Jon Tester for U.S. Senate

At the turn of the 20th Century, the mines of Butte brought from the earth the copper that electrified America, fueling Montana’s economy and putting Montana resources at the heart of a century of innovation and prosperity for our nation.

Sadly, the only resource we lack is the leadership and will in Washington to empower Montanans to take the lead in America’s energy future. That is why Montanans are ready for real change.

A Real Plan For Energy Independence Through Renewable Energy. Jon Tester’s legislation in the Montana Senate put Montana on the path to ensuring that 15 percent of Montana’s energy will be produced from renewable sources. In the United States Senate, Jon will be a leader in creating a National Renewable Energy Standard that will make renewable energy an integral part of our country’s energy supply within 15 years. By taking concrete steps to diversify America’s energy supply, we will put America on the path to energy independence.

Real Incentives To Make Sure Montana’s Wind Energy Industry Thrives. In the Montana Senate, Jon Tester led efforts to encourage new wind energy projects by creating property tax incentives for wind energy. In the United States Senate, Jon will work for a 15 year extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind power set to expire in 2008 so that Montana’s wind energy industry has the stability they need to grow. This tax credit benefits energy producers by offering a per-megawatt tax credit on the sale of electricity generated from wind power. The tax credit lends a hand to a developing industry while encouraging renewable energy development and innovation.

Real Investment In Bio-Fuel Technology To Create Jobs In Montana And Lower Gas Prices. America must invest in Bio-fuel technology and production. Ethanol and bio-diesel are important tools we need to free our country from foreign sources of oil while providing new markets for Montana ag producers and creating new, good paying jobs for Montana and rural America. As a recent Great Falls Tribune editorial points out, alternative fuels receive a “pittance” of federal funding compared with oil and gas exploration. Jon Tester helped pass ethanol-blended fuel requirements and tax credits for bio-diesel in the Montana Senate. In the U.S. Senate he will work to put Montana-made bio-fuels in the nation’s gas pumps and reduce America’s addiction to oil.

A Real Commitment To Making America More Energy Efficient. In the Montana Senate, Jon Tester helped fund a program that promotes conservation, weatherization, and small-scale renewable energy projects to make Montana homes and businesses more efficient. In the U.S. Senate, Jon Tester will make sure American automobiles get better gas mileage, work to make hybrid vehicles more practical and affordable for Montana families, and extend tax credits to high efficiency conventional vehicles. Jon supports tax incentives to promote more efficient cars and trucks, reducing demand for oil and easing the gas crunch.

A Real Plan to Develop Montana’s Natural Resources Cleanly and Efficiently. Montana’s wealth of natural resources, including oil, coal and natural gas is helping meet America’s energy needs today and in the future. We must invest in the research and development necessary to develop these resources without damaging the clean air, pure water and open spaces all Montanans treasure. In the State Senate, Jon Tester helped shepherd through funding for a new Petroleum Engineering Building at Montana Tech to help Montana educate the highly skilled professionals we require to meet Montana and America’s future energy needs. In the United States Senate, Jon will support the R&D needed to make clean coal-to-diesel technology a reality. Jon believes that coal-to-diesel holds enormous potential to create good-paying jobs in Eastern Montana, lower gas prices for all Americans, and put our country on the road to genuine energy independence.

Click here to stand with Jon by signing his energy petition.

Tester slams Burns for vote against renewable fuel

Big Sandy farmer and Montana Senate President Jon Tester today highlighted another difference between himself and Sen. Burns in the area of renewable energy. Tester’s plan would encourage renewable energy production in Montana while Burns has opposed it. Burns has taken over $490,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry.

“Sen. Burns and his friends in the oil business are against renewable energy because it’s bad for the company bottom line and bad for Burns’ campaign accounts,” said Tester. “But I’ve been listening to Montana families and they’re sick and tired of buying $3 a gallon gas. Here we are in the middle of the summer when Montana families are taking vacations and farmers are getting ready for the harvest, and gas is just too expensive — all because government hasn’t done anything to look for alternatives. It is time for leadership in Washington.”

(more…)

MT Republican lawmaker worries “taxpayer money has been frittered away”

Montana Senate President Jon Tester of Big Sandy called on Sen. Conrad Burns to disclose his role in a secret $220,000 lobbying deal involving Burns’ former chief of staff and millions in taxpayer dollars secured by Burns for a space research center with almost no accountability.

In Helena Tuesday, the Legislative Audit Committee held a hearing to determine if the Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA), which was started with $5.5 million in earmarks from Burns, had fulfilled its mission and spent the taxpayers’ money wisely. According to the Associated Press, legislators were concerned that according to the audit, INSA had not reported its lobbying contract with former Burns chief of staff Leo Giacometto to the university, and were concerned, as were the auditors, that the University of Montana was kept in the dark about the matter.

“This just proves that Jack Abramoff was the tip of the iceberg,” said Tester. “The much larger issue is one of trust. After 17 years living Washington, D.C., Montanans can no longer trust Senator Burns with their tax dollars.”

Criticism of the secret deal with Giacometto was bipartisan. Joe Balyeat, a Bozeman Republican, told the hearing, “It seems to me taxpayer money has been frittered away.” Jim Elliott, a Trout Creek Democrat, said, “Taxpayers dollars, I think, have been funneled in a cozy relationship from one company to another with very, very little result.”

“Sen. Burns obviously works tirelessley for Washington lobbyists, especially his former staff,” said Tester. “But what Montana families need is a senator that will work for them.”

INSA, its subsidiaries, its funding and expenditures have been under investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Inspector General at both NASA and the Pentagon. Sen. Burns’ daughter, Keely Burns, and campaign chairman, Mark Baker, were both members of the Northern Rockies Center For Space Privatization advisory board. Leo Giacometto was paid at least $220,000 by Washington, D.C., software firm Compressus, Inc., a subcontractor of INSA.

Democratic Senate candidate Jon Tester began the general election campaign today by taking Sen. Burns to task on his ties to convicted felon Jack Abramoff and his recent vote to raise taxes on Montana students and families saving for college.

‘Sen. Burns hasn’t leveled with Montanans about his associations with Jack Abramoff and he’s lying about his record on taxes,” Tester said. “Burns has shown he’ll do or say anything to keep his job.”

(more…)

Tony Schoonen
Montana Public Lands/Water Access Association

It was disappointing to see a recent TV ad of John Morrison’s, using Nita Perimen of Gregson as an example of a person that had been taken in a stock swindle. Morrison was just doing his job as a state auditor in protecting folks from stock and insurance rip-offs.

(more…)