Candidate Profiles – Great Falls HD 25
In House District 25 GOP candidate Steve Gist is running against Democrat incumbent Jasmine Krotkov. Here is Gist’s response and profile. Krotkov did not respond to our request.
Steve Gist for Montana House HD 25
I am a Montana native who has lived in Montana my whole life. I grew up on a farm and ranch in North Central Montana. I moved to Great Falls in 1985 to begin a career in the Healthcare field. I have worked EMS as a first responder, in both ground and air ambulance. I have worked in Emergency Rooms as a Paramedic and then now as a Registered Nurse. My wife and I also run a wildland fire contracting business based in Cascade, MT during the summer months. I have worked wildland fires in Montana and across the West since 1987.
As a conservative Republican, I support financially responsible government. I am interested in supporting law enforcement officers and finding ways to make and keep our communities safe. I am in favor of limiting taxes, limiting the size of government, and holding our governmental agencies accountable to the people they serve. I believe it is in our best interest to find ways to support the success and prosperity of our small businesses, who must often face seemingly impossible bureaucracies on the road to their success. I favor responsible forest and land management with the dual purpose of managing for fire and allowing for a return of income on the school trust lands. I also favor allowing for safe and responsible mineral extraction. Modern mining practices have come a long way and can be safe and environmentally sound.
I favor finding creative ways to get our healthcare costs under control. What we have now is not working for many families. I believe there are some good ideas out there that we need to explore. I also believe a quality education is key to having a quality work force. Our children deserve to have access to an education that will allow them to go into adulthood with a set of skills that allow them to be productive citizens. Not all students need or want college. Higher education options must include Trade Schools, College or University learning, as well as distance/remote learning. Our children need quality learning opportunities.
I feel that these values most align with the Republican Party, but I am very willing to work in a bipartisan way. I hope to see the return of compromise and negotiation to government.
I believe the residents of Great Falls and Cascade county would all benefit from gains we make in encouraging small businesses, which in turn will create job growth, reducing or limiting state taxes, cutting wasteful spending, and eliminating or modifying poorly enacted or outdated laws and policies. As a small business owner, I have worked to support changes in the state laws that would allow small businesses to survive and thrive in Montana.
As a private citizen, I have worked with both our State Legislators and our Congressional Staff Members, on topics including reducing abusive/wasteful spending, transportation issues (ELDs), workers compensation coverage for Volunteer Fire Departments and EMS First Responders. I also have worked on legislation updating Montana laws on ethics in government agencies. I
feel it is time for me to step up and take a larger role in the working on these and other issues. I encourage all citizens to get to know their governing officials and let their voices be heard.
I believe I have the set of skills and the common sense it takes to be your representative in Helena. I look forward to serving the people of Montana and advancing sensible solutions on the issues that face all Montanans, but especially those in Cascade County.
SteveGistforMontana.com