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State and local candidates speak at political forum
Jackson High School's McCorquodale Auditorium was the scene Tuesday night, October 10, for a local political forum, in which Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley, Democratic candidate for governor led off. Although the crowd was sparse, Lucy did not let that dampen her fervor as she lit into Bob Riley for not keeping his 2002 campaign promises to the people of Alabama. Holding up a book showing Riley on a "borrowed horse standing in a borrowed pasture," she told how he promised in that book never to raise taxes and immediately proposed "the largest tax increase ever in this state." And while promising to end no-bid contracts she said "He's let more no-bid contracts than Don Siegelman ever did. Riley has allowed one billion dollars in no-bid contracts. He has spent hundreds of millions through ADECA and had an extra 94 million in Katrina relief to fly around the state at your expense to hand out. This is truly a campaign of the people vs dollars." She continued her attack, "Bob Riley has got more Milton McGregor gambling money than I have. And though he pledged to put more state troopers on Alabama highways, there are actually fewer troopers on the road than when he wrote this book." Baxley certainly resonated with the Clarke County audience when she said, "Bob Riley ordered an annual property tax reappraisal on your property"
Other state-wide candidates attending included: +Susan Parker, Public Service Commission, Place 2; Samantha Shaw, State Auditor; +Albert Johnson, Supreme Court, place 3, who said, "It is time to change the judicial election process as Alabama spends more in Judicial races than any other state in the nation." +Judge Greg Shaw for reelection Criminal Appeals, place 1; +Kimberly Drake, Court of Civil Appeals, place 2. An "angry" Vivian Beckerle, Democratic candidate for Congressional District 1, took the podium and told Clarke Countians that she is angry about: the war in Iraq; 21 Americans dying last week in the war; the war putting the nation in a deficit and more debt and the rising energy costs. "We can't get minimum wage up to a livable level," she said. She ended by saying that this war has caused us to be "the ugly Americans again." Both senatorial candidates for District 22 were present. The incumbent Pat Lindsey emphasized his efforts in education and his challenger John McMillan said "Never has there been a time when the voters have had a more clear choice than now to stay locked in the past or move into a new future." Both candidates for House District 65 were present with the incumbent Republican Nick Williams running on his conservative record and the Democratic challenger Marc Keahey promising to support education and be available to the people. Several local commission and school board and coroner candidates made appeals for election: Elma Averett, Clint Odom and Patricia Dubose for commission; Jonah Thomas coroner; and Barry Chancy and Karen Donald for school board. Both sheriff candidates, Bobby Moore and Gene Wiggins asked for consideration on November 7. The forum was carried live by WHOD, 106.1 FM.
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