Busse, Graybill Hold Town Hall In Sidney

Ryan Busse, Democrat candidate for governor of Montana, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he moved from his farm/ranch community in Kansas to Kalispell 30 years ago and had a career as the vice president of sales for Kimber, one of the largest gun manufacturers in the United States. "This place made me a better person," he said. His running mate Raph Graybill is a 5th generation Montanan who has a long history in Montana politics and whose grandfather, Leo, chaired the 1972 Constitutional Convention.

Busse and Graybill wish to restore the basic fabric of the state by returning to the 1972 Montana Constitution which Busse says Governor Gianforte has repeatedly ignored. They want a Montana where regular people can expect to pay reasonable property taxes, find affordable housing, a great public education for their children and keep government out of doctors' offices.

Property tax relief is high on Busse's priority list. He says that the governor misused the recent $2.6 billion dollar surplus by giving tax breaks to big corporations while everyday homeowners saw property tax increases, making housing in some areas more expensive than even California. "People can't afford to live where they work," Busse stated. "I know of teachers who have to drive 100 miles just to get to work. Gianforte is tone deaf to it." He said he was recently in Havre where the city is struggling to hire police officers, partly because of the high cost of housing. The property tax increases hit renters particularly hard since rental properties did not qualify for any of the rebates and property owners usually had to raise rents. Farms and ranches that are incorporated also suffered since they did not qualify either. "We are in peril because of the decisions the governor is making," Busse said.

Taking taxpayer dollars from public education to fund private schools is totally wrong according to Busse. "Public schools are the heart of small towns. He took money away from those kids to give to rich kids in private schools. I am not down with that! And it's in the constitution that we can't do that," he firmly stated.

Busse believes we need to look for ways to make life better for every family. He wants to restore the Child Tax Credit which was passed by a bi-partisan legislature and he says Gianforte ignored. He also wants to restore the Department of Labor and use it as it should be, to develop a good labor force in the state. As a life-long hunter and nature lover, Busse is upset with what he sees as Gianforte's dismantling of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He said the governor's actions are providing greater access for wealthy out of state hunters and increasing pressure on wildlife.

As governor, Busse would work to protect the rights of women and families as defined by the Montana constitution. He believes that the government does not belong in doctors' offices telling women what they can and can't do with their own body. He said he has seen instances where women and their families are forced to make horrific decisions about their pregnancies and believes they should have the right to do so without government interference.

"Gianforte refuses to use his office to improve the lives of working folks. We are laser focused on working folks and everyday Montanans, and getting back to the constitution," Busse said bluntly.

Busse and Graybill encourage everyone to attend the Town Hall at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the Taphouse Bar & Grill, 900 ½ S. Central, Sidney. "Please show up and ask your questions. We'll answer them, even the hard ones, and if we don't know the answer, we'll tell you that too.