According to The Montana Democrats (fact-checked of course):
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A study recently released by the Tax Foundation found that Montana has the eighth-best business tax climate in the nation. That top 10 status is due in large part to Montana’s lack of a sales tax, according to leading in-state business organization that bills itself as “the driving force in promoting a favorable business climate.
The eighth-best ranking is one that the Montana Chamber of Commerce says is something they’ll “promote the heck out of” when attracting companies to do business here, but that ranking that would be lost if Montana instituted former Congressman Rick Hill’s sales tax.
According to a story in Lee Newspapers, Webb Brown, President of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, said the Tax Foundation gives a lot of credit in its rankings to states that don’t have certain major taxes, such as general sales taxes or individual income taxes.
“Not only would Congressman Hill’s tax-hike take money from the wallets of middle-class Montanans, it would make it harder to create jobs, allow Montana businesses to expand and attract businesses to invest here,” Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Ted Dick said.
As one of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination for Governor, insurance-executive Hill has been a strong supporter of a sales tax. Hill was the lead lobbyist in the 1993 Montana Legislative Session to put a $400 million tax increase on the ballot – which is over $620 million in today’s dollars. More recently, Congressman Hill has advocated for a sales tax as a candidate for Governor.
Governor Schweitzer sees Montana’s standing as one of America’s best business tax climates only getting better, telling reporters that the several states ahead of Montana in the rankings may be looking to raise taxes because they lack the financial stability we enjoy. Moreover, Montana has cut taxes, like the business equipment tax, this year – which will also play into future rankings.
That may all be lost if Hill is able to ram through his sales tax.
Hill Still Supports a Sales Tax
INTERVIEWER: You would support a sales tax as a substitute tax, you would be open to that?
HILL: I would be open to it as a substitute tax. [Voices of Montana, 8/18/2011]
“A lot of people have advocated in Montana for a long time that we need three stools to our tax structure; got to have the income tax, the property tax, and the sales tax. I have often been an advocate for sales tax as a substitute.” [Hometown Helena, 6/2/2011]
…from The Montana Democrats:
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Dennis Rehberg’s supporters tonight are pushing a new GOP poll about Montana’s 2012 Senate race. But a second poll released today—conducted by the same GOP polling firm—tells a much different story.
The first poll, conducted by the firm Public Opinion Strategies for Karl Rove’s secretive organization American Crossroads, shows questionable and uncharacteristic results for the race between Jon Tester and Congressman Dennis Rehberg.
The second poll released today, also conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, has much different results. It shows the race much closer—well within the margin of error.
“Montanans don’t trust Crossroads or Dennis Rehberg, so why would they believe numbers from a firm that can’t even decide which numbers are accurate,” said Ted Dick, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. “Congressman Rehberg believes secrecy and unlimited corporate spending belong in Montana’s elections, and he and his allies will stop at nothing to try to influence the people of our state.”
Fascinating.
An awesome opportunity for young gay/bi men in Montana to feel less isolated, learn about themselves and make some awesome friends!
Click pic for registration link.
While the question may seem inflammatory and derisive, it’s totally fair. And The Montana Democrats have done their homework:
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How did Jon Tester and Congressman Dennis Rehberg spend the month of January? The difference couldn’t be more obvious.
Jon Tester traveled thousands of miles across the Treasure State, holding dozens of meetings and public events attended by more than 1,000 Montanans from across the political spectrum—discussing everything from online safety to consumer protection to job creation in Montana.
As for Dennis Rehberg? Not counting plenty of interviews with newspapers, TV and radio stations, Rehberg’s only public event was a political news conference announcing his Senate bid—surrounded Republican legislators known for comparing women to cattle and birther bills.
“Unlike Jon Tester, Congressman Dennis Rehberg thought January was vacation time,” said Ted Dick, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party. “After 35 years in politics, Congressman Rehberg has he’s lost touch with Montana, and his decisions are so irresponsible he apparently doesn’t want to face the music at home.”
January 12
January 2:
January 13
January 20
Hmmm. Looks like Tester wins this round. If you count being industrious, that is.
To Montana LGBT folks it does.
The New York Times is reporting that despite being unenforceable, irrelevant and ridiculously out of date, Kansas sodomy laws are being kept on the books by Governor Sam Brownback. Excerpt:
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Gov. Sam Brownback created the Office of the Repealer to recommend the elimination of out-of-date, unreasonable and burdensome state laws that build up in any bureaucracy over time.
For gay men and lesbians, there seemed one particularly obvious candidate: Kansas Statute 21-3505.
That would be the “criminal sodomy” statute, which prohibits same-sex couples from engaging in oral or anal sex. The law was rendered unenforceable nearly a decade ago by a United States Supreme Court ruling, but it remains enshrined in the state’s legal code.
But on Friday, when Mr. Brownback, a conservative Republican, released a list of 51 laws to recommend to the Legislature for repeal, the sodomy statute was not among them.
The decision, despite public and private lobbying, has angered gay leaders here. “We were pretty much the first in line with our request to have this unconstitutional ban on gay and lesbian relations repealed,” said Thomas Witt, chairman of the Kansas Equality Coalition.
