Sen. Tester Puts Focus On Local Business

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Sen. Jon Tester said Friday he is gathering ideas about how to grow the economy, so he can take them back to Washington.

Tester sat in on a round table discussion with Bozeman's Economic Development Council. The City's staff has been working on finding ways to expand and grow local business.

Tester said the key to growing the economy as a whole is to grow small businesses.

"Whether that's building good infrastructure, or whatever. Having a good university system, so you've got a well-trained workforce, bottom line is, if small business succeeds, it will create jobs. If you create jobs, you build your economy," he said.

The senator sits on the Senate Banking Committee, and said his main focus on that committee is to help businesses get loans from banks and credit unions.

Tester will take his message about small business growth to Montana State University on Saturday. Tester will be holding a Small Business Opportunity Workshop, with a focus on agriculture.

U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will be the keynote speaker. 

The event is free and open to the public. It runs from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.