The Challenge
CI-121 was a proposed constitutional amendment in Montana seeking to cap property taxes. Though it appeared appealing on the surface, the measure would have devastated the state’s economy by slashing funding for public services and shifting tax burdens unfairly. With a fast-moving timeline and strong grassroots momentum behind the measure’s proponents, the coalition needed a campaign capable of stopping CI-121 before it reached the ballot.
The Strategy
Pac/West Strategies led the charge from day one, swiftly launching an opposition campaign known as “Know the Consequences: No on CI-121.” For this campaign we:
- Facilitated coalition-building by bringing together a diverse alliance of stakeholders, including Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE) and the Montana Association of REALTORS (MAR).
- Established campaign infrastructure, including Executive and Steering Committees to guide strategy and streamline decision making.
- Built a strong campaign brand, campaign collateral, and digital presence, including a central website and social media channels and regular content.
- Designed and implemented Phase 1: Decline to Sign, an aggressive outreach campaign to dissuade Montana voters from signing CI-121 petitions.
- Monitored the proponent campaign’s activities and prepared contingency plans for a full-scale fall campaign if CI-121 collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The Results
Thanks to the strength of the Decline to Sign effort and growing voter awareness around the dangers of CI-121, the Know the Consequences campaign successfully kept the measure off the ballot. The campaign’s visibility and early action led proponents to abandon signature collection efforts, resulting in a decisive, early victory. The coalition saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign costs and spared voters from a harmful, misleading initiative.
