City Council 2023: Charlie Loveridge - Billings Chamber of Commerce

Why do you want to be a Billings City Council member and what expertise will you bring to City Council that will help you make good policy decisions?

I want to serve my community in the most effective way I can. I believe I can serve beyond creating jobs, coaching our youth, sitting on numerous boards, working for service clubs. I feel I can be an effective representative for the people of Billings.

Local government issues sometimes blur conventional party lines. How do you anticipate representing your constituents and basing your policy decisions?

Party lines have no place in city council as it is a non-partisan council. WE must listen to what our constituents are telling us as council traverses decision making.

What are your top three policy priorities and why?

Public Safety
Promoting solutions for our ever increasing transient and homeless population.
Lowering or freezing current assessments and taxes.
Lessening regulations to promote more affordable housing.

What policy measures would you support to make housing more affordable and why?

I would encourage TIF districts to help fund and support affordable housing.
Re-visiting the re-code to allow smaller homes on smaller lots so lower income and young families can be home owners creating more successful family units improving youth violence in our neighborhoods.

What do you know about Billings’s Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts? How should TIF districts be used to encourage infill development?

TIF district financing has been an excellent way to improve Billings. It has been an effective way to improve thoroughfares and much of the southside.

Public Safety remains the City Council’s number one stated priority. What do you believe Billings should do to improve public safety and why?

Billings is ranked the 38th most dangerous city in America. We need to make priority #1 increasing police presence throughout our city. I am a firm believer in the broken windows policy. It is imperative our city continues to fight together to reduce crime as a community. I also would like to see our churches, sports programs, law enforcement and social programs focusing on changing the domestic violence patterns in our neighbors homes to reduce violence and juvenile gun violence.

City Council voted to send voters a $143 million parks and recreation bond that, if approved, would fund the construction of a Sports & Recreation Center, development of Castle Rock Park, Poly Vista Park, and many other projects. Do you support this initiative? Why or why not?

Very few people in this community have been more involved in youth sports. I like the idea of having a rec center for the youth of Billings to compete. I do not like the current format of the rec center or the timing of taking it to vote. My constituents are already struggling with increasing living costs, fuel costs, interest rates through the roof and property taxes raised nearly 40%. I think there will be a format that Billings residents will agree with in time. But I feel right now is not the right time to raise property taxes even more.

The Montana Constitution requires local governments to ask voters whether they wish to review local government’s structure every 10 years; Billings voters will be asked during the 2024 election whether they wish to appoint a study commission to review the Billings City Charter. What changes to the Charter, if any, would you support and why?

I believe part time governing in our city needs to be addressed. We are a much different community than we were in the 1970’s. I would like to see a commission evaluate the number of wards, number on council from each ward and look at the governing power of the mayor.

Do you believe that the City of Billings needs a Non-Discrimination Ordinance? Why or why not? If so, are there any specific provisions or exceptions that you would want to see in the ordinance language?

From my perspective this is an issue that the state legislature should be tasked with. I disagree with a patchwork social ordinances for Montana. The United States Constitution provides protections to all our citizens.

Do you support the current Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment and its use as supported by the Chamber and Visit Billings? Why or why not? (The Billings lodging industry imposes a fee on each night in an occupied room in Billings. Those fees are used to promote, market and sell the community and are managed by a 7-member board of hoteliers as required by statute. Annually, City Council adopts the budget presented by the TBID board.)

I believe the TBID is a wonderful vehicle for our visitors to support our city. So I support continuing the TBID to help share in the costs of maintenance and services of our great city of Billings.