By Ashley Sidebottom, staff writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - 青瓜视频 hosted her fifth in a series of gubernatorial candidate forums with Republican candidate for governor Billy Harper speaking about his 鈥渧ision and plan鈥� for the Commonwealth of Kentucky's future.
The non-politician racecar driver said the only political offices he would ever run for are 鈥渓ocal school board and governor.鈥�
He put up his own money to enter the governor's race, and it was 鈥渘ot to buy the office, but to invest in the state,鈥� Harper said.
Harper said he felt like unless he did something to change the course of government in the Commonwealth, he could not complain about how things were going.
鈥淚 am disappointed in the accomplishments (Fletcher) has made since his election,鈥� but Harper promised to maintain a positive campaign and said he will not 鈥渂ash鈥� the current governor.
Harper is currently the only gubernatorial candidate to have signed a 鈥渘o tax increase pledge,鈥� and said 鈥淜entucky needs to get more efficient, not necessarily get more money.鈥�
鈥淲e have to look at every dollar we spend and see if a more efficient way (of spending it) is available,鈥� Harper said.
Harper said he believes in a smaller government, lower taxes, better education and allowing the people to decide where extra government money should go.
鈥淭he alternative minimum tax (AMT) is not a way to get new business in Kentucky,鈥� Harper said.
His first act as governor, if elected, he said would be to repeal the AMT.
鈥淲e've got to start dealing with the tough issues鈥� such as education, health care and the economy, Harper said.
Harper is 鈥渙pposed to abortion, against gun control鈥� but said he 鈥渓oves Kentucky and we have to make Kentucky great.鈥�
鈥淚 am opposed to universal health care,鈥� but Harper said he endorsed 鈥渦niversal wellness鈥� instead. He said we have to start learning about quitting smoking, avoiding obesity and living healthy lifestyles. Harper also said, though, that an interim healthcare plan might be necessary during the transition to 鈥渦niversal wellness.鈥�
鈥淭he more education you have, the less your insurance is going to cost,鈥� Harper said.
Another benefit of more education, Harper said, is that the average entry-level job now has higher requirements than just a high school diploma.
鈥淗igh schools need higher standards鈥� in order to help prepare people for the workforce who will not be entering post-secondary education.
鈥淭he focus needs to be on economic development and to put it on companies that will stay here and help Kentucky grow,鈥� Harper said.
Harper also said the issues with a right to work law are 鈥渕arketing issues, not labor issues,鈥� and he 鈥渨ould push for鈥� a right to work law in the Commonwealth.
Some of the other issues discussed at the forum included gaming, privatization, leadership style and government spending.
Harper said the leadership in Frankfort should 鈥渋ncorporate everyone.鈥�
鈥淭he governor sets the vision and the legislature gets a part in putting together that vision.鈥�
As for privatization, Harper said that bridges and interstates should be looked at for more efficient ways of utilizing and financing them. He would consider tolls and lottery funds, as well as improving accounting methods.
鈥淚 am an advocate of a six-year-road plan based on statewide need and priorities. That way everybody knows when their road will be built,鈥� Harper said.
Harper said he is completely opposed to gaming because 鈥渋t is morally wrong鈥� and it takes money 鈥渇rom the wrong people.鈥�
鈥淚t's like telling people 鈥榯here's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.' It doesn't make sense,鈥� Harper said.
Harper touched on funding teachers' pensions and said it would be necessary to 鈥渇igure out how much money we need and how to make it work,鈥� and that we would also 鈥渉ave to change the retirement system鈥� for future employees, but that all changes would have to be made at the same time to work.
Campbellsville Mayor Brenda Allen said funding for local teachers' pensions is especially difficult and 鈥渋t's an issue that's breaking smaller cities and counties because we don't have the money to keep paying more.鈥�
Harper said in an effort to deal with the Senate president and House speaker, he would 鈥渕eet one on one鈥� with both individuals to find out 鈥渨hat they are trying to accomplish鈥� and create a 鈥済roup plan鈥� of action. He also said he would propose his own legislative agenda.
鈥淚f we are going to build a legacy, we have to make the people want to work, live and go to school here. We have to do the hard work to get the changes done, but the right changes won't be seen for many years.鈥�
Harper urged the audience to 鈥渧ote for (someone), not against someone else鈥� in the upcoming gubernatorial primary.
Dr. Mary Wilgus, dean of the college of arts and sciences at CU, welcomed everyone to the forum, and the Rev. David Walters, pastor of Lowell Avenue Baptist Church and vice president for admissions and student services at CU, provided the invocation for the event. Ron McMahan, executive director of Team Taylor County, introduced Harper.
The sessions are sponsored by CU's Kentucky Heartland Institute for Public Policy (KHIPP) and Team Taylor County.
John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations at CU and executive assistant to the president, who is the founder of KHIPP, said all of the major candidates have been asked to participate in the forums.
Each gubernatorial forum is open to the public.
Chowning said each of the candidates will also be featured on his TV-4 television show, 鈥淒ialogue on Public Issues鈥� which is shown on Mondays and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Announcements will be made on each candidate forum during the series.
鈥淲e invite everyone to come hear these candidates and to watch the show on our TV-4,鈥� said Chowning.
For more information on the events, contact Chowning at (270) 789-5520 or at jechowning@campbellsville.edu.
青瓜视频, now celebrating her Centennial year, is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, 青瓜视频 is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,310 students who represent 100 Kentucky counties, 32 states and 28 foreign nations. Listed in U.S. News & World Report's 鈥淎merica's Best Colleges鈥� 14 consecutive years as one of the leading Southern master's colleges and universities, 青瓜视频 is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his eighth year as president.