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| ERIC WALKER/Ledger & Times
Candidates for Murray City Council listen to incumbent Jeremy Bell while waiting their turns at the podium at last night’s Murray Woman’s Club legislative forum. |
Candidates state their cases before hometown crowd
By ERIC WALKER
Editor
Thursday night's Murray Woman's Club legislative forum echoed concerns on the national stage with the economy as a common theme among candidates seeking local, state and national offices.
"These times are scary," said Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford before a full clubhouse. "But when these bad decisions were made, people weren't held accountable."
Lunsford, who is challenging Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, was solo during the forum, while candidates for state senate and Murray City Council were able to state their cases for election against opposing candidates. Heather Ryan, a Democrat facing First District Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., also presented her platform minus opposition.
Whitfield and McConnell both were unable to attend the event.
In a format designed for opening and closing remarks as well as answering prepared questions, Lunsford blamed the state of the economy, as well as health care, energy and the war in Iraq on a flawed system buoyed by the past eight years of President George Bush, lobbyists and oil speculators.
When asked how he would vote on the $700 billion bailout package passed last week by Congress, Lunsford said he'd vote no because the plan doesn't address the nation's growing credit problem.
"(Congress) left to try to get re-elected," he said. "If they stayed and did their jobs, they might get re-elected. But they're going to be told where to go and it's not going to be to the Senate."
The state Senate race between incumbent Ken Winters, R-Murray, and Mayfield Democratic challenger Carroll Hubbard opened the forum, which serves as a fundraiser for the Murray Woman's Club. Winters highlighted his work as Senate Education Committee chair and bi-partisanship that helped bring $2.8 million in water/sewer projects to Calloway County. Hubbard's message was based on wrestling GOP control from Senate President David Williams to help Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.
Both candidates responded to the same questions on bringing industry to the region, cigarette tax options and expanded gaming and showed their opposite takes. Winters said education is the key to economic development and industry recruitment in western Kentucky, while Hubbard promised assistance from Beshear, similar to gubernatorial efforts that helped land Toyota and UPS in the central Kentucky.
While Hubbard said he would weigh the First District voters' voices, Winters stood solidly behind his position to not vote to recommend a constitutional amendment on proposing expanded gaming, thus putting the issue to a ballot vote. "I got 900 (letters from constituents) to vote 'no' and just 10 for," he said.
The two also differed on the 6-5 Murray State University Board of Regents vote to make a $1 million purchase of land in Paducah for a planned expanded campus there. Winters said the campus would reach 14,000 McCracken County residents who have some college course work but do not hold a degree while helping MSU toward the Council on Postsecondary Education's mandate to double the number of baccelautrate degree holders by 2020.
"We have a responsibility to help them in their education careers," he said.
Hubbard, seeking his return to public office after having served 18 years as a U.S. Congressman, countered that the money could have been used on the main campus, especially since the science complex has not been completed.
"The ultimate goal of Paducah is to have a four-year university."
Heather Ryan provided levity to the night. Known for her use of four-letter words in her stump speeches, the political newcomer kept it clean but injected some humor into issues of the economy, health care and energy.
Ryan noted her service in the Navy during the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s. Serving state-side in San Diego, she said the proximity to Mexico made her an "expert on international relations," in reference to GOP claims of vice presidential candidate and Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin's experience in international matters due to Alaska's proximity to Russia and Canada.
She agreed with Whitfield's vote against the bailout plan, but on a different basis. Ryan said Whitfield claimed the bailout would be too restrictive to banks. "If they did, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess," she said.
Ryan touted universal health care and plans to address the increasing number of veterans returning from serving in the current war in Iraq. She also added that western Kentucky could be a leader in alternative energy with clean coal, biodiesel and create jobs as a result.
As she wound down, he cell phone rang with an Obama ring tone that she used to close out her portion that was Obama's voice saing "I'm fired up and ready to go!"
A thinned-out crowd later heard comments from candidates for city council. Each candidate was allowed three minutes to address critical issues they saw for Murray for the next five years.
Those concerns were presented by incumbents Jeremy Bell (fire/police protection), Robert Billington Jr. (single police/fire department building, efficiency, industrial growth), Jane Brandon (economic development, small business growth, sign ordinance), Linda Cherry (economic development, financial crisis impact on Murray's poor/working poor), Danny Hudspeth (long range planning, support of Economic Development Corp.), Pete Lancaster (credited work of council and staff), Dr. Dan Miller (budgeting issues, long range planning, parks, historic preservation district), David Ramey (legislative oversight, public safety and public works, economic development), Pat Scott (population growth, infrastructure maintenance), Butch Seargent (long range planning, new facilities, infrastructure and revenue), and Bill Wells (recycling), as well as new challengers for council seats Greg Anderson (jobs for graduates, afterschool and summer programs for youth, and bike paths and sidewalks) and John "Melvin" Bowers (economic growth, traffic control, safety and child protection).
Story created Oct 10, 2008 - 14:17:29 EDT.
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