Primary Election 2012

PRIMARY Election 2012

BROWN COUNTY

MAY 8, 2012

INSIDE: POLL LOCATIONS | CANDIDATE FORUMS | VOTER INFORMATION MEET YOUR CANDIDATES

PAGE 2 Brown County Primary Election Guide Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Brown County Democrat will broadcast the two candidate forums in April live over the Internet through

www.bcdemocrat.com The fi rst forum, at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, will include candidates for contested Brown County offi ces. The second forum, at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, will be for the fi ve Democrat candidates for the 9th District Congressional seat. Both forums will take place in the County Offi ce Building, second fl oor meeting room. Those unable to attend in person can watch both forums live through the Internet – and ask questions through the Internet during the webcast.

To watch the webcast:1. On the night of the forum, go to www.bcdemocrat.com and click on the story link under local news: “LIVE VIDEO: Brown County candidate forum”

2. Click on the web link to the video in that story.

3. Another screen will open in your browser. This is the screen that will show the video when it goes live. Before the broadcast begins, you will see an old video. But the new one will start when the forum starts that evening.

4. Viewers can submit questions to be asked of the candidates during the webcast (or get help from the Brown County Democrat staff member who is running the webcast). To ask a question, look on the right side of the video page and click on the “Livestream” chat window. You can type your question there. The Brown County Democrat staff person will pass your question for the candidates to the moderator at the forum. If your question is chosen, the moderator who will read it live during the webcast and you can hear the candidatesʼ answers.

q y qis chosen, the moderator who will read it live during the webcast and youcan hear the candidatesʼ answers.

WATCHTHE CANDIDATE FORUMS LIVE ONLINE

For this special section, the Brown County League of Women Voters chose the questions to ask the candidates in each race and sent questionnaires to each

candidate. The answers appear in the candidate’s own words. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization.

1. List the occupations, training and experi-ence that qualify you for this offi ce.

2. The former sock factory in Helmsburg will be a major issue the new commissioners will need to address. What are your views on this issue?

3. What lessons were learned in the sock factory fi re, and what steps should be taken to improve emergency services in Brown County?

4. How important do you feel economic devel-opment is to Brown County? In this regard, how would you support the Economic Development Commission?

Dist. 1Dan L. Huesman (D)

1. Twenty-plus years as a law enforcement offi cer in Brown County, four of which were served as the county sheriff. My leadership and manage-ment skills were honed over these 20-plus years of my career with the assumption of increasing posi-tions of responsibility, including working with both county council and commissioners. Having lived in Brown County for over 30 years, I feel I have kept abreast of issues important to our citizens and have always been attentive to their needs.

2. First, I believe the present commissioners erred in taking ownership of this complex for a variety of reasons, most importantly of which is the $20K-plus that has been removed from the county’s tax rolls. Having said that, ownership of this complex will necessitate the county spending money on this facility to maintain and remodel it as necessary. The commissioners could coordinate with Turning Point executives and explore the possibility of using the complex as a shelter for domestic violence victims in the county. Anything the property is ultimately used for will have to be balanced with the inconvenient lo-cation for the majority of our county’s residents. As it stands now, it is only convenient for those persons residing in the immediate area. Another possibility for its use is for the county to brainstorm with Eco-nomic Development and consider the creation of a TIF district to potentially attract another commercial enterprise to occupy the complex.

3. Any lessons learned from the fi re are more relevant to our emergency services agencies, more so than the commissioners. As a legislative body, the commissioners’ involvement in the aftermath of the fi re is limited. The results of the fi re are more of a wake-up call to us that our water system in Brown County is a domestic water system and not a fi re-rated system. Overall, our county’s volunteer fi re departments are in the best condition they’ve ever been, and they do a superior job, given the limitations of operating strictly as volunteers and without immediate access to a water supply source for fi refi ghting.

4. The residents of Brown County need to be heard on this issue. Do we want to continue the course and remain a tourist destination, or do they want to see us develop more commercially? Any economic development must be balanced with the appropriate infrastructure to support this develop-ment. For example, do we have adequate informa-tion technology, water, sewer, tax abatements/in-centives, etc., to attract commercial development? If the answer is no, then do we have the funds necessary to provide or upgrade our infrastructure to support economic development? Again, if the answer is no, then we need to decide once and for all how we as residents and stewards of this county intend to remain relevant into the next century.

