HELENA — Term-limited Gov. Brian Schweitzer entered the election fray Tuesday — even though he is not on the ballot — and used his trademark boldness to bash Republican legislators and past GOP administrations with familiar arguments.
Schweitzer said Republicans told “lies” by predicting state budget doom and gloom during conversations about the state budget last year. The governor said more proof is now in — pointing to the state’s $453 million surplus at the close of the fiscal year on June 30. He said it was one of the highest on record for the close of any year.
Republicans countered that they helped make sure the budget was sound, and argued Schweitzer was not being civil with his latest round of attacks.
The governor has been sparring with Republicans over the same issues since last year’s legislative session, and on Tuesday used refreshed versions of many of the same charts and graphs used in the past to advance his position.
The Democrat launched what he said some people might call an “I told you so” tour where he will remind the GOP — and voters — he believes evidence shows Republicans intentionally deflated budget estimates to meet partisan goals.
“They continued to say the sky was falling,” Schweitzer said of budget debates. “It wasn’t. They just made it up.”
The governor argued voters need to elect Democrats to the Legislature and the governor’s office if they want more of what they have seen with fiscal management during his tenure. The Democrat is wrapping up the final months of his second term.
Democrats are trying to win back some seats in the Legislature and elect Attorney General Steve Bullock to replace Schweitzer.
Schweitzer said Republicans will again try to lower taxes for large multinational companies doing business in the state, a move he said would lead to an increase in taxes on individual homeowners as local school districts try to make up for lost revenue.
Republican legislative leaders have argued the recession called for a cautious budget approach.
On Tuesday, Republican House Speaker Mike Milburn of Cascade said he believes the governor is wrong to criticize lawmakers because there is a big surplus.
He also argued lawmakers did more to make sure the budget is “structurally sound” — meaning ongoing revenue matches ongoing expenses after one-time events are accounted for.
Milburn said Republicans running for the Legislature are promising to seek efficiencies in government, to stand up to the federal government on “Obamacare,” wolves and other issues while pushing for more natural resource development.
He said Schweitzer will have a hard time convincing voters that Democrats in charge in the Legislature would spend less. And the Republican said it isn’t civil of Schweitzer to continue to hound legislative staffers for their revenue predictions from last year.
“What is wrong with money in the bank? What is wrong with a savings account?” Milburn said. “Why is he criticizing us for not spending more?”