“This isn’t just some archaic law that’s sitting on the books and isn’t bothering anyone,” Mr. Witt continued. “It’s used as justification to harass and discriminate against people, and it needs to go.”
Mr. Brownback, who is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage on religious grounds, declined to comment, and his spokeswoman would not say whether he would support repealing the law against same-sex sodomy, a misdemeanor that officially carries a prison sentence of up to six months.
This is familiar, because the Montana Legislature did the exact same thing last session, refusing to remove an anachronistic, irrelevant law from the books– ostensibly to shame and vilify LGBT persons.
It’s simple hate, bigotry and discrimination. As I’ve said before, these Christianist conservatives don’t give a shit about human rights, they don’t give a shit about science and they don’t give a shit about gay people.
The only cool thing about this is that the tide of public opinion is steadily going against actions like these– making the case that these bigots are out of touch with the common sense of the American people, and will soon be anachronistic and irrelevant themselves.
…from The Montana Democrats:
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Congressman Dennis Rehberg again turned to his trusted talking points, telling Montana businesses (yesterday) what they want to hear. But Rehberg’s record as a 11-year Congressman tells a much different story.
In a speech to the Montana Chamber of Commerce, Rehberg said businesses need more certainty and fewer regulations. Yet less than a month ago, Rehberg voted for more uncertainty when he voted against a payroll tax extension and against the Keystone XL Pipeline.
“In just the last year, Dennis Rehberg voted to raise taxes on middle-class families, he voted to shut down our government twice, and he voted to default our nation’s economy,” said Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Ted Dick. “That’s one of the worst things that could have happened for business certainty. Congressman Rehberg ought to know that Montana businesses want real solutions, not partisanship in Congress.”
Rehberg criticized regulations that hurt small businesses, but in 2010, he voted against the Food Safety Modernization Act. Senator Jon Tester, a Montana farmer, successfully amended the law to ensure that family farmers and food producers were protected from federal regulations they don’t need and can’t afford.
“Congressman Dennis Rehberg has a long record of irresponsible decisions that have hurt Montana businesses and helped his fellow millionaires,” Dick said. “After a career in politics that stretches back to 1977, Dennis Rehberg has lost touch with Montana.”
Here’s a quick look at Rehberg’s record of hurting Montana’s businesses and helping himself:
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“Republicans need to decide if they think their strongest candidates are a lobbyist-turned-Congressman-turned-lobbyist and a state legislator who has voted six times to raise his pay, despite the fact that his company is making millions off of federal earmarks. With his record of raising taxes on small businesses and working families and continued support of a sales tax, my guess is that Mr. Hill has his work cut out for him.”
During the 1993 legislative session, Hill lobbied to pass two measures that would drastically increase taxes on Montanans. The first measure was a bill to place a $400 million sales tax measure on the ballot. It was rejected by the voters 75% to 25%. Hill also lobbied on behalf of a bill that would have increased income taxes by $72 million, but was again rejected by voters. [Billings Gazette State Bureau, 5/23/1996]
Hill Still Supports a Sales Tax
INTERVIEWER: You would support a sales tax as a substitute tax, you would be open to that?
HILL: I would be open to it as a substitute tax. [Voices of Montana, 8/18/2011]
A lot of people have advocated in Montana for a long time that we need three stools to our tax structure; got to have the income tax, the property tax, and the sales tax. I have often been an advocate for sales tax as a substitute. [Hometown Helena, 6/2/2011]
Sonju Votes Six Times To Raise Legislator Compensation Package
In each of the four legislative sessions that Sen. Jon Sonju has served, he has voted for House Bill 1, the “feed bill” that finances the legislative session. In each session, the legislature has increased the amount of money they reimburse themselves, leading to biannual increases in their pay package. [HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/12/2005 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/13/2005 Yes; HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/12/2007 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/15/2005 No; HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/8/2009 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/8/2009 Yes; HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/22/2011 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/22/2011 No]
Sonju Lobbies for Millions in Federal Earmarks
“Some Montana companies with longtime Republican ties, however, still support earmarks. Kalispell-based Sonju Industries has teamed with the missile systems division of defense giant Raytheon Co. on a project that has previously received federal funding, and it asked for $8 million again this year. Jon Sonju, an officer of the company and a Republican representative in the Montana Legislature, met with Rehberg staff on the matter before Rehberg announced his earmark moratorium.” [Billings Gazette, 10/23/2010]
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After earning the title of the Tea Party Caucus’s top earmarker, and after giving himself five pay raises in Congress, Montana’s millionaire Congressman is now telling Montanans that they should turn to their local governments if they need any help.
What Rehberg forgot to mention was that the last time Congress approved earmarks, he earned the title of “tea partier with his name on the most earmarks” — requesting more than $100 million for Montana.
Rehberg, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, also failed to mention that while he was spending millions in taxpayer money, he gave himself five pay raises during his 12 years in Congress–at a time when hardworking Montanans were nation was struggling. Hmmm.
“Congressman Dennis Rehberg is desperately wants Montanans to forget his long, irresponsible record of giving himself pay raises while spending their money in Congress,” said Ted Dick, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party. “Now his message to Montanans is ‘tough luck.’ We join all Montanans in demanding more responsible decisions from Congress than Dennis Rehberg’s.”
From Eternity To Here 