Dave Anderson (R)1. I served four

years of active duty in the Marine Corps and was honorably dis-charged in September 1966. I then joined the Indiana State Police in early 1967 where I worked primarily out of the Bloomington post. I also attended Indiana University in its school of public and environ-mental affairs for three years and was selected for assignment to the criminal investigation division for the last 15 years of service, before retiring in December 1990.

In January 1991 I became the Brown County sheriff and served two terms in that offi ce. While managing that offi ce along with the very small and outdated jail, work had begun on the planning of a new jail and implementation of E911. This endeavor was clearly challenging on both fronts but at the same time quite rewarding. Surprisingly, at least to me, was the E911 mapping which was primarily done by a handful of local residents who clearly knew what they were doing and at a huge cost sav-ings to our county.

During 1998 I was honored to serve out the remainder of Jim Crane’s term as chairman of the Brown County Republican Party.

After leaving the sheriff’s department I opened a small insurance agency in Nashville and managed that until 2008 when my son took over that busi-ness. I began doing private investigations work for insurance companies along with civilian clients. I continue to work in this fi eld currently.

With regard to qualifi cations for the offi ce of commissioner, I am very comfortable with my back-ground in both the law enforcement world as well as the business world. I have a good understanding of government and how it functions at the county level. The county commissioner is a very important part of government at the local level, and I have a solid understanding of that role and responsibility. I feel I can contribute experienced and impartial judgment on the issues that affect our citizens.

2. The former sock factory in Helmsburg was a gift to the county after a devastating fi re destroyed one of the large buildings on that land. Theoretically, this could be a wonderful gift to Brown County, and it is, but there is also a downside.

There are two large buildings still standing at the site and material for the third is there. The cost of erecting that third building will be signifi cant. No insurance company will insure any of these buildings without the installation of sprinkler systems in all three. Once again, that cost will be signifi cant. In ad-dition to the costs mentioned above, those sprinkler systems could not be effective at this time because Brown County does not currently have enough water pressure to operate them. This would require the building of a water tower or holding tanks to provide adequate water and water pressure to operate those systems. Once again, funding is a huge issue and we are currently without the means, as a county, to pay for this.

I believe that all is not lost because of this in-ability to pay for what is needed in Helmsburg. An idea that is currently being entertained is to make this a large sports entertainment facility. That could work and be profi table, but we need partners for

(Continued on page 4)

COUNTY COMMISSIONER

ANDERSON

VOTEREPUBLICAN

Paid for the Brown County Republican Central Committee, Robyn Rosenberg, Treasurer

YOUR VOICEYour VoteR E P R E S E N T Y O U R V I E W !

VOTE IN THE

Brown County Primary ElectionTu e s d a y , M a y 8 , 2 0 1 2

For more information contact

Jenni VorisBrown County Republican

Party Chairman812.340.9342


this to happen. IU has shown interest in a serious way and they would be a good partner. Several from IU have visited the site and appear to be genuinely interested. This is one good idea and I’m sure many more will be forthcoming. Residents of Brown County could use the facility for year-round recre-ational activities. Also, organized sports could be managed as a revenue-producing means of defraying the cost of operations there.

Getting partners will be the key to making this endeavor not only possible, but probable. Marketing the property in a careful and wise way will be key.

3. I believe that the lessons to be learned for the sock factory fi re are that sprinkler systems should be in place and operational and should be checked regularly. I feel certain that damages from that fi re could have been minimized had they been in place and functioning.

With regard to improving emergency services in Brown County, I feel that we are in pretty good shape with our emergency services. Our fi re de-partment could not have prevented the loss of that structure. We simply did not have adequate amounts of water to expect our fi re departments to be able to extinguish this fi re.

4. I feel that economic development is very im-portant to Brown County. It is essential that revenues generated from business entities help pay for the services that we all expect and enjoy.

Because of the depressed economy that is so prevalent across the state and country, it seems to me that sound and reasonable economic development planning is more important now than ever before. In view of this, I would recommend funding for the EDC to remain about the same as it currently is. I know that this is not enough for what Brown County and the town of Nashville expect of this commission, but we all know that we are fi nancially distressed right now. We could be more generous in the future as conditions improve.

I understand that there may be many residents who might believe we should do nothing and allow our county to revert back to the way it was many years ago. Clearly, we just cannot allow this to hap-pen. If we are wise and very selective about the way we allow development in Brown County, I feel that we can keep it the beautiful and friendly place that we all love.

