A new radio ad featuring Texas Governor Rick Perry aims to convince California companies to move to Texas over the new round of taxes, among other things. It has sparked a tête-à-tête between Perry and California Governor Jerry Brown.
Perry launched the 30-second radio ad on Monday: “Building a business is tough, but I hear building a business in California is next to impossible,” Perry says in the ad, which was paid for by a public-private marketing partnership called TexasOne. “There are plenty of reasons Texas has been named the best state for doing business for eight years running.”
Hear the ad:
California Gov. Jerry Brown called the radio ads just “a few tricks from a politician” and will not have any substantive effect. Brown also called the effort “barely a fart.”
Putting it in context, Brown told reporters “It’s not a serious story, guys…It’s not a burp. It’s barely a fart.”
The Sacramento Bee reported that Brown told reporters outside an event in Los Angeles the commercials are unlikely to make a difference because people invest in places where “big things have occurred.”
The governor says everyone “with half a brain” is coming to California, home of Apple, Google and Hollywood studios. He says that includes the British, French, Russians and Chinese.
“So Texas,” Brown said, “come on over.”
Perry often brags about Texas’ low taxes, industry-friendly regulations and strict limits on lawsuits. He regularly travels to California to convince companies to move their operations, using a special fund called the Texas Enterprise Fund to close relocation deals.
In recent years, though, lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern that Perry is not using the fund properly. Lawmakers have effectively suspended funding for the program while they re-evaluate it, reports The AP/CBS.
RBR-TVBR observation: Good stuff for radio—we hope Brown will air some of his own ads in Texas and California advising companies what to do—but perhaps with not the same verbiage. If he does, perhaps even more buys will be made on both sides. But yes, Perry knows anyone who owns a business in California or is traveling to California on business is likely listening to the radio—for news, traffic and talk.