Not ready to run for governor, says Brown

State Sen. Taylor Brown has been mentioned in newspaper stories and blogs as a potential Republican candidate for governor in 2012.

But Brown, in an interview on Saturday, threw cold water on the idea.

"I can't see me running for governor," he said.

He said he has spent 25 years building up his business, Northern Ag Network, which he purchased from Conrad Burns 25 years ago when Burns was elected to the U.S. Senate.

"I have 70 radio stations and 2000 cust ome r s t o think about," he said.

Serving in the Senat e since being elected in 2008 has taken away time from the business, he said.

He said he didn't feel he had enough experience.

"I've only served one term in the Senate," he said.

"There is so much to learn."

He said he agreed to run for the state Senate because he knew the district very well. His business is in Billings, while he grew up in the rural portion of the sprawling district.

On other topics, Brown said he favored working with state departments to search out ways to eliminating the $400 million budget deficit the state faces.

He opposed a straight 10 percent reduction in spending, "because some departments could not function with that kind of cut."

He proposed going back to half-day kindergarten to save money.

"But if the educators think we can't do that, maybe they can come up with some other ideas," he said.

He would like to see repeal of the medical marijuana initiative that was approved by voters and hopes that a petition drive to get the matter on the ballot is successful.

"I think Montana was duped when this was passed," he said.

"We thought we were voting to relieve the pain of an old lady who was in her dying days," he said. "It turned out not to be like that."

Instead, he said, he understands that 75 students at one Billings high school have green cards enabling them to buy medical marijuana.

They are dealing marijuana, he said.

If the initiative fails, he said, the Legislature should adopt tough rules to ensure that medical marijuana is reserved for legitimately sick people.