Governor Brian Schweitzer Unveils “Innovate Montana” But Did Not Unveil Everything

HELENA – Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Monday unveiled a $150,000 marketing campaign that relies partly on trucks and television commercials to lure new businesses, jobs and visitors to Montana.
“Innovate Montana” is targeting start-up businesses looking to relocate or grow in the Treasure State.
In a news conference outside the capitol, Schweitzer stood in front of a semi-truck bearing the ad displaying the wonders of Montana. He said five trucks carrying “Innovate Montana” advertising would be circulating among the streets of Seattle, adding the campaign will “target the places most likely to bring people here.”
Schweitzer said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently rated Montana as the best place in America to start a business. And he said the U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that as much as 40 percent of the state’s adult population had a college degree.
According to a news release from the governor’s office, a new TV commercial will be shown in key markets on the West Coast. The 60-second piece highlights Montana business leaders who are building businesses in Montana.
Additionally, five big rigs wrapped in an Innovate Montana advertisement directing people to visit InnovateMontana.com are now circulating in downtown Seattle and the surrounding metro area.  A sixth truck will soon be traveling in-state to increase Montana’s business presence with regional travelers.
“We’re thrilled to a partner in this effort,” said Ray Kuntz, chief executive officer of Missoula-based Watkins and Shepard Trucking Inc. “We believe in Montana and we believe in the future of Montana.”
Innovate Montana is a private public partnership between industry and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development,focusing on businesses and leaders who want to invest in Montana. The campaign will be paid through a mix of state funds ($90,000) and privates businesses ($60,000). Companies or agencies participating are: Anderson Zurmuehlen, First Interstate Bank, Montana Ambassadors, MSU, Northwestern Energy, Century Link, University of Montana and Techlink.
The governor was asked how it would be determined if the ad campaign was successful.

“Why does Coca-Cola advertise?” he said, adding that it must work, and rattled off a long list of big, successful companies that advertise. “You’ve got to tell your story. It’s a competitive market.
“In Montana we already have a great name. We want to plant a seed that it’s a great place to do business.”
The governor’s office on Monday also announced that Schweitzer will host the first-ever Innovation Day and Awards Dinner, Aug. 28, at Montana State University. The event will include business leaders and investors, and tours of MSU’s labs and research centers. The day will includes a Governor’s Innovation Awards Dinner where some Montana companies will be recognized for their innovation and contributions their companies have made to the state’s economy and job creation.

Entire Source: http://montana.watchdog.org/2012/07/02/governor-unveils-ad-campaign-to-lure-more-businesses-to-montana/

• Hmmm….Governor Schweizter, you stated…..  “In Montana we already have a great name. We want to plant a seed that it’s a great place to do business.”   

•  Don’t you think that you should tell the public about the very high incarceration rate that you have in Montana?  Other citizens from other states might like to know that before they move clear to another state and start up their business.  Montana has a horrible reputation concerning the area of the Judicial System and Department of Corrections.   As one man that moved from Washington testified to the Law and Justice Committee how he did that very thing.  He moved from Washington to Montana and he was put in prison for 5 years.  Lost his business, his home, his family just from moving to the great state of Montana. The Law and Justice Committee did not understand how Montana had the right to put this man in prison. Do you know how many we hear that want to leave the state of Montana because of corruption in the Judicial system? 

• As Montana Senator Greg Hinkle on the Law and Justice Committee stated “Montana’s incarceration rate is climbing dramatically.  We are currently locking up about 459 people per 100,000 residents, compare that to Maine with 169 people and Louisiana with 886 people.  We have entered into the top half of states with persons jailed per capita.”   Read article here: http://montanacorruption.org/2012/06/26/wise-words-from-montana-senator-greg-hinkle/

• Businesses will have to compete with prison labor.  They have to pay higher taxes in Montana because of the prisons for profit.  They have to pay Workmen’s Compensation, prisons don’t.  How much higher will their taxes and their compensation be because of that?   Do they even want to be a part of a state that prides itself in the high number of citizens that it locks up in prisons?  Wouldn’t they want to know that they or their employees could easily have charges against them for the slightest thing?  That based on “hearsay” they can be charged, convicted and sentenced based on “hearsay?”  What kind of toll is that going to take on their businesses if they have to deal with employees losing days of work either having to go through the court system or even prison and what about those that have to attend jury trials?  How much does this cost businesses?   Granted Montana really forces the majority into plea bargains because they will not get a fair trial.  Maybe they should be warned that in Montana they will not get “due process” as Montana does not believe in that. 

• Shouldn’t they be warned about the “good ole boy club” here in Montana?  That all those that are in that club seem to be “above the law?”  That we even have officers turning other officers in and citizens that are threatened by the police if they do try to report a crime.  What about all the suicides in the jails and prisons because all of this segment of Montana is hopeless due to the corrupted system that they know they can basically never be free of?  How families of these inmates are bankrupted into poverty because of what they keep charging the families and not allowing them now to visit their loved ones?  Maybe they should also be told that in all the newspaper articles or reports that you read concerning these issues you see the statement “there is an element of fear among staff and employees to say anything because of retaliation” usually from a state department of Montana.  Maybe they should be warned that your Attorney General Steve Bullock that you have endorsed as the next Governor wants to incarcerate more citizens of Montana.  That Montana DOJ has come up with new ways and that same department has used means that are unethical to gain convictions.  Actually some have used misconduct to gain convictions and also not telling the truth. 

• I believe anyone pondering the question about bringing their business to Montana should read the last several articles on this website. Actually they don’t even have to read this one….just look up Montana and Corruption and anyone can find close to 100 pages of links concerning this very large problem. 

• It really is a shame, Montana is a beautiful place but we could not in all good conscience just let someone blindly move here because the frosting on the cake looks good.  Other citizens should know the real deal before they could land up in prison and lose everything they have like the man that moved from Washington and those from other states did.