State candidates discuss ETJ, student voting, ethics

By Scott Nicholson

nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

A trio legislative candidates negotiated several thorny local issues during a candidate’s forum Monday at the Boone town council chambers.

David Blust, a Republican, and Steve Goss, a Democrat, are running for the state senate. Democrat Cullie Tarleton is challenging Republican State Rep. Gene Wilson, who wasn’t in attendance.

Regarding voting rights in extraterritorial jurisdictions, Blust and Goss said they would support allowing Boone ETJ residents to vote in town elections.

Tarleton said ETJ’s are determined by the town, and therefore those residents should have a voice, but said there were also issues with taxation.

The trio differed on student voting rights.

Goss said he worked while a student, and said they have an inherent constitutional right to vote. Tarleton said anyone who has established residency should have the same rights as anyone else. Blust said students shouldn’t be allowed to vote in local elections, but only statewide elections.

Tarleton said he supported tougher ethics standards for legislators, and said his opponent’s vote kept the campaign limit at $1,000 instead of $200.

Blust said he wanted to see a lot more accountability for lobbyists and that legislators should not accept any gifts. Goss said the public needed more ethics in legislation to gain more credibility from the public

Blust said more people should use local vendors but the state shouldn’t force state agencies to seek local vendors first.

Goss said most businesses are small and that he supported it. Tarleton said he agreed with supporting local businesses but said the state shouldn’t regulate it.

When asked about Appalachian State University’s low ranking in funds received from the university system, Goss said legislators have to fight for the university and said ASU has a great legacy and is an economic engine. Tarleton said his major campaign issue is to be a strong voice for ASU and said ASU has no advocates in Raleigh.

Blust said there was a funding problem and the area’s legislators needed to work for the entire western part of the state as well as the university.

When asked about a citizen’s right to petition for recall of local elected officials, Tarleton, Blust and Goss all said they supported it.

Blust said since 1990, the legislature has “stolen” $3.2 billion from the Highway Trust Fund and that money should be used for better roads. Goss said the state’s infrastructure was breaking down, with a widening gap between needs and funding. Tarleton said the Highway Trust Fund money had been used as a replacement for a sales tax on used cars.

Goss said lottery money should be used solely for education. Tarleton said the lottery funds should be “in addition to, not in place of” previously appropriated amounts. Blust said other states had moved the lottery money around but it should be used only for education.

In response to a question about educating for future business needs, Tarleton said the state should provide the necessary educational resources. Blust said the state needs to keep up with the rest of the world and is now far behind in math and sciences. Goss said the world is changing dramatically and the state should make sure its universities continue to move forward.

Tarleton said education was his top priority and giving the district a strong, active voice in the N.C. House, which he said has been lacking during Wilson’s 16 years in office. Blust said the top issue coming up among constituents was illegal immigration and was “a major problem in this state.” Goss said the district should join other rural districts to solve problems and meet priorities.

Asked about alternative fuel development tax breaks, Blust supported them. Goss said tax breaks and initiatives would provide the proper incentives to solve the issue. Tarleton said the country needed those as well as conservation measures, and public officials were in position to support it.

Goss said home-schooled students receive some public funding and programs and home schooling was a parental choice, echoed by Tarleton. Blust said he supported vouchers or tax breaks for those who home school.

Blust said his best qualification was knowledge that there’s “not a pot of gold” and legislators should realize money comes out of taxpayers’ pockets. Goss said compassion has been lost in government, which was for service instead of profit. Tarleton said his highest qualification was, “I am not a politician,” citing 40 years of business experience.

Goss said the state needed to improve its infrastructure, including water systems, which would be important to the state’s future. Tarleton said his emphasis would be focused on Watauga and Ashe counties because the state has neglected the district for the past several years. Blust said government “is many times the problem, not the solution” and favored more partnerships with the private sector.

For economic development in the High Country, Tarleton said the tourist industry should be protected, along with small-business development. Blust said people should be taught new skills and new ways to start businesses. Goss said he supported government-private partnerships provided they were handled in the right way.

Blust said outsourcing jobs have hurt the economy and the state should work to keep its jobs. Goss said the jobs that were replacing lost jobs were part-time or without benefits and taking too much of the “American dream” away from people. Tarleton said jobs should be outsourced to Watauga and Ashe counties instead of overseas.

Regarding a Homestead Exemption proposal, giving tax breaks to those who have a primary residence in the county, Goss said many locals were retired and just wanted to keep a roof over their heads and a “primary residence” exemption was his preference. Tarleton said he would favor improving the Homestead Act to protect private properties. Blust also supported such an act.

Tarleton said illegal immigration is not as big a problem in the district as elsewhere in the state, and the agriculture industry needed immigrant labor, though it should be legal. Blust said illegal immigrants shouldn’t get driver’s licenses and creating funding issues for legal citizens of the state. Goss said it’s a national security issue that should be tempered with compassion and a bipartisan look instead of an “extreme” look.

Blust said state legislature and lobbyists should be “cleaned up,” especially when legislators aren’t in session, and said the public failed to hold officials accountable. Goss said he would let each county question him annually about his voting record. Tarleton said he would want people to hold him accountable.

Goss said doctors and those who have gone bankrupt because of medical bills should have a voice, and said “health care for profit” had to be reversed and lacked the compassion that America was known for. Tarleton said he supported a bipartisan study to solve health care spending problems and far too many people lacked health care. Blust said tort reform was important in lowering health care costs because lawsuits drove up all medical costs.

In closing statements, Blust said he wanted taxpayers to keep more of their money and a lot of programs could be cut back. He said he was a good listener, was conservative, and had “strong core values,” and said the district deserved a strong voice in Raleigh.

Goss concluded by saying he simply wanted to do what was “right and correct,” drawing on his background in the ministry. “Cutting government to the bone is not the answer,” he said, saying government officials should be “responsible servants.”

Tarleton said his background in business taught him to control spending and said he was a “fiscal conservative,” and said the district hadn’t gotten a fair shake in Raleigh. He said the district had been neglected and teachers and seniors needed more support from the state. “My race isn’t about partisan politics, it’s about leadership,” he said.

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the event, held at the Boone Town Council Chambers. A similar forum for county-level candidates will be held Thursday at 6 p.m.