Published: May 09, 2008 05:02 pm            

Democrats debate

Economy, education biggest issues for candidates

GLASGOW — Democratic candidates for Kentucky’s 9th District Senate seat voiced their opinions on a variety of issues Thursday night during a debate at the Plaza Theatre in Glasgow.

Candidates were asked six questions and given three minutes to respond, with additional time for rebuttal.

They were asked what issues they believed to be of most importance to district residents.

Horace Johnson of Allen County, Steve Newberry of Barren County and John Rogers of Barren County all agreed the biggest issues are economic development and education.

The state’s 9th Senate District includes Simpson County, Allen County, Barren County, Metcalfe County, Edmonson County and Green County.

Johnson said he has found while campaigning that the biggest educational concerns are increases in college tuition and the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System.

He pointed out that Western Kentucky University has increased its tuition by 14.1 percent since 2002.

“When we have young people who are trying to get an education, better themselves, whether it be in the workplace or in the school systems, or wherever they may go, we are encouraging them to get an education, but yet we are pricing them right out of that,” he said.

He said teachers to whom he’s spoken are concerned about the testing system and the time spent in the classroom each year preparing for CATS testing.

Newberry, CEO of Commonwealth Broadcasting, said he’s heard more lately about economic issues than education.

“At the beginning of this campaign, education was really the dominant topic that I heard a lot of people talk about,” he said, “but over the course of the last three months there has been a dramatic shift in terms of what I’m hearing and that has been the economic concern – the escalating gas prices and the lack of confidence in the future employment standards. Those are the things that are really causing the most anxiety in the district.”

Newberry described what he said needs to be done in order to alleviate some of the anxiety.

First, it must be easier for businesses to locate to where they want in Kentucky.

“Right now our economic development plans are not available equally in every county in the state. Some counties get preferential treatment. We need to put our best foot forward, and every single county in the state needs to be treated equally and fairly,” he said.

The state needs to take care of its existing industries by making it easier for them to do business in Kentucky so they won’t be motivated to look elsewhere. He also believes businesses should turn over any buildings they occupied to the state if they decide to locate elsewhere.

Rogers, a Glasgow attorney, also focused on the economy.

“Folks, we’re suffering in this district,” he said. “Green County, Edmonson County, Barren County, job loss after job loss. Our factories are closing. We can’t take it any more. We can’t stand it any more, but how do we address it?”

Rogers said that more than 80 percent of the jobs in the district are small business jobs.

He recently visited the Beckton community in Barren County where he spoke with a small grocery store owner who wanted to expand the business but said he couldn’t find any help, Rogers said.

“Those are the people that we’ve got to help. If you do that all across this district, you can create thousands of jobs,” he said.

Rogers said education is a key issue and that it can be improved if the priorities in Frankfort were changed.

“They are building air conditioned arenas for horse shows and arenas for basketball in Louisville and Lexington and bridges. How many bridges does it take to cross the Ohio River folks? That money needs to be going into our schools for textbooks,” he said. “We have to do the right thing and that does not equate to building horse show arenas. Those things are needed, but private development can do that.”

Johnson said the key to economic development in small communities is to improve infrastructure.



More on the candidates

The Democratic candidates for the state’s 9th District Senate seat were asked on what committees they would like to serve. Both Newberry and Rogers responded it would be sensible for the 9th District Senator to be on the agriculture and natural resources committee.

Rogers and Johnson were both interested in the education committee and Johnson said he would also like to serve on the judiciary committee

Also, Newberry expressed an interest in serving on the appropriations and revenue committee.

The candidates will face each other in the primary election on May 20.

        

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