Allegheny Mountain Radio and The Pocahontas Times collaborated on hosting a candidate forum Thursday for candidates in the West Virginia 11th Senatorial District. Prior to answering questions, the candidates introduced themselves.
Question One: Which of the following approaches would you favor in balancing the state budget – cut spending or raising taxes or creating new taxes and/or fees?
Question Two: In most other states, education is one of the highest funding priorities of state government since it represents the future of the state, yet we hear more and more from our government that money needs to be frozen or even cut from education. Where do you stand on the issue of state financial support of education?
Question Three: Quite frankly, the available internet speeds in much of rural West Virginia, and most especially in Pocahontas County, are terrible. There is great economic benefits in job creation and business start-ups to having a fast internet superhighway, especially since our actual highway conditions in most of the state discourage businesses locating here. We hear about all the rural internet infrastructure money that is coming, but see no actual action on this. What would you do as a state legislator to quickly jump start this, particularly in the most remote and poor areas of the state?
Question Four: Where do you stand on re-instating the taxing of groceries and other foods as a way to balance the budget?
Closing remarks:
