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In an interview last week, Montgomery, owner Montgomery Farm and Garden and Silver Creek Storage, said he would draw on his background to help break through partisan gridlock. He said Job One will be convincing people in Frankfort to work together on creating jobs.
Montgomery pointed to the success of industrial parks in Berea and Richmond, which have benefited from their proximity to I-75, as examples of investment that can happen around the state when there is a concerted effort to attract business. He said he would push for projects like improvement and extensions to Ky. 52 and U.S. 27 in Garrard, and an unfinished bypass around Berea, infrastructure he said would advance economic development.
Montgomery believes a vocational school in southern Madison County would also be a big help in preparing young people for industries often unable to find qualified workers.
"College is not for everybody," Montgomery said. "We need a trade school in Berea that can help educate some of those kids in how to weld or machine. We have a lot of industries looking for that type of skill base."
Montgomery vowed to also zero in on the state's drug problem. While he praised the HB 1, which changed the way certain lesser drug crimes are punished, he said there needed to be more attention paid to rehab and preparing offenders to become contributing members of society.
"We're in the top four in meth production in the entire United States and people are dying every day from this stuff," Montgomery said. "I'll support any regulation or control of drug distribution that will punish the dealers. I also support rehabilitation."
The state has a massive hole to fill in the state pension system, an issue Montgomery said he would reserve judgement suggesting solutions to until a task force convened by Gov. Steve Beshear delivers its findings. He praised the teacher's retirement system for sound investing and management of its fund.
"I believe we can get the pension system under control. As a government, we just can't overspend and go back and borrow against the pension. I believe that is one of the biggest problems — too many hands being dipped into it."
Montgomery said the 20 years he spent in management with Carquest auto part stores and his time running his own business have given him the leadership skills and financial know-how to be effective. He noted that his opponent has a large deficit in experience.
In addition to being wet behind the ears, Montgomery said Shell been coddled through the campaign process. He believes Shell's message and his campaign materials, including a website that bears striking resemblance to that of other Republican candidates, have been engineered by the party.
"My point is, if you don't know his true voice about the issues at hand then who is he going to represent? Us or the Republican Party?" Montgomery wondered.
Montgomery said his own decision to get into the race was a tough one. However, after he was approached by local business people and farmers about making a run he decided it was time.
"The greatest honor in a democratic society is the opportunity to impact the direction of you government by being directly involved," Montgomery said. "I feel that Garrard and Madison counties need an effective voice in Frankfort and I believe I'm uniquely qualified to be that voice."