Over the past few years, Brown County has lost Ski World, the Little Nashville Opry and the sock factory. These businesses all generated a signifi cant amount of revenue to the county general fund. Fami-lies who depended on these businesses for employ-ment have had to relocate or at least try to fi nd jobs elsewhere.

Many of Indiana’s counties have benefi tted from partnerships and initiatives produced by their local economic commission. I would like to see renewed effort in this direction, perhaps partnering with sur-rounding counties. Marketing the Opry property to investors interested in locating in Nashville could be workable and would create jobs in our community.

As we all know, we are living in a distressed economy. I would be supportive of the Economic Development Commission and be willing to assist that entity fi nancially to the extent we can afford it.

William “Bill” Boyle (R)1. Maj. (Ret.) William Boyle, MBA. I am mar-

ried and have lived in Brown County for 15 years and love this county.

I believe in conservative principles of good stewardship, cutting costs and limiting the role of government.

I am not a politician. I will not accept a salary. I will serve only one term. I feel it is my civic respon-sibility to serve, not take.

I am a believer that elected offi cials should represent the people and not their friends and the “good ol’ boys.”

I am a soldier. I began my military career in

1966 as an infantry pri-vate, and retired in 2008 as a major. During my military career, I served as a unit commander, branch manager and ad-ministrative staff offi cer. In the National Guard, I served as a public affairs offi cer both as a unit commander and at 38th Division headquarters.

I am a businessman. I earned my master’s in business at Butler University. I participated in the transition of Blue Shield of Indiana into the Anthem organization. I served in both management and staff positions. I was placed in a position of diplomatically saying “no” to physicians and hospital administrators. I served as a fi nancial advisor for budgets, negotiation of fees, and special projects.

I participated in the Camp Atterbury Joint Land Use Project and the Brown County Zone Planning Committee.

I served on the building and security commis-sions for the conservancy district.

I am an elder and a member of the Brown County Presbyterian Fellowship. I am a member of the Brown County Historical Society.

As a hobby I am a game master for Military History Historical Miniatures War Games at GEN-CON Indy.

I appreciate your vote.2. Acquiring an asset which will increase in

value is a valid business decision. If it cannot gener-ate future revenue, the county should investigate an alternative solution.

3. Inspection of automated sprinkler systems and water supply is the other signifi cant factor. New technologies for obtaining water from lakes and ponds, which are not accessible to fi re equipment with older suction equipment, are concepts the county should promote with the appropriate action.

4. Government must promote economic de-velopment and market forces, welcome efforts that will reduce Brown County government involvement which will provide a competitive advantage to busi-ness. Do more for business development with fewer regulations to operate a business.

Dist. 3Evelyn Kritzer Kent (D)

1. I am retired. I have followed the county commissioner meetings for years and have attempted to obtain a general knowledge of what is going on in the county. I drove a school bus for over 30 years. During that time, if I did not have a con-tracted route and owned my own bus, I was sub driver over several routes in the county. I was a volunteer in TRIAD for a couple of years and visited people over much of the county. I was also a substitute mail carrier for two years. I feel I have a decent knowledge of the county, as I have always lived here.

2. I have some concerns on this becoming county property. It is property taken off the property tax rolls. Therefore, instead of the county taking in money from taxes, we will be paying out. Already, there is the cost of insurance and maintenance. So far, I am not convinced that it is feasible for the county to accept this.

VOTERINFORMATION

QUESTIONS?Any voters with questions about

voting can call the clerk’s offi ce at 988-5510.

POLL LOCATIONS(some of these locations have changed since the last election)

Hamblen 1:

Hamblen Township Volunteer Fire Department, 4650 Sweetwater Trail

Hamblen 2:

Unity Baptist Church, 7361 Spearsville RoadHamblen 3:

Church of the Lakes, 8844 Nineveh RoadJackson 1 and 2:

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, State Road 135 North in Bean Blossom near the

railroad tracksJackson 3 and 4:

Helmsburg Elementary School, 5378 Helmsburg School Road

Van Buren 1:

Van Buren Elementary School, 4045 State Road 135 South

Washington 1:

North Salem United Methodist Church, 7718 State Road 46 East

Washington 2:

Parkview Church of the Nazarene (family life building), 1750 State Road 46 East

Washington 3:

New Life Community Church, 1450 State Road 135 North

Washington 4:

County Offi ce Building, 201 Locust Lane

Not sure what precinct you live in? Check with the county clerk’s offi ce at 988-5510

or go online to www.indianavoters.com

ABSENTEE VOTING:Absentee voting by mail is under way.

