Opinion: Cooney has the plan and trust for Montana’s future
Montana is truly at a crossroads. Our public lands, economy, natural resources, communities, health and healthcare, are all at great risk in the Governor’s race. We all have a responsibility to speak out on behalf of our fellow Montanans.
Montana has thrived under the leadership of Governor Bullock and Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney. According to the State of Montana, our economy added 46,000 jobs since the end of the recession; experienced the 6th fastest wage growth in annual wages in the nation over the past decade; ranked 1st in the nation for median household income growth from 2016 to 2017; and had the highest rate of business ownership among households.
Montana was also ranked top in the nation in startup activity per capita, with 4,932 new firms opening in Montana in the last year. Montana also had the fifth best tax climate in the nation. Exports from Montana reached a record $1.7 billion in 2018, an increase of 19% ($272 million) from its export level in 2008. Montana’s high tech companies generated over $2 billion in revenue last year, growing nine times faster than the state’s overall economy and paying double the median wage. And thanks to the leadership of Mike Cooney, tens of thousands of Montanans including many small businesses now have access to reliable affordable healthcare.
Cooney provides a good plan to recruit new businesses, grow existing businesses, help with business transition, and ensure our workforce training programs work in unison to meet the needs of our economy in 2030. His Hire Montanans First Act will increase the required proportion of Montana workers on state and locally funded contracts to 75 percent, expanding this requirement to all projects; his Buy Made in Montana Act requires the state government to prefer Montana-made products in its purchases.
Among other priorities, Cooney will create an Office of Rural Prosperity to prioritize economic development and job creation in rural Montana by streamlining rural policy and creating an inventory of existing resources and initiatives while aiding in rural improvement efforts.
As Lieutenant Governor, Mike Cooney understands that the state must provide a climate where Montana businesses and communities can thrive in the 21st century. That means ensuring we have the necessary foundation for successful sustainable economic and community development including access to affordable and reliable healthcare, social services, good quality education, affordable housing, infrastructure, transportation, and protection of our greatest assets - our public lands and natural resources. Through his dedicated public service, Cooney continues to build this foundation.
Addressing the economic fallout from the pandemic has been a major issue for both Bullock and Cooney. They successfully convened a diverse and bipartisan Covid-19 task force, working hard to keep all Montanans and Montana businesses whole by creating necessary programs with funding available and accessible to all Montanans to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic. This includes childcare grants for working families and funds for businesses to help mitigate the effects of pandemic.
Gianforte is a threat to our state and our well-being. He sued the State to block access to public lands for his own personal benefit. Gianforte’s family foundation gave money to groups trying to privatize our public lands. He drafted two bills to Congress to release almost 690,000 acres of land from wilderness area designations, allowing mining and oil drilling.
He has voted to eliminate health insurance and coverage for preexisting conditions under the Affordable Care Act for thousands of Montanans including our small businesses that rely heavily on it. He has called Medicaid expansion which provides services to over 90,000 Montanans a disaster. He has expressed extreme views against Social Security and Medicare, supporting cuts in both. He has not displayed even a broad understanding of our state or a concern for the needs of Montanans.
As Governor, Gianforte’s sole “plan” for Montana is to reduce taxes on rich corporations, exploit our natural resources, and sell off our public lands to the highest bidder. We can’t trust Gianforte to look out for our interests. We need a Governor like Mike Cooney who has shown us already that he can work for all Montanans.
