Please briefly provide the following information: place (town or county and state) of birth, age as of election day 2024, place (town or county) of permanent residency, occupation/employer, and education. How do these things and your other life experiences qualify you to be an effective legislator?
DENLEY M LOGE:
Valley City North Dakota birthplace 73 years old St. Regis, Montana residence Mineral County Rancher BA Geography I have been a state legislator for the last 8 years and am termed out. I have been transportation committee chairman for 3 sessions of the legislature. I have a strong backround in transportation, agriculture, and FWP issues as well as 4 terms on the business and labor committee.
What do you consider to be the most pressing issues facing Montana heading into the 2025 session and what legislation would you propose and/or support to address these issues?
DENLEY M LOGE:
Revise the tax structure to reduce property taxes. Maintain and create natural resource jobs with a concern for the environement. Affordable housing is another topic to keep our youth in state and keep a workforce. Maintain and enhance public access while protecting private property rights. Maintain a good education system.
Many Montanans are concerned about rising residential property taxes, which primarily fund local government services such as schools, counties and city/town programs but are calculated through a system set by the Legislature. What changes to the state tax system, if any, would you support to provide property tax relief while maintaining sufficient revenue for essential services?
DENLEY M LOGE:
A shift in some property taxes to take into account those with trophy homes in state but not adding to the income taxes. Shift taxes from some agricultural lands that have turned to businesses such as dude ranches but still under ag designation. Adjust the structure of mills and value of the mill.
Considering the state’s role in mental and physical health care services, especially in helping cover the costs of services available to lower-income Montanans, what additional steps, if any, do you believe the Legislature should take to enhance health care access and promote Montanans’ health?
DENLEY M LOGE:
Address the use of pain medications and non prescription and presciption drugs.
Many education leaders are concerned that the state’s existing school funding formula isn’t keeping up with the costs of educating students. What proposals, if any, would you support to ensure adequate and sustainable long-term funding is available for public pre-K–12, college/university, and vocational education programs?
DENLEY M LOGE:
Address the permissive mill levi's. Consolidate some smaller schools. Address the miles driven in the school transportation programs.
After roughly 84 years in business, the Missoula Livestock Exchange is apparently shutting down permanently.
Also known by its official business name, Five Valleys Livestock Auction, the facility near the Wye west of Missoula is used by local ranchers and entrepreneurs to buy and sell livestock like cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses. The last cattle sale was May 2, and the very last sale, a horse consignment sale, will take place May 11.
According to a Missoulian article from 1960, the business was started in 1940 as the Missoula Livestock Auction Co., and its principal owner was Howard Raser. With a big stockyard, an auction ring, pens and offices, the business was selling 85,000 animals a year by 1955.
The company today also offers marketing and hauling services.
Dan Pocha, right, and Jay Coughlin sort cattle in 2016 at the Missoula Livestock Exchange auction yard. There had been a crash in prices between 2014 and 2016.
Kurt Wilson
Manager Justin Mauler did not return a call seeking comment, but many people have been commenting about the company's impending closure on social media.
Montana state Rep. Denley Loge, a Republican lawmaker and rancher from St. Regis, lamented about the issue in a public Facebook post on May 3. Loge also spoke with the Missoulian.
"Yesterday, ranching in western Montana took a hard hit," Loge said. "Missoula Livestock had its last livestock sale. Before closing its doors, there will be one final horse sale in the next few weeks. I sold two cows and prices were high so it was not due to cattle prices that it is closing but rather the property sold and will be used for another business."
Loge said many people will be affected.
"This closing leaves ranchers the option of hauling livestock to Ramsey, Three Forks, Dillon or Great Falls," he explained. "Transportation costs go way up for the rancher, similar to what is happening in the transport of timber. There is some discussion in the background to try to develop another facility. In the meantime ranchers have lost a very important management tool."
He said the closure will be hardest for the small ranchers who are looking to sell a small number of cows without having to pay for a long transport.
"It'll be toughest on the little guy," he said.
He said the situation is similar to the closure of the Pyramid Mountain Lumber timber mill, because now companies or loggers selling timber must haul it a farther distance.
Local rancher Shane Clouse said the closure means many ranchers in western Montana will have to drive hundreds of miles more now to sell cattle.