Voters can call the clerk’s offi ce at 988-5510 to request an application for an absentee ballot. The deadline for the clerk to receive an application to

vote absentee by mail is Monday, April 30.

Walk-in absentee voting will take place in the small conference room on the fi rst fl oor of the County Offi ce Building. This is a different location than during past elections. Walk-in absentee voting will be available: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

through Friday, May 4;

Saturday, April 28 and Saturday,

May 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and

Monday, May 7 from 8 a.m. to noon.

2012 PRIMARY ELECTION IS TUESDAY, MAY 8

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Voter registration for the primary closed April 9. However, Indiana residents can still register to vote in the Nov. 6 general election between May 22 and Oct. 9. Voter registration forms and instructions for submitting them are available at the clerk’s offi ce in the courthouse or on the secretary of state’s website, www.in.gov/sos/elections/2403.htm. Voters also can register at the

Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Voters can register to vote online, check their registration status, fi nd the location of their polling place and see who will be

on their ballot at

www.indianavoters.com

PHOTO ID LAW:Voters must present valid photo identifi cation at the polls on Election Day and when voting absentee at the County Offi ce Building. In order to be acceptable, the identifi cation must state the name of the voter, contain his or her photograph, have an expiration date and still be valid or expired after Nov. 2, 2010, and be issued by the State of Indiana or United

States government.

(Continued from page 2)

BOYLE

KENT

Brown County Primary Election Guide Wednesday, April 11, 2012 PAGE 53. Evidently, there needed to be more water

there than could possibly be made available. I see the sock factory as something that started out for a good reason and was such a good thing that it grew and grew. It appears to me that it eventually grew beyond the water facilities which were needed to keep up with the protection of the factory. But also, let us use some common sense and look around at other locations outside our county that have access to more water facilities than we do and also have paid emergency services that we do not have. Are buildings that catch on fi re in these types of locations saved from having fi re losses? Usually not. We live in a real world where, regardless of how prepared we may be, unfortunate things do happen.

4. I have a hard time with this issue. If you con-sider an example of economic development to be all of the dirt that was removed from an area on the west side of Gnaw Bone and dumped in an ugly mess in front of Creekstone Apartments so apartment build-ings could be built at Gnaw Bone, then this is not my idea of economic development.

Donna Kelp Lutes (R)1. I have been in

county government for several years, both as an elected offi cial and as an hourly employee.

I have dealt with budgets and attended almost every commis-sioner and council meet-ing for the last year.

I am a lifelong resi-dent of Brown County. I have three children who plan on making Brown County their home. So I want to see good decisions made for my family as well as all the citizens of Brown County.

2. I feel the facility needs to be self-sustain-ing and supporting. I know we are looking to IU to help us make this project a success. I do not want this project to be a burden on the citizens of Brown County; it should be used for the good of all our citizens.

Hopefully, we can rent some areas of the com-plex very soon. We have county agencies that are paying rent, we need to get them into county-owned property so we do not have to fund this rent. Some of this money comes from grants, and they could be paying this rent to the county instead of private individuals.

Mother’s Cupboard — which has nothing to do with government, but pays, I believe, $700 a month rent in Bean Blossom — this amount could be lowered or, if left the same, they could have more space to expand.

I think it would be good if we could get agencies like Healthy Families, WIC and Mother’s Cupboard together under one roof.

I think there are tons of things that could be done with this property. The fi rst thoughts were all sports related, but I can see the arts, theater, dance, all types of classes from cooking or cake decorating to Karate and any type of fi tness. I think the sky is the limit with all the space we have. Mountain bike trails were mentioned. It’s not just the building, but the land that comes with it. I would love to have a swimming pool that would be open to the pubic all year-round. They could teach swimming lessons and perhaps Brown County could have a swim team.

If we could combine all of these into one center, this could turn into an asset for our county. We could use this area for fundraisers, bingo, high school reunions, birthday parties, receptions. There is so much space there, I think you could hold just about any type of get-together there.

