Gianforte Calls on Governor to Sell State Airplane; "You Abused It, You Lose It"

Press Release

The state plane is going up for sale. That was the news Wednesday in Helena, as Bozeman businessman and tech entrepreneur Greg Gianforte highlighted declining state revenues, and the abuse of taxpayer funds taking place under Governor Steve Bullock. In light of the abuse of taxpayer funds, Gianforte called on the governor to sell the state plane. "You abused it, you lose it." Gianforte added, "If you won't, I will."

Bullock "hit some turbulence" after being busted using the taxpayer-funded airplane to attend campaign fundraisers and for using the state plane to go on personal trips like the Paul McCartney concert in Missoula. Gianforte drove to Helena Wednesday with a simple message: the governor needs to follow the rules of the road like the rest of us Montanans.

GREG GIANFORTE: "This money could be better used to put computer science in every high school or to fund some desperately needed infrastructure. This governor has been flying high abusing taxpayer resources, at the same time our state revenues are in a nosedive and our economy has declined for the second straight quarter. I've been driving the roads of Montana, and we need a governor who is on the roads with the rest of us."

Rep. Ryan Osmundson (R-Lewistown): "We're going to have some tough decisions to make in the upcoming legislative session, especially in light of the declining revenues and declining economy being left under the current governor. It's no wonder the governor failed to invest in infrastructure, he hasn't been forced to drive the same roads as the rest of us."

Gianforte has been driving around the state campaigning and so far, has logged over 49,000 miles. Click here for a copy of the "Classified Ad" announcing the sale of the state-owned airplane.

Gianforte is the founder of RightNow Technologies. He started the company out of his house in Bozeman, and created over 500 jobs in Montana. The average Montana salary at RightNow was nearly $90,000 a year. Oracle purchased RightNow in 2012, and continues to expand the company's footprint in Montana.

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