David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian.
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With discussions with the governor, the filing application deadline for the property tax assistance program has been extended until June 1. This program can help citizens on a fixed or limited income by reducing the tax rate on their home.
To be eligible, there are three important facts:
The assistance level can be from a 30% to 80% reduction of the normal tax rate. To find information on your status, contact your local State Department of Revenue office or call the state office in Helena at 406-444-6900.
If one wonders why Loge wasn’t accruing more time for himself over the years to enjoy the fruits of his labor, it is because of his civic volunteerism and elected official responsibilities: four sessions on the state Legislature Fish Wildlife and Park Committee; two terms on the Region 2 FWP Citizens Advisory Committee; 10 years on the governor’s Private Lands/Public Wildlife Council; 16 years on the Mineral County Conservation Board; eight years on the Mineral/Missoula County Farm Services Agency; two terms on the Mineral County Resource Advisory Council; 50 years on the Mineral County Planning Board; and four terms in the Montana Legislature.
A strong contingent from Mineral County attend the Missoula Chamber of Commerce’s 52 Annual Ag Banquet at the Holiday Inn last Thursday. From left, Harvey Mead, Willy Peck, Roman Zylawy, Curtis Cochran, Sean Heyer, Kevin Donally and Denley Loge. This event is a salute to the people in western Montana who ‘get their hands dirty’ producing the Number 1 staple of life. And love doing it!
The pulp mill at Frenchtown was part of my growing up in the mid-1960s. I remember the jobs it created, and I remember when the company that owned it at the time, Hoerner-Waldorf, bought one of my 4-H calves at the county fair. They contributed a lot to the community.
Loge is retiring into the ranks of a lot of ex-highway department workers with stories that make either building or maintaining the westernmost stretch of I-90 sound epic. Many of them are true. Few others can say they were in on both ends of the job, and none for as long as Loge has been. The Lookout Pass section, completed circa 1973, has shaped his life in some fashion for nearly 40 of the last 45 years.
Rep. Denley Loge has secured another term in the Montana House following a hotly contested primary election. The St. Regis Republican tallied 66% of the vote in the June 7 election, compared to challenger Randy Mitchell’s 34%. Loge has represented House District 14 since 2017. His district spans both Sanders and Mineral counties. In Sanders County, Loge accumulated 875 votes compared to Mitchell’s 545. In Mineral County, Loge had 898 votes with Mitchell getting 395 there. Loge described the primary as “pretty heated,” but said his approachability and trust within the community put him over the top.
Denley Loge, Chairman of the Montana House of Representatives Transportation Committee, cuts the dedication ribbon as Malcolm ‘Mack’ Long, Director of the Department of Montana Transportation, holds the small end. Engineers, contractors, inspectors and DOT personnel were all smiles at the rededication of the Quartz Flats Rest Area on I-90. Both east and west bound areas closed last March and are now much larger for restroom facilities and more parking for tractor/trailers and passenger vehicles.
The best person in my opinion is Denley Loge. I have know Denley and his family for over 50 years. The dedication he has shown not only to my community, but to those throughout our district is truly amazing. The gives Denley a unique insight to what our communities current needs are and those that are coming down the road. Denley also has the ability to listen to those he represents and takes those values back to Helena and vote accordingly.
I feel compelled to run for re-election to keep civility in our law-making process. This past session with the pandemic, we protected personal choice by not allowing vaccine discrimination, we strengthened our second amendment rights, we strengthened election integrity, and we protected life. These bills did not all pass in the first draft, they needed some revisions and discussions to get the job done and I was part of that. I have the civility, patience and ability to help find solutions to protect our Montana way of life.
“Today it is 70 mph but will be 55 on the east end and 55 prior to mile post 18, then it will drop down to 45 by the Big Horn camp and Quinn's”, explained Loge. “It will take probably about six months before we see signs just because of engineering, ordering and Installing. It has been a slow process, but it’s been taken care of”, he smiled. “I credit the County Commissioners (Sanders County), especially Carol (Brooker). Representative Loge and Tammi Fisher (Montana Department of Transportation Commissioner for District 1). Without their support, this would have never happened”, beams Moreth.
Paid for by Loge 4 SD 45. Republican. 1296 4 Mile Road St. Regis, MT 59866.