Parks and rec already has so many projects, but no real area to expand. They could have after-school programs and summer projects. I would hope there

would be a way to pick up kids from the elementary schools and bring them to the complex. This would help with the burden of parents taking the kids to and from Helmsburg.

Right now, we have two senior citizen centers in Brown County that are having a hard time staying open with all the budget cuts. If you have never spent any time at one of these centers, you really should, but they are cramped and need more space for activi-ties; this could be just the place.

Working with IU and HPER (School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation), hopefully oth-ers will see this as an asset and come on-board.

We have such a wealth of knowledge in this county, and we are able to do so much with only volunteers, I truly hope we can make this a positive thing for Brown County citizens.

I think we need to have meetings and get input from the citizens. What do they want done with this property? We need everyone’s help to make this a successful venture.

3. The sock factory fi re should be a wake-up call to everyone! We need to look at our fi re protection.

Why would other businesses want to come here if they cannot get adequate fi re protection?

We need to upgrade so we have enough water pressure to take care of the businesses we have now, as well as our schools and our homes. We have lost the sock factory and the Opry. We had a large fi re at The Seasons. Luckily that was built back and the jobs returned. We cannot lose more structures and jobs. What would happen if we had a major fi re like we did on Christmas Eve when we lost the Sunshine Inn complex? This is a problem we should have been working on so this would not happen again.

We have wonderful new fi re departments all over the county, and we have a new ambulance base, but if the fi re departments can’t get along and work together at fi res and not argue over who should be in the front of the building and who should be in the back, then we all lose. If the ambulance drivers can’t fi nd us, we are in trouble. Everyone needs training, and that costs money, but I think lives are worth that money.

I personally love listening to the scanner and having Bob Roudebush tell people which house to go to by the color of the shutters or to go to the fi fth drive on the left. This comes from years of dedicated service and cannot be taught in a classroom. I don’t think we should say that we can’t afford proper training.

4. I feel there are two sides to economic devel-opment. On one hand, we want and need jobs and want Brown County to grow; on the other hand, we do not want Brown County to grow. We want people to come here for the reasons that they always have — the natural beauty of our county, the friendly people, the state park, things you can’t make.

Right now, I don’t know of any job that the EDC has helped create — maybe a couple of shops in Nashville, but this is not what I think about when I think about EDC.

I think the people of Brown County need to de-cide what they want in Brown County. Do we want development? We have the old Ski World property; this is supposed to be a town. We have the Opry that needs to be rebuilt and opened up again. We need those jobs and those tourists fi lling our motels and tourist homes, eating in our restaurants and shopping in our shops.

I am not 100 percent sure how they should be funded; I don’t really feel this should be getting much-needed tax dollars if they aren’t bringing in businesses to regenerate those tax dollars.

When I think of EDC, I think of jobs; when I think of bringing tourists here to spend their money in our county, I think of the convention and visitors bureau. I think if we want our county to be quaint and small like it always has, we need to use tourism as our main industry. The more attractions we have, the more tourists we get to spend their money here,


LUTES

WHAT PRECINCT DO I LIVE IN?(The Brown County Clerk’s Office in the courthouse has a larger version of this map.)

Brown County is divided into 12 precincts. Your precinct determines where you vote, and, in some election years, which candidates you are able to vote for. During the 2012 election, though, all voters will be able to vote for all candidates.The shaded areas below correspond to Brown County Commissioner districts. All voters vote for all commissioner seats, no matter the precinct or district they live in. But a commissioner must live in his or her district. The commissioner seats up for election this year are districts 1 and 3.The letters and numbers on this map correspond to precincts. (Examples: J1 = Jackson 1; H2 = Hamblen 2; W3 = Washington 3; VB1 = Van Buren 1). See opposite page for voting locations for each precinct.

BROWN COUNTY COMMISSIONER DIST. 1



It is an honor and privilege to represent and serve Brown

County in the Indiana House of Representatives. I am committed to strengthening education, rebuilding

Indiana’s economic base, cutting government waste, and reducing

taxes. I enjoy helping constituents solve problems and cut through

government red tape.

Th ank you for the opportunity to serve you.

Eric Koch

ERIC A. KOCHState Representative

District 65

Paid for and authorized by the Eric Koch for State Representative Committee

Brown County Primary Election Guide Wednesday, April 11, 2012 PAGE 7

and that means jobs to our citizens.We chose to live in one of the most beautiful

places. It’s a little out of the way, but if we can bring some jobs to Brown County so our citizens can work here, not have to drive to neighboring counties or beyond, we need to do this.

