- What are your plans to create jobs in your district? Are there any particular industries you would like to bring into your district? What kind of legislation would you create in order to bring in out-of-state companies into the district?
- My plans to create jobs would be presumptuous to say the least! What WV needs is a healthy business environment that does not suppress entrepreneurial activity but rather encourage and nourish it. We need home grown companies – not out of state companies. Less legislation and less taxes and fees would be a good start.
- With less tax revenue expected to come in to the state, what should be done with the state tax system? What are your thoughts on state taxes and do you have any plans to increase/decrease taxes in your represented district?
- Well the Democratic controlled legislature that has been in control for the past 76 years would say “raise taxes”. Perhaps they should not have given themselves a 33% raise in annual salary (from $15,000 to $20,000) or huge increases of the Governor’s and his secretaries salaries. The real truth is that REDUCED TAXES spurs economic growth thus INCREASING REVENUES in the State coffers.
- With crime, especially drug abuse, becoming a bigger problem in the area, what do you think should be done to cut down on drug activity in the district? Are there any pieces of legislation you would like to create to combat the rising local drug epidemic?
- First let me say that subjecting our children to drug testing in schools IS NOT THE SOLUTION! That is not the way to nurture our children. It seems that no one has remembered the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s and 30’s. It didn’t work then and it certainly won’t work now – unless the goal is to increase the growing number US citizens in prisons and jails which now stands at nearly 3,000,000. Many or those are very young adults. The “war on drugs” is not working and has not worked. It has fostered crime, which is an unintended consequence, and forced our states, counties, and municipalities to go deep in debt for more and larger prisons and jails. There are better solutions other than making criminals of our citizens. I will focus and work on these better solutions.
- Over the past 10 years the housing stock in several cities has been slowly declining. What could you do, as a legislator, to create/improve housing in the area? Should the problem be solved locally or on the state level?
- As a legislator I would work to protect property rights (from “eminent domain”) and privacy rights of our citizens that appear to be eroding. As far as state or local government solving problems of housing – the government (and legislators) simply need to stay out of the way. This should be handled by the private sector.
- What type of health care initiatives are you interested in introducing as a legislator? Do you believe the system is being utilized to its full potential, or can improvements be made? If improvements could be made, what are they?
- As a legislator – none. As it is today the health care system is a great big mess. Too many look to the system to solve health problems which in reality should be addressed by taking personable responsibility for their own well being. The lack of exercise, poor diet, smoking, consumption of alcohol, etc., account for much of the health problems faced by most people. As a nation we need to get over our obsession with pharmaceuticals to solve our health problems.
- Marshall University regularly has to compete with other colleges in the state for research funding dollars. Do you believe research and the furtherance of higher education in your district is important? Why? What do you plan to do to bring more funding dollars to MU? What would you do to ensure that MU would have the opportunity to continue its research initiatives?
- I would support all education institutions when and where I could. I certainly would co-sponsor legislation that would prevent any future fiasco, such as the one at WVU in Morgantown, from ever occurring again. The appointment of presidents and governing boards of our state institutions should not be left solely to the Governor.
- What are the conditions of the roadways in your district? Are there any pieces of legislation you are interested in introducing to improve local roads?
- Roadways and highways are essential to economic and community growth. I believe the WVDH overall does an excellent job in maintaining our roads and highways. The terrain in WV is very challenging and sometimes residences are inconvenienced when repair or construction closes good access. I am not aware of any pending legislation addressing road improvement.
- How do you plan to work with the state's Division of Highways to improve roadways in your district? What road and bridge improvements need to be made?
- The WVDH has not contacted me as of yet. I would be happy to work with them in any capacity that would be helpful and beneficial to the citizens of WV. I know that Rt. 60 is important to our district and better maintenance could be improved.
In the past I have heard complaints that the City of Huntington streets (especially downtown) being full of pot holes, however, I personally haven’t heard or noticed such problems recently.
- How do you plan to improve recreational activities in the area? Are there any parks, trails or playground projects you would like to focus on? How would these new recreational activities benefit the communities?
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- What areas of interest do you plan on focusing on as a legislator? Have you planned any legislation to be introduced?
- I believe I have address the areas of my interest in my previous answers, however, WV still lags behind in education, economic growth, and opportunity for prosperity. Corruption and social injustice still exist in our state. Parental rights continued to be ignored – the life of the unborn unprotected. All of the afore mentioned should be addressed by all legislators.
- REPLY IN FEWER THAN 50 WORDS: Students in West Virginia generally lag behind other countries in education. Do you favor more instruction days, adding merit pay for teachers, improving math and science instruction or some other option to improve education?
- Nationally the number of parents who home school their children or send them to private schools is rapidly growing. Why? Because truly concerned parents feel their children are not being given the education they deserve in public schools, suspect of inadequate safety standards, and exposure to eroding social values contrary to their belief system. The education system requires a complete overhaul.
- REPLY IN FEWER THAN 50 WORDS: Many West Virginia cities are struggling with their long-term municipal pension obligations. What do you think the state should do to help cities deal with municipal pensions?
- At this time I reserve to answer this question at a later time when I have a better command of the facts of municipal pension problems.
- REPLY IN FEWER THAN 50 WORDS: What do you think the Legislature can do to improve work force development?
- GIVE IN STATE COMPANIES FAVORED STATUS when awarding contracts. We see too many “out of state companies” awarded contracts for construction work that should be performed by a WV work force. We need to encourage and support everywhere possible the business and entrepreneurial activity of citizens of West Virginia.