Chuck Tooley, Billings
Joan Stapleton Tooley, Billings
Renee Coppock, Billings
David Coppock, Billings
Jaq Quanbeck, Billings
Deborah Carstensen, Swan Valley
Andrew Carstensen, Swan Valley
Kathy Koors, Swan Valley
Wendy Weaver, Livingston
Teresa O’Neil, Missoula
Victoria Scott, Billings
Sandra Baril, Billings
Donna Fraser, Sheridan
Renelle Braaten, Havre
Monica Garrahan, Havre
Leslie Clark, Whitehall
Elizabeth Klarich, Billings
Dave Klarich, Billings
Randy Sorkness, Laurel
Anne Sawyer Harris, Billings
Bob Dalrymple, Billings
Carolyn Pease Lopez, Billings
Virginia, Bryan, Billings
Merry Ann Peters, Billings
Rhonda Whiteman, Billings
Julie Hippler, Billings
Scott Prinzing, Billings
Kristen Rickels Prinzing, Billings
Rob Wells, Billings
Rita Wells, Billings
Sheila P. Dixon, Fallon
James Dixon, Fallon
Dan Young, Billings
Ione Young, Billings
Katie Sutton, Billings
Dr. Lucinda Husby, Billings
Gray Harris, Billings
Gayle Serratt, Trout Creek
Dr. Susan Elliot, Red Lodge
Anna Brown, Belgrde
Margie Adams, Red Lodge
Holly Morgan Carr, Lone Pine
Kimberly Kradolfer, Helena
Amy Sowers, Bozeman
Andrea Albem, Gold Creek
Amorette F. Allison, Miles City
Pam Little, Hamilton
Beth Berlin, Missoula
Suzanne Artley, Florence
Heidi Kestral, Florence
Andy Boyd, Bozeman
Cassandra Noonan, Butte
Susan Gobbs, Helena
Heather McCullough Demarois, Missoula
Jael Kampfe, Bear Creek
Athie Olney Lang, Helena
Kierstin Schmitt, Corvallis
Dwight Welch, Billings
Gerre Maillet, Belgrade
Kathy Hadley, Deer Lodge
Susan Stensland Torgerson, Whitehall
Kathy Wise, Billings
Al Wise, Billings
Linda Healow, Billings
Karl Kleinert, Sunburst
Julie Kleinert, Sunburst
Wanda Lacroix, Missoula
Liz Hoveland, Bigfork
Roxy Burley, Billings
Joan Sanders Borneman, Anaconda
Tee Noel, Bozeman
Nancy Thompson Flikkema, Bozeman
Marie Jenson, Polson
Julie Betz, Billings
Lauren Cardneaux, Billings
Kathy Littlebird, Swan Valley
Becky Guay, Anaconda
Kendra Shaw, Billings
Paula Salter, Billings
Mel Holloway, Hamilton
Courtney Grigg, Bozeman
Marilyn Nelson, Whitefish
Debbie Woegens, Billings
Sue Standley, Helena
Ed Standley, Helena
Terry Lynn Minow, Boulder
Irene L. Cook, Hamilton
Lori Blaylock, Billings
Debra McNeill, Bozeman
Sandi Sniscak, Bozeman
Pete Strom, Bozeman
Julie Williams, Shepherd
Ann Mary Dussault, Missoula
Paul Donaldson, Helena
Becky Donaldson, Helena
Carly Kleinert, Missoula
Mary Fahnestock-Thomas, Hamilton
Donna Gleaves, Helena
Cecily Townsend, Helena
Mindy Obert, Big Timber
Robin Dewey, Corvallis
Barbara Archer, Billings
Rita Harding, Billings
Kendra Shaw, Billings
Courtney Griss, Bozeman
Erin Crabtree, Missoula
Patricia Gesuale, Billings
Perry Miller, Havre
Teresa Miller, Havre
Curt Synness, Helena
Melissa Synness, Helena
Michelle Klinger Risho, Bozeman
Tom Barger, Arlee
Kathy Cole Coppedge, Denton
Barbara Calm, Kila
Marcia Armstrong, Helena
Les Clark, Helena
Zane Zell, Shelby
Gloria Zell, Shelby
Erin Crabtree, Missoula
Sarah Prodell, Missoula
Dana Boussard, Arlee
Stan Reifel, Arlee
Ann Danzer, Helena
Bonnie Barger, Arlee
Barbara Archer, Billings
Tom Tully, Billings
Mary DeNevi, Missoula
Holly Kaleczyc, Helena
Stan Kaleczyc, Helena
Betsy Hall Nordell, Helena
Dave Seeley, Florence
Anita Paoli, Livingston
Roger Sherman, Whitefish
Emily Ibison, Florence
Carole Baumann, Billings