Jerry L. Pi man (R)1. I have lived my

entire life here, as my family has since 1868. I graduated from Cincin-nati Christian University in 1973 with a bache-lor’s degree in educa-tion. I have been in the Christian ministry since 1972, serving churches here and in surrounding counties. I have farmed in this county since 1968. My father and I established Pittman Oil & Gas in 1977, and I ran the business from 1986 to 2001. After selling the business, I continued to operate it for Star Gas Propane until 2004. In this business, I learned to manage as many as 20 em-ployees, dealing with 2,500 customers, issues such as taxes, accounting, insurance, payroll, government regulations, customer service, credit, budgeting and many other business skills. Most important of all, through this life experience I have learned how to relate to people in a positive way, and have been able to get people to work together.

2. As commissioner, my fi rst priority would be to ensure that it never becomes a tax burden for the taxpayers of this county. I have a completely open mind to the possibilities. This gift to the county was well-intentioned and a sincere gift. I applaud the current commissioners for accepting it, even though there was little time to consider it. This property has intrinsic value. It could become an asset, producing income for the county as well as a wonderful facil-ity for our citizens. However, it could also become a severe burden for us. There are many fi xed costs to owning such a facility, and it would take several million dollars to reconfi gure it to useful purposes. The only way to fi nance such reconfi guration would be through an infusion of private capital and from a public-private partnership. The minimum outcome for this property would be to replace the lost tax revenue that resulted from the sock factory leaving. I am glad that we have some very knowledgeable and capable people working to develop a business plan. I will be very sensitive to the people of Brown County and will proceed only on a sound business plan. I would not rule out any option, including the sale of this asset, if it is in the best interest of the county.

3. The most important lesson learned is that Brown County needs a cohesive, coordinated ap-proach to economic development. Emergency ser-vices will always be a challenge for us, due to fund-ing and the nature of our roads and terrain. I think we have learned that we need to pace development with infrastructure. Large developments need sprinkler systems, sewer service and adequate roads. I think our fi refi ghters, police offi cers and emergency medi-cal people do a great job considering the resources with which they have to work. The way for a higher level of service is through additional funding.

4. Economic development should be at the top of our list. With the loss of the Little Nashville Opry, For Bare Feet and the current depressed state of the economy in general, we face a great challenge. The current Economic Development Commission needs to be scrapped and start over. Little meaningful results have been accomplished for the dollars spent in recent years. The current efforts for economic development in this county are fractured and ineffec-tive. In the past, goals have been set that are mutually

exclusive. We need to decide what Brown County does best. Everything needs to be brought under the EDC and its efforts redirected to specifi c goals that are attainable in our county.

Joe Wray (R)Before I begin,

I want to thank the League of Women Vot-ers of Brown County for giving me this opportu-nity to express my views on a few issues.

1. I am the cur-rent treasurer of Brown County and have served in this capacity since January 2005. I am also the president of the Indiana County Treasurers Association for 2012. Prior to this, I served as the execu-tive director of sales for Family Health Enterprises for 10 years. From 1990-1994, I was appointed the executive director of Brown County Community Corrections. My past experience in the private and public sectors has served me immensely in problem solving, as well as being able to be a servant leader. In order for any organization to be successful, it must identify problems, strategize and execute a plan of action to overcome those obstacles. That’s what I’ve learned in these past 20-plus years, and it has served me well.

2. Brown County has been given either a great gift or a millstone around our neck, depending upon the plan of action that’s taken. If the commissioners and council commit to this project and have a viable business plan, this can become a great example for other rural counties in the state for a private/public partnership. This endeavor has the potential of being the start of a change in our economic stagnation that has been a burden here for too long. That being said, you only get one opportunity to make a good impression. So, every detail must be examined and covered so that the chance of success is far greater than the chance of failure. The public must buy into the plan too! Without the support of the public, it will make success that much harder to achieve. Informa-tion and communication will have to be clear and frequent. If this type of commitment is not estab-lished at the very beginning, then this can become the millstone around our neck.

