The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 13

Local ilillinijs (foucttc WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2012 Local guide, 2 Obituaries, 4 Weather, 6 GET THE LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES AT BILLINGSGAZETTE.COM Police, family search for missing Billings woman thing to Grossmans brother. Her friends were saying they were worried," Taft said. Then her ex came to the house and said hed been confronted about her. The same thing happened with her brother, saying theyd heard she was dead. Thats when we called the cops again, and they put her on the missing-persons list.

Iffland said that while the initial leads have gone cold, detectives are actively investigating Grossmans disappearance. As for Taft, she asked that anyone with information friends, Grossmans boyfriend possible witnesses anyone help police with the investigation. I just really want somebody to come forward because I know that somebody out there knows something, she said. Grossman, 25, was last seen in March at party By ZACH BENOIT zbenoitbillingsgazette.com The Billings Police Department is looking for a Billings woman who has been missing since March. Jamee Christine Grossman, 25, was last seen at a party in Lockwood.

When guests woke up the next morning, she was gone and, as far as police and family can tell, no one has seen her since. Its an active investigation right now," Billings Police Department Lt. Kevin Iffland said. All leads and tips that have come in have been exhausted. Grossman is a 5 -foot, 6 -inch nected, Iffland said.

Taft said she learned from police that somebody in the area had been using her daughters identification, including at a pawn shop, but that they believe it wasnt Grossman. While Grossman has been missing since March, police didnt officially classify her as a missing person until late May or early June, her mother said. In this case, she hasnt been seen or heard from by family for several months, Iffland said. Theres a possibility that she could be in danger. Taft said that was sparked when Grossmans ex-boyfriend reported that somebody had confronted him, saying Grossman was dead.

At about the same time somebody it isnt clear if it was the same person said the same white woman who weights 130 pounds. She has blue eyes and blond or strawberry blond hair. A Billings native and 2005 graduate of Billings Senior High, Grossmanhas two young daughters and worked at Fiddlers Green. Leslie Taft, Grossmans mother, said her daughter was doing well and had enrolled in college, but then became distant about two years ago after Grossman began dating a man who didnt like her being around her family. She had the world by the tail, Taft said.

She was a great mom, a great person. Then she quit school and slowly but surely faded into the background. She Missing person info Anyone with information on Jamee Christine Crossman, who was last seen at a party in Lockwood in March, or her whereabouts is asked to call the Billings Police Department at 657-8460 or the Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse at started to lose everything. Taft last saw her daughter in mid-March, a few days before the party where Grossman was last seen. Taft said shes been in regular communication with the detective in charge of the case but hasnt heard any solid leads about where her daughter may be.

When an officer tried to call Grossmans cellphone, the number came back as discon Rehberg releases budget proposal By MIKE DENNISON Gazette State Bureau JAMES WOODCOCKGazette Staff Alanna Vincent describes how she was approached by two males in a van who pulled up to her and made derogatory and sexually suggestive comments during the attempted-murder trial of Robert Zlahn Tuesday morning. HELENA U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg on Tuesday unveiled his proposed spending plan for federal health, labor and education programs for fiscal 2013 a plan immediately slammed by Democrats as unacceptable and extremely partisan. Rehberg, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, released the $150 billion spending plan the day before the panel will vote on the measure in Washington, D.C.

Among other things, the plan defunds most (but not all) programs to implement President Barack Obamas health care reform law, cuts federal money for family planning and Planned Parenthood, cuts Obamas Race to the Top" education program, blocks rules that help labor organizing and maintains or increases funding for Head Start, low-income heating assistance health research. Rehberg called his plan a good starting point, and said he expects plenty of debate on the proposal that would set spending $6.2 billion lower than health, education and labor budgets for the current year. This bill is about making tough choices, setting priorities and doing the right thing, Rehberg said in a statement. By reining in spending and controlling over-regulation, this bill supports job creation and economic recovery." Yet Rep. Norm Dicks, the highest-ranking Democrat on Witnesses describe Main St.

shooting To hear Ryan Grosulak's call to 911, click the link in this story at billingsgazette.com. Billings 'didn't feel safe says woman who claims harassment By GREG TUTTLE gtuttlebillingsgazette.com A 21-year-old Billings woman told a District Court jury Tuesday that she was traumatized by two strangers who confronted her outside her apartment and then shot at her boyfriend when he confronted them a short time later. Often breaking into tears, Alanna Vincent recounted how the men followed her in a minivan to her Heights apartment, stopped the van as she got out and pep- contact with strangers and beware of vans, Vincent said. Vincent was the first witness called to testify at the attempted-murder trial of Robert Zlahn, who is accused of shooting at Vincents boyfriend, former Billings West and Carroll College star football player Ryan Grosulak. Grosulak also testified at the trial Tuesday, saying the three gunshots took him by surprise as he confronted the men who had harassed his girlfriend.

I truly believed I was going to get gunned down right there in the street over this, Grosulak said. But possibly the most damaging testimony came from a reluctant JAMES WOODCOCKGazette Staff Ryan Grosulak describes during the attempted-murder trial of Robert Zlahn Tuesday morning how he was shot at after encountering two males who had approached his girlfriend and made derogatory comments to her. Highlights of Rehberg's education, labor, health funding proposal, B5 pered her with sexually sugges- words of advice from her mother tive language. came to her mind. At that moment, Vincent said, My mom said dont make eye Please see Proposal, B5 Please see Shooting, B5 Bullock lays out plan for reducing business equipment tax To view a copy of Bullock's plan, click the link in this story at billingsgazette.com.

Governor hopeful's plan more 'balanced' than a previous proposal, he says Bullock said he wants to eliminate this property tax on small businesses whose equipment has an aggregate market value of less than $100,000. That would exempt 11,704 Montana companies from the tax, freeing up capital to reinvest in growing their businesses, he said. At present, 18,360 Montana businesses pay this tax. If approved, Bullocks plan would reduce property taxes by about $9.1 million statewide annually for businesses, according to the state Revenue Department. The property tax on business equipment brought in a total of $92.4 million statewide in 2011, making up 7.4 percent of all revenue raised from all property taxes.

At present, businesses with total equipment valued at less than $20,000 dont have to pay the business equipment tax. For more than two decades, politicians from both parties have been trying to reduce or eliminate the oft-criticized property tax on business equipment, gradually cutting the tax rate from a maximum of 12 percent to 3 percent. In 2011, the Republican-controlled Legislature lowered the tax rate from 3 percent to 2 percent on the first $2 million worth of equipment. Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer reluctantly signed it into law, preferring his own bill that would have taken more businesses off the tax rolls but kept the 3 percent tax on the largest companies.

Bullocks business equipment tax reduction is significantly less than what he has proposed previously. bob ZEUARGazette staff Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Bullock talks about his jobs plan at Please see Bullock, B5 the Billings Times on Tuesday morning. By CHARLES S. JOHNSON Gazette State Bureau HELENA Attorney General Steve Bullock said Tuesday that he will propose ending the business equipment tax on more than 11,000 businesses if hes elected governor. Too many small businesses are being taxed on the capital investments they make in purchasing equipment to grow their businesses before those investments ever have a chance to pay off, the Democrat said in Billings.

Speaking at the Billings Times publishing and printing business,.