Candidates share views in forum at Nevada High School

Friday, October 15, 2004

By Ben Holman

Nevada Daily Mail

Thursday afternoon, Nevada High School hosted a candidate forum featuring the two men running for the open seat in the Missouri House of Representatives 125th District.

Democratic candidate Larry Berry and Republican candidate Barney Fisher met in the high school commons to discuss their viewpoints, mainly regarding education.

The forum began by allowing each candidate a four-minute introductory statement followed by a question asked by the moderator that each candidate was asked to answer in an allotted amount of time. The order of candidates answering questions alternated so that each candidate was given the chance to answer questions first.

Berry, in his opening statement, said that he is the education candidate. "I feel like education is pretty much second nature to me," said Berry, citing his years of experience as a teacher, principal and superintendent. "A number of programs are under attack, particularly public education."

Berry said that, even though the Missouri legislature passed the largest budget in history last year, education was left $600 million short. Berry said that rural schools like Nevada are getting their fair share of what was available, but there isn't enough money available.

Fisher, in his opening statement said that he was the education candidate too, but that he is more than just that. He said that you need to have more than just an education background if you plan to work in the House.

"If you take a piece of paper and write education in the top, left-hand corner, and the list all the other state programs down the right hand side and draw lines to them … each of those lines is a drain pipe," said Fisher, saying that the money is there but that it has to be directed back to education. He agreed that there is a $600 million dollar shortfall in the budget for education, but said that waste needed to be cut instead of raising taxes. He also said that the House is run by the Republican majority, and that it still will be after this election. Fisher said that because he is in the majority his voice will be heard, but a person in the minority will not be able to voice the concerns of the 125th District.

On the issue of tax credits and vouchers relating to education, both candidates said they opposed vouchers. Fisher said he is in favor of tax credits for college, but only for tuition paid to state schools. Berry said he is opposed to anything that would drain further tax revenue out of the state budget.

When asked about family members in education, Berry said that he had none, that he was the first in his family to graduate from college. Fisher said that his mother was in education for 45 years and he had a couple of aunts who were teachers as well.

When asked how the candidates proposed to make up funding shortfalls in education, Berry said that is a revenue problem.

"We divert (money) because there's not enough funding to go around," said Berry.

He said that loopholes need to be closed so that the 50 largest companies pay their fair share of taxes. Fisher said that attacking corporations was not the solution. He said that the money was available and that wasteful spending needs to be curtailed in order to stop funds from being diverted away from education. "I can find $350 million right now," said Fisher.

On the No Child Left Behind initiative, a federal program, both candidates agreed that the program sounded good, but set expectations too high and is poorly funded.

After the moderator's questions were asked, questions from the audience, written on 3-by-5 cards, were taken. One question asked where the candidates would get the money for highway funds. Berry said that there might need to be a "revenue enhancement."

Fisher said, "revenue enhancement, I like that. That's politician speak for tax."

Regarding a question on allowing collective bargaining for emergency workers, both candidates indicated that the state cannot afford a strike among emergency workers.

When asked about making the choice between consolidating schools or raising taxes, both candidates said that they are opposed to forced consolidation of schools, but neither said anything about raising taxes.

In closing statements, the two reiterated what they had said in opening. Berry asserted that he is the education candidate and that Fisher is opposed to some Republican issues and would be in the minority in his own party. Fisher said that he is more than just the education candidate and that, as a Republican, he would be able to speak directly to the Speaker of the House regarding local issues.

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