3. Infrastructure! Infrastructure! Infrastructure! As the old saying goes in real estate: Location, loca-tion, location; infrastructure has to be a top priority for our county. Lack of suffi cient water pressure was and is a continuing problem that has to be addressed and must be solved. God bless every one of our volunteer fi refi ghters and their departments! They continue to do so much with so very little in terms of having adequate water fl ow and pressure in crises like this. Is it time for our county to examine having a full- time fi re department along with our volun-teers? Can we afford this? Does having a full-time fi re department help lower the costs of insurance for home owners and businesses?

4. Without a renewed and deep commitment to economic development, we will surely continue on this economic decline! If you don’t believe that, then stop in at one of our local establishments and ask them if they are seeing an increase in their business. I’m sure there are some who have been fl ourishing, but not for the vast majority. As I said earlier, the in-frastructure must be in place, not just for our existing residents, but to allow for growth as well. While we have a beautiful county to live in, are we putting our best foot forward in attracting businesses to come and be a part of our community? Have we made it too cost-prohibitive for entrepreneurs to even con-sider Brown County? Think what we have lost over the past few years: The sock factory, Little Nashville Opry, Ski World, Brown County Playhouse (though

JERRY PITTMAN

ELECT

FOR BROWN COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Elected Offi ce involves Public T

rust. An elected

offi cial is i

n a position of Public S

ervice; therefore, an

elected offi cial is a

Public Servant.

I will serve you with Honesty,

Integrity, Respect, F

airness, Objectivi

ty, and Experience.

I will serve all cit

izens in the best interest o

f Brown County!

Paid for by Jerry Pittman for Brown County Commissioner

JERRY PITTMANFor Brown County Commissioner

it is starting to book acts again)! And I’m sure I’m missing some others. The engine to being a vibrant and successful community is having a proactive eco-nomic development commission with a sound plan. The defi nition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We must be willing to explore any new idea.


2. How would you plan to budget for ongoing maintenance of the sock factory property while the plan for its use is being developed?

3. Many Brown County government offi ces have outgrown space. Have you thought of cost effective solutions for this problem?

David Rudd (D)1. I am a current

member of Brown County Council, a position I have held for the past 15 years. Because of this experi-ence, I have a very good working knowledge of the running of county government. I am also a local business owner.

2. The budget for the sock factory will be paid from the county general fund until the commissioners and council have a fi nal plan of action for the future of the sock factory.

3. The county is currently in the process of

reconstructing the offi ces in the existing building. Also, the sock factory could be a possible part of the solution to this problem. Studies are currently being done to locate the biggest problem areas and to fi nd the most cost-effective solutions.

Cindy Steele (D)1. I served as a

county council member for a four-year term with one year as president. I run a publishing busi-ness that produces Our Brown County and INto Art magazines from my home in Helmsburg. My job requires good communication skills, attention to detail and ability to meet deadline/fi nancial pressures. I operate on a tiny budget and constantly look for less expensive solutions to problems. I have a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. For 15 years prior to starting my own business, I installed, de-signed and supported accounting software for some large companies. I am a mom of a teenage boy and am concerned about the future of our county.

2. There are a few county-related entities pay-ing rent to non-government facilities that might be able to use the sock factory buildings instead. The rent could help offset the maintenance costs. Some businesses might also be interested in renting offi ce spaces or some portion of the facility.

Indiana University leaders appear to be eager to provide us with expertise in developing a plan and funding potential projects. If they are willing, we


PITTMAN


WRAY

COUNTY COUNCIL AT-LARGE(THREE PEOPLE WILL BE ELECTED)

RUDD

STEELE


should use their resources to analyze all the chal-lenges involved along the way. Maybe they can offer some creative solutions to the maintenance issue.

3. Have “many” or just some offi ces out-grown space, and what do those offi ces actually need? Is the need for storage? The number of employees hasn’t really gone up much over the years. So, do departments need more work space, better use of space, or maybe some shared space options? You can’t have cost-effective solutions without fully identifying needs. If a department has a space problem preventing them from doing work, then the issue should be addressed in the budget process.

Janet Vanderdussen (D)No response.

Diana McDonald Biddle (R)1. Previously served on various county

boards including: 2001-2004 County Council, Emergency Management, Solid Waste, Exten-sion, Brown County Board of Realtors and others.

I am currently employed as the store man-ager in our family business, McDonald’s Shop-worth in Bean Blossom, a family business since 1891. I am involved in various aspects of budget, payroll, purchasing, maintenance, etc.

