MEMORANDUM
FROM: Kevin O’Brien, Campaign Manager
TO: Interested Parties
DATE: October 11, 2012
RE: Fact Checking Rick Hill and Scott Walker
In last night’s debate on Montana PBS and again today at events with Gov. Scott Walker, Congressman Rick Hill has gone out of his way to praise Walker’s Wisconsin, but has departed from reality and the facts to do so. Likewise, Gov. Walker failed to fact check his remarks before landing in Kalispell to fundraise with Hill.
According to Lee Newspaper’s State Bureau, “Hill told a statewide television audience Wednesday night that Montana’s economy is in a rut, and that he’d help get it going by erasing a ‘hostile’ business climate.” But the fact is that Big Sky Country’s economy is leading the nation – and in much stronger shape than the Badger State.
Below is a fact check on Congressman Hill and Governor Walker’s statements:
Hill says about Walker/Wisconsin:
“The truth is there’s more money going to schools [in Wisconsin] now.” [MT PBS Gubernatorial Debate, 10/10/2012]
- Under Walker, school districts have received $1.6 billion less than they would have under prior law – “the greatest cut to education since the Great Depression.” [WI Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 3/15/2011; WI Dept. of Public Instruction, 2/28/2011]
“The teachers are actually getting paid better than they were.” [MT PBS Gubernatorial Debate, 10/10/2012]
- Under Walker, the average teacher lost between $4,000 and $5,000 in take-home pay. [WI Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 3/15/2011]
Walker says when in Montana:
“States led by Republican Governors are better off. Lower unemployment, they’re ranked better for business environment by Forbes.”
- Unemployment (September Releases):
MT 6.3% LINK
WI 7.5% LINK
- Forbes Rankings of “Best States for Businesses” (November 2011):
MT #23 LINK
WI #40 LINK
- Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index (released Monday):
MT #8 LINK
WI #43 LINK