an appreciation for Montana’s public lands and natural beauty. We have also kept to our mutual pledge to run an issues-based campaign. Beyond that, our records and priorities reveal substantial differences.

On the Second Amendment, the NRA awarded me an AQ rating, while assigning my opponent an F.

On public safety, I have met with law enforcement officers and veterans to hear their concerns firsthand. I am honored to have received endorsements from Sheriff Brian Heino and Congressman Ryan Zinke as well as Sen. Steve Daines and Whitefish Councilman Giuseppe Caltabiano. My opponent has participated in the “No Kings” protest movement.

On land management, I support responsible forest thinning, fuel reduction, and practical access for wildland firefighters. My opponent serves as president of Wild Montana, an organization whose environmental advocacy and litigation raise important questions about how best to balance conservation, wildfire prevention, and access.

And on economic policy, my 25 years building and leading businesses have taught me that budgets must balance, decisions have consequences, and accountability is not optional. Government should be held to those same standards.

We can disagree about policy without questioning one another’s intentions; but voters deserve to understand those differences, and the consequences of the decisions their representatives make.

I keep thinking about that widow standing in her doorway. She wasn’t asking for a political favor, a government handout, or a special exemption. She was asking for the dignity of remaining in the home she and her husband had built their lives around.

That is what is at stake.

The true measure of our work in Helena is not the legislation we celebrate or the political arguments we win - it is whether the people we represent can continue to afford the lives they have worked so hard to build.

Derek Peachey is the Republican candidate for Montana House District 3. He lives in Whitefish.