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Driving and walking around Helena and the greater Lewis and Clark County area, one would not be faulted for thinking how great this community is at supporting its local schools. Look at all those signs going up; you see them everywhere. Public city parks, public walkways, public easements, corners of the street under street signs, and in front of businesses. It’s amazing. These signs are primarily placed illegally on public taxpayer property.

According to the City of Helena code:

“Signs may not be located on City right-of-way, including boulevards or other City property (Section 11-23-9-B(4) of the Helena City Code); Signs may not exceed thirty inches (30”) in height if located within the sight distance triangle, which is the area formed by an imaginary diagonal line drawn from curb to curb from a point fifty feet (50’) back along each curb from a street corner (Section 11-2-8-E and Section 11-23-9-B(3) of the Helena City Code); and Signs may not be placed on trees, power poles, or on any other pole or post within the right-of-way (Section 11-23-9-B(4) of the Helena City Code).”

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“Associated Rules of Montana 18.6.246 Guidance on Political Signs 18.6.246 POLITICAL SIGNS (1) Signs promoting political candidates or issues shall be placed on private property only and cannot be placed without the permission of the property owner. Political signs must comply with sign standards found in 75-15-113, MCA, and ARM 18.6.231, unless otherwise specified in this rule. (2) Political signs must not: (a) be placed on or allow any portion to intrude in the public right-of-way or on public property; and (b) be placed within 100 feet of any entrance to the building in which a polling place is located. (3) Political signs will not be considered in determining the spacing required between conforming off-premises outdoor advertising signs. (4) Political signs must be removed within 14 days following the applicable election. The department shall notify the landowner of illegal signs which are not removed within 14 days. The signs shall be removed by the department 24 hours after notification to the landowner. The department shall retain removed political signs for five working days after notification of removal before their destruction. The sign owner may retrieve the signs during this period. (5) Signs that pose a traffic hazard may be removed by the department without prior notification to the sign owner.”

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When you drive around Helena and the greater Helena Area, you see these signs placed in many public property locations, so one should ask the question: Is the City of Helena Commission involved? It seems like a good question, as several incumbent candidates are also practicing this method. Then we go over the city limits into the county, and lo and behold, it is happening there as well. So, is the Lewis and Clark County Commission approving this political action? And if not, why is nothing being done about this phenomenon? It was brought to our attention last year that City of Helena Employees were removing political signs of candidates on private properties due to complaints from residents who did not like them. This happened on multiple occasions for at least one family in the City limits facing a local public park. Therefore, the City of Helena is aware that it has the authority to remove signage that violates both state and city regulations. Why are they choosing to leave these signs up this year for progressive political candidates? For progressive political organizations pushing a local set of school district bonds to the tune of nearly $286 million? Yes, you heard that correctly. According to the 2023 census numbers, the Helena School District has approximately 60,771 residents.

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Then you must look right at the organizations raising money to buy and place these signs. For example, the “Yes! For Helena Schools” organization. While claiming not to be an official organization, wherein no board members are announced to the public, they were founded in 2023 (likely out of another previously known entity and taking on a new name). They do have a website; you can contact them there and ask them why they don’t know where signs may be placed. Since they are ostensibly operating for the “public good,” and known agents are former politicians, one could surmise that they would know where they can do their business and where they cannot. Nearly half of the signs seen in one day in Helena are placed in violation of the state and city guidelines. Why is this? Is it desperation? Lack of ability to create an organic and real hype and positive attitude of local property owners to want to spend more money on a seemingly failing school district? Remember when they told you that since the public hadn’t passed the levies for the last two years, they were firing their teachers, and it was all YOUR fault? Don’t forget that they were cutting teachers and programs well before that, but ‘there’s nothing to see here.’

One of our contributors has gone to some of the local businesses where these signs were placed. There are at least three of them that were able to confirm that no one had received permission to place signs, even large ones, staked down on their property or in front of their businesses. We spoke with those folks. This is a terrible practice. One district manager at Burger King on Prospect Avenue, Jeremy, stated that this happens to them frequently. People often place political signs on their property. Burger King’s policy is – no signs. This year, the Yes! For Helena Schools people placed not just a sign on the Burger King property, but a large one that was staked into their lawn where the sprinkler lines may be located. This sign was removed, as Jeremy stated they had no intention of leaving it up, regardless of whether there was support for it or not.

We called and spoke with a receptionist at the YMCA, who wished to remain anonymous, and who stated that the signs on Last Chance Gulch, which were placed weeks ago, were on public property. They didn’t know why the City of Helena had left them there. They also had not been permitted to place those signs. One day later, those signs were removed, and we were unable to determine who was responsible for that change.

A property owner down on West Lyndale arrived at his business property this week to find one of these reddish-orange signs placed on his property. No permission was given, and he was quite upset about this outcome. Again, regardless of whether there is support or not from these entities or individuals, it seems that the Yes! For Helena Schools entity wants your money but won’t respect you enough to ask permission to speak to you. They assume people won’t care, perhaps. But public opinion appears to be changing.

According to the Helena Public Schools Facebook wall post from August 26, 2025, at 10:01 AM, Helena Public Schools has invested a total of $14 million in infrastructure over the last 75 years. What about all the emergency levies and past bond issues? Why is critical maintenance that is required every year deferred, and instead, money is allocated to general funds? Meanwhile, technology tools like laptops and iPads for all the kids in schools take precedence over structural repairs. Has the school district not taken care of what the taxpayers pay for? Have they not noticed for 75 years that they would someday need money for repairs or replacements? The public should be considering why the changes needed to keep kids at school warm were at the bottom of the list when asking for money until now. It should also be well known that the bonds that Yes! For Helena Schools, and the Helena School Board are pushing on, the public will result in large annual increases in rent for renters, and property taxes for home and business property owners.

“The median house price in the city of Helena, MT, was approximately $559,000 in July 2025, with a downward trend of -2.8% year-over-year, according to Realtor.com.”

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Keeping in mind….this is a median value. The value of a home or property may go up with each evaluation year.

“The elementary school bond is the smaller of the two proposals on the ballot. If it passes, owners of a property valued at $300,000 would see an increase of roughly $40 in property taxes each year for 20 years. Taxpayers will continue to pay off two existing bonds through 2037 and 2039.”

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“If the $240 million high school bond passes, homeowners with properties valued at $300,000 would pay a tax increase of about $220 per year for 30 years. Properties valued at $600,000 would see an annual tax increase of about $506.”

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It is perhaps no wonder that this bond is under scrutiny. Even public-school parents who want better for their kids are asking why this is being done this way and why it was allowed to continue for so long. Waiting 80 years to fix things is not stewardship. It is not responsible. What about our retired community on a fixed income? Can they afford to accommodate this sudden drain on their tax money? What is left to purchase or rent after hikes are implemented for kids graduating, turning 18, and seeking their own homes? What does taking this amount out of family budgets do to improve daily life for families struggling to afford food and clothing?

Age Breakdown (Approximate Percentages) of the Helena Area