Voters hear from primary candidates

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Steve Tarvin listens as Jay Neal speaks during a candidate forum Tuesday night. The two are seeking a seat in the state House of Representatives. (Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen)

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July 18, 2012

Voters hear from primary candidates

Charles Oliver charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Wed Jul 18, 2012, 09:52 PM EDT

— More than 200 people turned out Tuesday night to hear candidates on Whitfield County’s July 31 general primary ballot take questions on everything from the economy to ethics.

Whitfield County Magistrate Judge Sidney Baxter touted his experience, with 44 years on the bench as magistrate judge and justice of the peace.

“I’ve been here,” Baxter said. “You all know me. I don’t think there’s any use changing when you’ve got someone in there who can do the job.”

But his opponent in the nonpartisan race, former Dalton police officer Randy Evans, said it is time for a change.

“Sometimes people can grow stale when they’ve been in any job for a long time,” he said.

Candidates in the other contested magistrate race were asked specifically if they thought there should be term limits for elected office.

Phillip Croy said he believes in term limits, saying people often development a “sense of entitlement” after they have been in office a long time.

Don Allen Garrett, another candidate in the race, said he wasn’t sure that term limits are the problem so much as voter apathy.

“When you’ve got 30 percent turnout, that’s the problem,” he said.

Jerry Leonard said elected offices already have term limits.

“We have term limits at the ballot box,” Leonard said.

And incumbent Magistrate Judge Kaye Cope said the fact she has served 28 years shows voters believe she is doing a good job.

Both state Rep. Jay Neal, R-Lafayette, and businessman Steve Tarvin, his opponent in the Republican primary for state House of Representatives District 2 agreed that the top issue voters have talked to them about is jobs.

Neal pointed to his co-sponsorship of a bill that would have given tax breaks to employers who create new jobs as well as to a law that passed the General Assembly this year phasing out the sales tax on energy used in manufacturing.

Tarvin pointed to his business background. He started working at Chickamauga textile mill Crystal Springs in 1970 and moved up through the company, formed a group to buy it in 1982 when its owners announced they were shutting it and turned the company around, he said. Tarvin said the state needs to cut taxes on business, mentioning accelerating tax depreciation for new equipment and machinery.

Redistricting has placed Trichum, Tunnel Hill and Westside in District 2.

Dalton Tea Party organizer Naomi Swanson said a committee of Tea Party members put the questions together based on what they think voters are interested in.

Other candidates in attendance who took part in the forum were:

• Whitfield County Clerk of Superior Court Melica Kendrick and challengers Susan Miller, Jodi Stuckey and Jessica Swinford. All are Republicans.

• Bruce Broadrick, Dennis Mock and David Renz, all of whom are seeking the Republican nomination for state House District 4, formerly held by Roger Williams, who announced his retirement this year.

• Whitfield County Board of Commissioners District 4 member Greg Jones and challenger Lynn Laughter. Both are seeking the Republican nomination.

• Whitfield County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Babb and challenger Ronald Ownby. Both are seeking the Republican nomination.

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Voters hear from primary candidates

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