Gianforte: Let’s Create High Wage Jobs, and Get Revenue Back on the Rise.  

Greg Gianforte:  Proposed tax relief plan; job creator who grew company to 1,100 employees.  

Steve Bullock: Vetoed 3 tax relief bills as governor.  

The current governor inherited revenues on the rise, and is leaving the next governor with revenues on the decline. Now is the time for a high wage job creator like Greg Gianforte to serve in Helena. We need someone who knows how to stimulate Montana’s economy and help create high wage jobs- or the state will continue to face declining revenues. There is only one job creator and only one businessman in this race. 

Greg’s 406 tax plan is clear: phase out the business equipment tax over 4 years, zero growth in state government spending- after inflation, zero sales tax, and lower income taxes for ALL MONTANANS- with a max rate of 6.9%. Any Montanan making a little more than $17,100 in taxable income (63% of all Montana resident taxpayers) is taxed in the state’s highest income tax bracket.   

The Montana Chamber of Commerce recognized the need for new leadership and recently endorsed Gianforte, stating their belief that “Gianforte will be a great governor who will propel Montana's economy forward.” 

Steve Bullock vetoed three tax relief bills while sitting on nearly half a billion surplus.  

Yet he consistently grew state government spending. In the last four years, state expenditures have gone up by 20%. Had this governor, instead, invested in growing Montana’s economy these past 4 years, we wouldn’t be facing the dire situation that we’re in right now with high wage job layoffs across the state and declining revenues.   

BACKGROUND 

Governor Steve Bullock vetoed three tax cut bills in 2015 alone. “The state House and Senate GOP caucuses touted tax cuts as a high priority for the 2015 session, but every major tax initiative that was passed out of the Republican-controlled Legislature has been vetoed by Gov. Steve Bullock. Bullock shot down the last of three principal tax proposals from Republicans on Monday. The other two vetoes came earlier this year on proposals to cut income taxes by 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent for every bracket.” (Allison Noon, AP: “Gov. Bullock kills 3rd tax relief bill, issues 50 vetoes,” Missoulian, 5/7/15) 

Greg Gianforte proposed to hold the line on government spending and provide tax relief in April, 2016. “Greg Gianforte promised to hold the line on government spending and reduce income taxes for all as he announced his tax plan at a campaign stop in Clancy on Monday… He proposed a three-prong approach he called his “406 Tax Relief Plan:” eliminate the business equipment tax in four years, demand zero increase in overall state spending and lower income taxes with a maximum rate of 6 percent, down from 6.9 percent.” (Jayme Fraser, “Gianforte releases tax plan, proposes stimulating growth with tax rollbacks,” Helena IR, 4/18/16) 

The Montana Chamber of Commerce endorsed Greg Gianforte: “While state Chamber officials said Democratic incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock had been a good governor, they believed that GOP challenger Gianforte, a high-tech entrepreneur from Bozeman, would ‘be a great governor who will propel Montana’s economy forward.’” (Phil Drake, “Montana Chamber endorses GOP-heavy slate,” The Great Falls Tribune, 6/17/16)