A reply to ‘Raise Your Taxes’ Regier

By Representative John Fitzpatrick

Published in the Anaconda Leader

January 3, 2026

On December 19th, the Leader published a letter from Flathead County State Senator Matt Regier in which he labelled me the Grinch of 76, a reference to my House District number. Unless you’re a legislative wonk, you probably don’t know who Matt Regier is and probably don’t care.  However, with Schreiber getting Matt Regier’s endorsement is just further proof that California transplant “Tax-Hike” Trish will be trying to raise your taxes.

It should be no surprise that Matt “Raise Your Taxes” Regier supports “Tax-Hike” Trish Schreiber.  Although he was elected as a “Republican”, Regier is constantly pushing for more spending and higher taxes.  He tried to override the Governor’s vetoes of over $168 million dollars in additional spending.  He tried to build a $160 million dollar luxury office building for the Legislature which will sit unused for twenty months every two years.  Instead of working with Republicans, he is always trying to cut deals with the most liberal politicians in Helena.

When it comes to taxes, I can’t think of person who has done more to fight tax cuts than Matt Reiger.  “Raise Your Taxes” Regier has been a loud and vocal opponent to every piece of legislation which cuts property tax rates on residential property.  He opposed giving you a $400 rebate and likes to use DEI language and say the property tax cuts you received were “inequitable.” 

Matt Regier is unhappy because I have accurately described my Republican-In-Name-Only opponent, “Tax-Hike” Trish Schreiber. The name “Tax-Hike” is perfectly reasonable. Trish Scheiber has publicly called for a property tax system based on” uniform rates that eliminate artificial distinctions between properties.” When you run the numbers, using Schreiber’s plan, it gives the state’s utilities and railroads an 88% tax decrease while doubling taxes on residential homes owned by average people.

In addition, “Tax-Hike” and her family have given $131,000 to the Frontier Institute which is now proposing a sales tax approaching 7%. The Schreiber agenda is very clear---tax relief for the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. In that regard, “Tax-Hike” Trish and “Raise your taxes” Regier have much in common.  Both want you to pay higher property taxes.

In contrast to Regier and Schreiber, I support tax relief legislation. According to the latest Department of Revenue information, 92 percent of the homeowners in House Diistrict 76 received tax relief. Think about that. We have a Flathead County Senator teamed up with a California transplant trying to tell the voters that the tax relief package was bad because you got a tax cut.  If higher taxes are the goal, maybe Regier and “Tax-Hike” Trish should run as liberals instead. I listen to the people who elected me, not closet liberals like Matt Reiger and phony “think tanks” like Schreiber’s Frontier Institute which want to impose a 6.81% sales tax.    No matter how you stack it up, “Tax-Hike” Trish, her mentor “Raise Your Taxes” Regier, and Schreiber’s Frontier Institute are not on your side.

State Rep. John Fitzpatrick is a Republican from Anaconda representing House District 76.