Aug 21, 2008 issue
NC House Candidates Debate Issues at Kiwanis Meeting
Story by Kathleen McFadden
Candidates for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 93 seat met at the Broyhill Inn on Tuesday afternoon for a debate sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Boone. Incumbent Democrat Cullie Tarleton, Republican challenger Dan Soucek and Libertarian challenger Jeff Cannon answered questions about involuntary annexation, foreclosure assistance, offshore drilling, energy initiatives, healthcare, roads, affordable housing and other issues during the debate.
Involuntary Annexation
Tarleton said he supported a House bill that would place a one-year moratorium on involuntary annexation and establish a study commission that would “help us get our arms around this issue.” The bill was not acted on in the Senate, however.
Soucek came out in strong opposition of involuntary annexation, pointing out that “land is more personal than an investment,” with many families hold land for generations. “People need a say in how their land is used,” he said.
Cannon said he is “totally opposed to anything involuntary.”
Foreclosure Assistance
Tarleton pointed to foreclosure assistance bills that the governor recently signed into law to protect families. “I don’t like bailouts, but I don’t want to see the state going into a deep depression either,” Tarleton said. “We need to protect people from unscrupulous mortgage brokers.”
Soucek said, “The government shouldn’t be involved in bailouts, but we need to research it so it doesn’t catastrophically hurt people. We don’t need to put additional burdens on people.
Cannon called the mortgage crisis a “mark of correction” that resulted from people making bad decisions. “The government has no business bailing people out,” he said.
Offshore Drilling
Tarleton said his support of offshore drilling would depend on his being convinced that the reserves justify the risk. “I haven’t seen anyone come forward with the number and potential,” he said. “I also want to see a plan for protecting the environment.”
Soucek came out in support of offshore drilling, pointing to its potential for reducing the country’s dependence on foreign energy, for reducing consumer fuel prices and for increasing the state’s revenue. “It needs to be done in an environmentally responsible manner, he said, adding that the drilling rigs will be “40 miles off the coast and not visible.”
Cannon said he supports offshore drilling because of the jobs and revenue. He maintained that starting drilling now would reduce oil prices in anticipation of the future supply.
Energy Initiatives
Tarleton pointed to a bill calling for utilities to produce 12.5 percent of energy through renewable sources and added that significant energy savings can be achieved through efficiency. “We waste a lot of energy,” Tarleton said. He added that wind has to be a part of the future but has to be properly planned so it does not impact tourism in the High Country.
Soucek called for abroad spectrum of energy initiatives—including offshore drilling, wind, solar and conservation—instead of targeting specific solutions.
Cannon said, “Regulation is not the answer. A lot of green solutions are out there.” He said favoring specific solutions, such as ethanol, is a mistake.
Healthcare
Tarleton said, “Access to healthcare is a major issue in North Carolina. We have to get our arms around this as a society for the good of the people.” He pointed to his co-sponsorship of the bill that established a high risk insurance pool offering “reasonable and affordable” coverage for people who have been unable to get medical insurance.
Soucek said the government should not be involved in healthcare, calling it a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
Cannon called for deregulating the healthcare industry. “Fifty percent of healthcare dollars are spent by the government,” he said, “and they continue to pile on the regulations.”
Roads
“I get more DOT inquiries than anything else,” Tarleton said. “The folks in Raleigh know about our needs here because I’ve told them.” Tarleton said that until the number of state-maintained paved roads in the district equals the number of paved roads in the eastern part of the state, he will “fight for every DOT dollar I can get my hands on.”
Soucek said that roads are one of the area’s most critical needs and one “not addressed in our lifetime.” Soucek continued, “We need to fight hard for this,” and he called for prioritizing needs, so finite money is put toward the highest priorities.
Cannon called for reducing redundancies in the state to free up more money for roads.
Affordable Housing
Tarleton came out in favor of governmental assistance in providing affordable housing. “Families are hurting that need help,” he said. “If you listen to the people who call me, you may change your mind that it’s an appropriate role for the government to assist with affordable housing. The government does have a role to play.
Soucek said, “When you get the government involved, the government messes it up.” Subsidies affect the market, he said, and the answer is to find innovative ways to address the issue with a long-term approach.
Cannon said, “Two words that make me cringe are ‘government subsidy.’ If housing is needed, someone is going to build it when the need is great enough.”
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