Bullock brings his job message to C-Falls

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Bullock said his plan to tweak Montana’s business equipment tax will help small businesses like Zinc Air of Columbia Falls.

Bullock took a tour of the 18,000-square-foot facility on U.S. 2 on Oct. 11. Under his plan, businesses with less than $100,000 in equipment would be exempt from Montana’s business equipment tax. The tax is often viewed as an onerous burden on industry, but local governments like the City of Columbia Falls rely on the tax as part of their revenue stream.

Founded three years ago, Zinc Air employs 42 people and is planning a major expansion in the next year, CEO Dave Wilkins said. The company plans to add 30 to 50 jobs in the next year and double the size of the facility.

Zinc Air makes large batteries that store energy from wind and solar systems when they aren’t producing electricity. A single battery can hold a megawatt of electricity and fits inside a 20-by-8-foot storage unit.

Asked why they invited Bullock, company officials were upbeat about his campaign.

“We expect him to be running the state soon,” Wilkins said.

Bullock noted that 95 percent of the businesses in Montana employ 50 or fewer people. By lowering the equipment-tax threshold, about 11,000 businesses would benefit, he said.

Bullock said he would also look at the state’s various state business development programs. He said it was imperative to streamline the programs and find out which ones were working and which ones were not.

He also talked about the importance of higher education in Montana. Zinc Air uses a skilled workforce of engineers and technicians to build its products.

“Innovative companies like Zinc Air depend on a talented and highly-trained workforce, and that’s why I’ll never defund, devalue or dismantle our education system,” Bullock said. “Montana’s public schools today are where we’ll determine Montana’s jobs of the future.”

Bullock said Montana is proving to be attractive to businesses because it has a good tax climate, the government is accessible and “we have a talented and trained workforce.” It also has a host of recreational opportunities.

The state is also developing its renewable energy resources, which in turn helps Zinc Air, Bullock noted. Currently, Montana generates about 600 megawatts of renewable energy and has the third best wind resources in the country, he said.

“We need to continue to invest in our workforce and education to make sure high-tech jobs are located here,” he said.

On another matter, Bullock said he was pleased with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal’s stay on a lower court ruling that Montana’s cap on campaign contributions was unconstitutional.

He said the cap has served Montanans well for years and made it necessary for those seeking office to get out and talk to people to raise funds. Under the system, “not one individual can buy a campaign,” he said. Bullock said he expected a ruling from the appellate court soon.