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Published: October 21, 2008 11:03 pm
Kiwanis host commission, 27th House candidates forum
Amelia A. Pridemore
Register-Herald Reporter
Exactly two weeks before Election Day, the two candidates for Raleigh County Commission and nine candidates in the House of Delegates 27th District race sat side-by-side and faced residents whose votes they desire.
The Beckley Kiwanis Club hosted the candidate forum Tuesday night at the Raleigh County Commission on Aging. Both candidates for Raleigh County Commission and nine of the 11 House of Delegates hopefuls addressed questions from a panel composed of Dr. Bill O’Brien, a Concord University professor; Steve O’Brien, WWNR radio broadcaster; and Mannix Porterfield, reporter for The Register-Herald. Jay Quesenberry, general manager for Southern Communications, moderated.
The candidates addressed issues such as rural citizens’ concerns, education, the scandal at WVU and government accountability — or the lack thereof, in some cases.
Raleigh County Commission
Republican Chuck Carpenter addressed the unique challenges faced by residents in rural areas. These residents, he said, often face transportation problems. While the county commission has done a good job in trying to extend water and sewer services, work still needs to be done. The largest problem they seem to face is police protection. Law enforcement agencies are based in Beckley, and some people in outlying areas have had to wait about an hour for police to arrive.
Incumbent Democrat Pat Reed assured voters that water and sewage extensions would be a top priority, but she would not make any promises regarding further extensions because of poor national economic conditions. Funding, including those from grants, must be in place before the services can be offered. Otherwise, the residents could not afford them afterward.
House of Delegates
Incumbent Democrat Louis Gall said teachers are due a pay raise. He also suggested merit pay for those who perform well, but he did not know exactly how that would be defined. The state should also examine raising the retirement pay for all retired state employees, citing an 84-year-old retired teacher living on $640 a month — the same pay she received in 1985.
Incumbent Democrat Rick Moye said taxes should be cut — and food and inventory taxes should be cut at a quicker rate. However, taxes cannot be cut to the point where the state cannot operate. Like most citizens, he said, he is all for tax reductions, but bills must be paid, too. He also noted the poor federal economic conditions, saying tough times often call for difficult cuts.
Republican Jeffrey Pack said he did not believe education in the region was poor, but government officials can never fail by looking for improvements. He said the Erma Byrd Public Higher Education Center in Beaver was “nothing short of phenomenal.” For far too long, opportunities have been limited to those who could afford to move away to places like Huntington and Morgantown to attend college, and those who did go had to go into debt. The state must continue its work in providing more educational opportunities because a more educated workforce will be attractive to businesses.
Republican Dereck Severt said he would support the Legislature forming a committee that would investigate West Virginia University giving Gov. Joe Manchin’s daughter a master’s degree she did not earn. However, he noted he did not believe the Legislature, with past actions including changing bill wording, was the best place for such a inquiry.
Write-in candidate Gene Stalnaker said he was running because he believed some legislation ran afoul of the Constitution, which he had studied since 1973. When he was asked to be more specific, Stalnaker said it included legislation dealing with metro government and other matters.
Republican Philip Stevens, when asked about favoritism and appointing family members to government positions, also addressed the WVU degree scandal. Citizens, he said, should expect the highest standards from the nationally known, taxpayer-supported university, adding he did not receive his degree because of friends and family but because he earned it. While some people’s friends and family members may be qualified for a government job, he said the appearance of inappropriate behavior is sometimes worse than actual inappropriate behavior.
Incumbent Republican Linda Sumner addressed government efficiency and accountability. She said citizens lose faith in government when there is no accountability — and that’s often reflected in voter turnouts. Ethics is sometimes a problem, as well. From the “top down,” all state employees should be held accountable, and she pledged to work toward that.
Democrat Sally Susman said she will fight to make Public Service Commission positions elected, not appointed — whether she is sent back to Charleston or not. While West Virginia is a major source of both coal and natural gas, utility companies continually hike customers’ bills. She questioned whether the PSC is operating in citizens’ interests or if it is controlled by the utility companies. Making the positions elective would make the members — who make about $70,000 a year — accountable to the people.
Noting the state’s high number of ATV deaths, Porterfield asked Democrat Bill Wooton if he would support banning ATVs from all public roads, including the state’s 22,000 miles of unlined “country roads.” Wooton said he would support such legislation as long as there were “reasonable accommodations” for farmers and hunters needing to cross roads.
Republican Kevin Honaker and incumbent Democrat Virginia Mahan were unable to attend. Reportedly, Honaker had to work and Mahan was sick.
— E-mail:
apridemore@register-herald.com
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