Gianforte Campaigns In Sidney

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte emphasized the successes of his first term during a campaign stop in Sidney on Wednesday.

The Republican said to supporters at the meeting held at the Meadowlark, "We did what we told you we were going to do."

Gianforte explained that he brought in new leadership for every state department. He added that he introduced quality customer service in every agency.

The governor said he hasn't increased the size of government and the state has a fiscally conservative budget. He mentioned how each Montana family received a rebate from the state's surplus and that the equipment tax has been decreased.

The surplus also resulted in $100 million utilized to fix roads and bridges throughout the state. One-time money was used to expand state prison capacity. Community based mental health also returned to Montana. Gianforte said the state is now debt free.

Gianforte said that Montana has enjoyed an unemployment rate of less than 3 percent for 24 consecutive months.

He also discussed his office's success of recruiting new businesses to Montana.

During the question-and-answer segment, Fairview Mayor Brian Bieber expressed his concern regarding the rumor that illegal immigrants will come to eastern Montana and live in Sidney hotels.

"This community won't stand for it," Bieber said. "It will get ugly."

Sidney Mayor Rick Norby made a Facebook post on May 24 to address such rumors. Norby wrote, "The central idea of this crazy hoax is that the City of Sidney has bought, or at least intends to buy, hotels in town which the city will then lease to the federal government in order to allow the feds to house illegal immigrants. I am blown away that anyone

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in Sidney would believe any

part of this nonsense, but for those that do, let me be clear: The City of Sidney has absolutely no plans to purchase any hotel or motel. The City of Sidney has not been contacted by any government agency requesting anything like this, and has no plans to ever be involved in something like this. If anything remotely like this ever became something the City of Sidney could ever be involved with, this would be discussed at a public meeting, with notice to, and comment by, the public."

Gianforte noted that there was a similar rumor in Lewistown that proved to not be true.

The governor answered Bieber that if a dangerous situation arises, the state has resources to assist communities.

After Gianforte asked Bieber for what could be a solution, Bieber said he didn't have an answer but wanted the governor to make it stop from happening.

Gianforte said if there's a method to keep communities safe, the state will do it.