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Schweitzer Holds Commanding Lead

Gov. Brian Schweitzer continues to hold a double-digit lead over challenger Roy Brown in the race for Montana governor, according to an independent poll. The October Rasmussen Reports poll found Schweitzer, a Democrat, leading Brown, a Republican, 56 percent to 41 percent, a margin of 15 points. Read more

CAMPAIGN NEWS

DE – Markell Unveils State Budget Plan. Jack Markell and Matt Denn pooled their policy prowess, releasing a detailed plan for how they would save taxpayers “in excess of $100 million” and balance the state budget. Markell and Denn propose to upgrade the state budgeting process, be aggressive in pursuing federal funds, crack down on waste and fraud, save money with “green” policies, review each state agency every 10 years, improve state purchasing practices, reduce the need for college remediation, pursue policies that promote health, adopt smarter approaches to enforcing tax laws and use technology to reduce costs.Read more

MO – Nixon: State Should Not Penalize Soldiers. National Guardsmen and reservists should not suffer financially because they are deployed overseas Jay Nixon said. Citizen soldiers who leave state service to serve their country should continue to receive their full salaries said Nixon. “It is shameful that Missouri hasn’t followed the lead of most other states in supporting the Missourians and their families who are making sacrifices for state and country to protect us,” Nixon said. “These citizen-soldiers did not hesitate to go to dangerous places on the other side of the world when their country needed them. We should not hesitate any longer to support them and their families with full pay,” he added. Read more

NC – Perdue Addresses Needs of Rural Communities. Bev Perdue touted her rural credentials while portraying her Republican opponent as being out for only urban interests. Speaking at a Rural Center forum, the Democrat said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory “has an unfortunate history of dividing our state between urban and rural.” Perdue quoted McCrory and cited newspapers’ description of his positions, saying he questioned building roads to small communities and complained that rural interests were getting money at cities’ expense.Read more

WA – Blog: Gregoire Stands Firm on the Economy. Gov. Chris Gregoire made clear in last night’s gubernatorial debate she supported the Senate’s approval of a more than $800 billion plan. Gregoire made her comments in response to a question from debate panelist Barbara Serrano of the Yakima Herald-Republican newspaper, who specifically asked Gregoire and Republican challenger Dino Rossi how each would have voted on the House package, if they were members of that chamber. Rossi flat out failed to answer the question. Read more

VT – Democracy for America Endorses Symington. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington received an endorsement from Democracy for America, a national progressive political action organization founded by former Gov. Howard Dean. I’m honored to receive the endorsement of Democracy for America, which is such a strong force for change in our party and our nation,” Symington said. The organization reports 725,000 members across the country, including 10,544 in Vermont. Read more

GENERAL NEWS

AZ – Napolitano Reminds Citizens to Get Their Stimulus Checks. If you weren’t one of the millions of Americans that received a rebate check from President Bush’s economic stimulus package, it may not be too late. Gov. Janet Napolitano reminded Arizonans of the deadline to file for a 2007 income tax return. “The average EITC benefit per family is 1,495 dollars,” said Napolitano. “That money, in addition to an economic stimulus payment, could make a tremendous positive impact on a hardworking, low-to-moderate income family.” Read more

AR – Beebe: Officers Are Priceless. Gov. Mike Beebe said the state is working to stay competitive with state police salaries. State police officers recently got a 15 to 18-percent pay raise, Beebe said. Beebe says other states might pay their officers more, but that corresponds with cost of living, still, the Governor said officers have a priceless job. “We never pay them enough money, so the least we can do from time to time is honor them and let them know how much we respect them, and to thank them for their duty.” Read more

KS – Sebelius: State Leading in Wind Energy. Kansas can be proud of leading a “Made in America” energy policy that uses homegrown natural resources, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said. Wind power is not only terrific for the economy, but “it’s terrific for our security and it’s good for our planet.” Sebelius stated that as recently as three years ago, less than 1 percent of energy generated in Kansas came from wind power. Today the state stands to reach a goal of generating 10 percent of the state’s energy from wind by the end of the year. “We’ll be at 1,000 megawatts of wind—that’s only the seventh state in the country to reach that threshold, and the only state to do it without (a mandate from) the Legislature,” Sebelius said. Read more

MT – Schweitzer Discusses Restoration Economy. Gov. Brian Schweitzer met with leaders from businesses and educational institutions at Montana Tech to discuss efficient development of Montana’s restoration workforce. Montana’s restoration economy is based on improving the state’s natural environments such as streams, forests, fisheries and mining sites. “We’ll create jobs for people who are chemists, for soil scientists and people who are actually driving the big loaders and big trucks and moving equipment around. We’ll create more jobs during the next 10 years, cleaning up the mining mistakes of the past than we would have in some of the mining industries. So it’s good for Montana’s economy. It’s good for Montana’s fisheries. It’s good for Montana’s forests,” Schweitzer said. Read more

NC – Easley Earns Guard Award. The National Guard Bureau Distinguished Service Award was presented to Gov. Mike Easley. Easley has been a strong advocate for the military, especially on behalf of North Carolina military families and children. His efforts have resulted in more equipment for deployed National Guard units; state funding for health and mental health services for combat veterans; college scholarships for children of National Guard members killed or disabled while on active duty; in-state tuition for military dependents; and funding for morale support programs at all military facilities across the state. Read more

OR – Kulongoski Launches Site to Answer Financial Questions. Gov. Ted Kulongoski launched a Web site to answer consumer questions about the security of the financial markets. The Web page – egov.oregon.gov/DCBS/safe_money.shtml – addresses common questions about bank and credit union deposits, insurance policies, brokerage accounts, mortgages, and other investment areas. It also includes links to state and federal financial regulators and other resources. Kulongoski said: “There are many safety nets in place to protect your money, such as federal deposit insurance and guaranty funds, so for most Oregonians, there is no need to make sudden changes. I urge Oregonians to consult with a trusted adviser before making any major financial decision.” Read more

VA – Kaine Announces Energy Sales Tax Holiday. Virginia is helping residents save money on energy-efficient products with a sales tax holiday. Gov. Tim Kaine announced the second annual energy sales tax holiday. During the holiday, high-efficiency products with Energy Star or WaterSense certification that cost $2,500 or less will be exempt from sales tax. The governor’s office says Virginians saved an estimated $166,000 during the tax holiday last year. Money is also saved from reduced utility use. Read more

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