LETTER: Gianforte for governor

It’s that time again when we must decide who will lead and direct the business of our state for the next four years. Voting calls for mature thinking and basic informed decisions.

Let’s take a look at the individual we should choose to lead Montana. Assume you sat on the board of a large corporation and had to hire a new chief executive. I imagine you would want to know a great deal about that person before you would hire one.

Let’s look at the position of governor and what they are responsible to oversee. First, this individual will work with and direct between 23,000-23,500 state employees that are represented by their union. These employees represent 5 percent of Montana’s total employment base. The state of Montana is our No. 1 employer.

Next, he must administer Montana’s federal funds. There are 12,000-12,500 federal employees in Montana. The state’s budget in 2014 exceeded $7.5 billion. A large portion of our money comes from Washington, D.C., which enables us to fund 25.6 percent for education and 37.8 percent for Health and Human Services. These two programs consumed 63.4 percent of the biennial budget.

This information, taken from the 2015 Fiscal Report, gives you some small idea of what the governor’s office does and is held responsible for. The governor’s office works with the Legislature, a group of 150 citizens, who are dedicated enough to take four months every two years from their personal lives and are willing to serve the state.

As you can imagine it makes quite a difference who sits in the governor’s office. This office should never be held as a political prize, or as an “on the job training” for future aspirations. We know what happens when either of these situations occur.

We know and admire Greg Gianforte, who is running for governor, and recognize his knowledge and business experience. As founder of a successful software company in Bozeman, he employed 500 people. He is also the author of a book — “Bootstrapping Your Business” — and serves as chair of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance. In 2015 he was inducted into the Montana Business Hall of Fame.

He has chosen Leslie Robinson, a Phillips County commissioner and rancher, who was born and raised in Malta, as his lieutenant governor. In choosing her, he will have first-hand knowledge of Montana’s agricultural business.

For further information you can go to Greg’s website — www.gregfor montana.com

As a former representative in the House for three terms, it’s important that we send qualified people like Greg to represent us in this important office. —Stanley Fisher, Bigfork