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Politics

2012-10-03 14:38:08

Know your local candidates

On November 6th our country will once again be allowed to exercise our freedom, and right to vote in the 2012 elections. As always, we are striving to differentiate ourselves from other media outlets, educating and informing readers and providing information that touches them personally, in their daily lives. All rhetoric aside, we want to dive deep into the issues that matter to you, the voter. In that effort, we've laid out five questions with the following candidates to gather a little insight into who they are, what they're running for, and what issues they can resolve that are important to you, the voter. We can do the same with any and all candidates.

Last month we introduced you to State Representative candidate Michelle Hucke the person, as well as her foundational values. In that effort, here is Part 2 of our interview with Michelle Hucke. Q&A Times: What do you feel are the key concerns of the constituency and where do you stand on those issues? Hucke: The economy and job growth. Recently, there has been a lot of hype around President Obama’s comments made on a campaign stop in Roanoke, Virginia, specifically the line “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that.” Many claim that this comment has been out of context, but even upon full examination of the speech, one can see that Obama attributes the individual success of the people to “this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive.” However, talk to any thriving small business owner and you’ll quickly find that success was made despite the adversity and difficulty created by the American government — a government that, more often than not, fails to meet the needs of small business. Pennsylvania Representative Mike Kelly said it best when he proclaimed on the House floor: “You want to talk about the thousands and thousands of pages we put on the backs of job creators? You want to talk about creating jobs in America? When you want to be a nation that doesn’t participate but wants to dominate the world market, then let them rise! Take the heavy boot off the throat of American’s job creators and let them breathe!” I do not believe that the government is responsible for, nor capable of, creating wealth. Rather, that wealth is created by the hard, devoted work of individuals and private businesses. Government, as Rep. Kelly explained, provides nothing but red tape. The economic development of this nation hinges on the innovation and ingenuity of individuals. We must continue to strive for new and better ideas for the ever-changing future, while holding fast to the principles on which America was founded. We need a State Representative that understands the importance of entrepreneurial development. For example, Pittsburg has incredible assets in the Tyler Research Center and the Kansas Technology Center. I believe we should capitalize on the potential of business opportunity and job creation from these gems. I would like to work with local City and County officials to find businesses that could benefit from this research to potentially locate here. We need growth with a purpose. Education. I respect the importance of public education; after all I am a product of public education. The future of Kansas lies within the education of our children. Additionally, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, Grandfather and Grandmother are teachers. I understand the frustration of educators in classrooms trying to mold our future. I know that many teachers spend their own hard earned money to make sure their students don’t miss out on lessons and experiences. This must be addressed. We spend over 50% of the state budget on education and STILL our teachers and students are struggling. Where is the money going? I will fight to put your tax dollars where they BELONG….the classroom. The dynamic between students and teachers is what makes the difference. Highway 69 and Transportation. While walking in our district and visiting with the people in our area, two questions are commonly asked in reference to Highway 69. Where are the orange cones? Where are the jobs? Contrary to popular belief, transportation projects are not guaranteed to create any significant job opportunities for the Pittsburg area for at least a decade. Whereas the 10-year Kansas transportation program known as T-WORKS is likely to create jobs in other areas of Kansas, The Crawford County Corridor (U.S. 69 bypass from north Arma to South of Pittsburg) is NOT currently included in the T-WORKS program. When it comes to creating the vital jobs our people need now, we MUST look to other, more realistic opportunities. When it comes to the Highway 69 expansion, it is critical that we get the project officially listed and recognized in the Kansas Transportation program. Although transportation improvements across Kansas are a priority, transportation projects in SOUTHEAST Kansas are MY priority. Highway 69, when completed, will be vital in providing a major artery for the flow of commerce from major cities in Kansas to the Southeast Kansas area. It will bring prosperity to the Pittsburg community, as long as we remain competitive with our neighboring states. I will work with the existing infrastructure in place and build new relationships to make sure advancement of Highway 69 actually gets included in the Kansas Transportation program. Tax Reform and Reducing the Tax Burden. Kansas has become uncompetitive because of the state’s tax burden, driving businesses and families elsewhere to find economic opportunities. Reducing the tax burden will create an environment in which Kansas businesses can succeed, create jobs, and give families more take-home pay. In order to create more jobs for Kansans, we need more businesses, but we won’t obtain new business with our current tax score ranking and high property taxes. When businesses choose to locate in states with more business-friendly tax codes, Kansans are forced to start looking elsewhere for work, too. The 2010 U.S. Census confirms this, showing trends of population growth in low-tax states, while the population in high-tax states has declined. These results are unacceptable for Kansas and I will pursue change by working to decrease the tax burden on both individuals and businesses in our state. I will fight for more competitive tax policy.