Gianforte slams Bullock, Democrats ahead of primary election

Likely Republican candidate for governor Greg Gianforte pushed back forcefully against Gov. Steve Bullock and his Democratic allies Saturday after weeks of stories that put the high-tech businessman on the defensive.

Bullock, who is seeking a second term, and his supporters have stepped up their attacks against the millionaire and first-time political candidate regarding a 2009 suit by the Gianfortes against Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regarding an easement on their property near Bozeman.

Democrats have alleged that the suit by the Gianfortes was an attempt to prevent people from using a public fishing spot on the East Gallatin River by denying access through their property.

It’s a charge Gianforte vigorously denies.

“Let me be really clear: We’ve never blocked access, and we have never sued to block access,” Gianforte said. He instead characterized it as a situation he had with the FWP that was resolved.

Democrats have sought to use the situation to portray Gianforte, as an out-of-touch millionaire, who would deny outdoor enthusiasts access to public lands, a position that could harm his campaign in a state where outdoor recreation is crucial to both economy and culture.

A Pennsylvania native who lived in New Jersey before moving to the Treasure State 21 years ago, Gianforte said it is public lands that lured him and his family to the state in the first place.

“We never served papers on them (FWP), and for the governor to suggest that we somehow denied access and don’t support our stream access laws is a lie,” he said.

Gianforte slammed Bullock for vetoing a record number of bills during his term as governor. He specifically singled out three bills that would have loosened restrictions on firearms and three tax cuts that Gianforte said he would he have signed had he been governor.

“He’s an obstructionist,” Gianforte said. ”And we have legislators that go to Helena and dedicate their time and most of their good work that would move Montana forward ends up in trash bin in the governor’s office.”

Even before he announced his run earlier this year, Gianforte’s socially conservative views and donations to conservative groups through his family's charitable arm, the Gianforte Family Foundation, have been a prime target for Democrats and progressive bloggers.

One of the most frequent criticisms was Gianforte’s opposition to a 2014 ordinance that would bar businesses from denying service to individuals based upon their sexual orientation.

He has also been assailed for gifts given by the Gianforte Family Foundation, which has donated to a variety of causes, including socially conservative groups such as the Family Research Center, which have been opposed to anti-discrimination laws and critics say is hostile to the LGBT community.

Gianforte said he is against discrimination, which he has demonstrated not only through his personal treatment of others, but his business practices.

“We hired people based on their ability to do a job, and we promote people based on their dedication to the business, and I have said I would run the state the same way,” he said.

The candidate has tried to strike a balance when talking about social issues.

He said that he was not going to disown his Christianity and is anti-abortion, but deflected questions on issues such as whether he would sign a law that would allow businesses to deny service to individuals based on sexual orientation or place new requirements on abortion providers.

He said that his campaign is focused on economic development.

The central plank of Gianforte’s campaign is the need to bring high-wage jobs to Montana and reverse the trend of young people leaving the state looking for work.

In April, Gianforte unveiled his 406 tax relief plan, which invokes the state’s single area code.

Under the plan, Gianforte would work to eliminate the Class 8 Business equipment tax within four years.

Gianforte said the tax discourages investment and hurts businesses.

The tax was reformed last year and while that is a good first step, he said, the tax needs to be done away with.

His plan would freeze state spending at current levels when adjusted for inflation except for money allocated for state infrastructure.

Gianforte’s plan would also lower the state's top income tax bracket from 6.9 to 6.0.

He said the plan, along with weeding out regulations and simplifying the state taxes, will help bolster economic growth.

Critics have said that the 406 plan amounts to little more than a gimmick that would benefit the wealthy at the expense of the middle and working classes.Others have said that the cuts, when combined with the freeze, would drive the state into debt.

In particular, the MEA-MFT came out in April against a possible rollback of the business equipment tax, which they said would take away $33 million annually from education.

The Great Falls Tribune quoted Jeff Cowee, president of the Helena Teachers Association, as saying the abolition of the business tax and the proposed spending freeze is “a dangerous plan that would hurt schools.”

Gianforte defended the 406 plan and said that, altogether, the items amount to less than 2 percent of annual state spending.

He said the plan would not cut education spending. Gianforte said he wants to increase the amount spent on certain areas such as computer science in high school and trade education.

“How are we going to pay for it? Not by cutting school funding,” he said. “We are going to pay for it by stopping the growth of government in Helena.”