Also, I am presently serving on the board of directors for the Brown County Historical Society; as Brown County historian for the Indiana Historical Society; and as Brown County genealogist and state publications chair for the Indiana Genealogical Society. In addition, I provide social media marketing and web design services for several groups.

2. Budgeting for the sock factory property needs to include various partnerships between public, private and non-profi t entities. A mixed-use approach to provide various combinations of sustainable incomes for the property represents the best way to spread out the fi nancial responsi-bilities for this large, multi-use property.

3. Lack of offi ce space has long been a prob-lem for Brown County. The county also lacks property to make signifi cant expansions to cur-rent county government offi ces. While there is some space to eventually expand the courthouse, the annex building has little room to expand.

One problem with all county offi ces is the required long-term storage of offi cial documents. Investing in digital archiving services is a good way to reduce the square footage necessary for paper document storage, thereby freeing up needed offi ce space. In addition to digital ar-chiving, there are many options for offi ce space, storage, etc., available at the sock factory prop-erty, eliminating the need to rent non-county-owned facilities.

David L. Critser (R)1. Have been an

independent business owner for over 40 years. Member of the Brown Co. Council for 15 years.

2. $50,000 is already budgeted for 2012. When a cost analysis of utilities and maintenance is received, we will set a budget for 2013.

3. I hope we can move some offi ces to the Tim Magnuson complex. This ques-tion is more for the commissioners to decide on.

1. List the occupations, training and expe-rience that qualify you for this offi ce.

2. What improvements or changes would you make in the recorder’s offi ce?

3. Are documents available to the public online through the county website? If not, would you favor that?

Sandy Seitz Cain (D)1. I am currently

serving my fi rst term as your county re-corder, with previous recorder experience 1993-2000. Hav-ing served in county government for 23 years, I feel that my experience and knowledge of county government serves the offi ce well. I have earned 31 credit hours of continuing educa-tion in my fi rst term. I’m a member of the Indiana Recorders Association, the Association of Indiana Counties and the Commission on Public Records.

2. As recorder in my fi rst term, I have put real estate indexes online from July 1988 to the present; started the Property Fraud Alert System; indexed all surveys by section, town-ship and range; and increased convenience for the public by accepting debit and credit cards. In my second term, I plan to start backscan-ning and indexing back to 1960 and continuing with archive viewers and scanning all the way back to 1873 (when a courthouse fi re destroyed everything in the recorder’s offi ce). In doing this process it will provide all documents to be on computer with a backup copy daily, and also a fi lmed copy kept in temperature-controlled storage outside of Indiana. I will continue to be devoted to maintaining and preserving the records of Brown County.

3. The indexes of documents back to July 1988 are available through the county website, and also through the recorder’s site at www.uslandrecords.com at no cost to the public. (However, the images of the documents are not available online at this time.) Until we can protect the safety and privacy of the recorder’s offi ce and the citizens of Brown County, I don’t feel comfortable putting the images on the Internet.

Larry L. Gardner (R)1. Twenty-fi ve

years’ management and supervisor experi-ence: Elected chair-man of the Jackson Township advisory board for the trustee; three years as deputy trustee of Jackson Township; vice presi-dent of Economic Development Com-mission for two terms.

2. I will bring a professional atmo-sphere to the record-er’s offi ce.

3. The information is available, not the document itself. Some counties are putting the documents online and are set up to take credit cards to pay for copies. All counties may have to adopt this policy in the future.

Darin ‘Catfi sh’ Pla er (R)1. I have over 20

years of business and corporate work experi-ence in the fi elds of technology, manufactur-ing, retail and manage-ment. I have started and successfully run my own businesses, supervised park and rec programs, presided as leader of a statewide or-ganization, participated in multiple community fundraising activities and continue to remain active in the community.

2. The recorder’s offi ce needs to be fi scally responsible in its operations. This means making sure we get the best services for the best price and passing on that savings to the taxpayer by keeping fees for services low. I have extensive experience dealing with vendors and service companies with a proven track record of being tough in order to get the most competitive and cost-effective perfor-mance. I will utilize these skills to make the re-corder’s offi ce effective and effi cient for all Brown County citizens.

3. There is an index of documents available online dating back to 1960. These don’t include images. Any move in a direction to make all of the information online will cost money. I would look for ways to make existing records as easy to at-tain as possible while balancing the costs of those services to the taxpayer. The fi rst step would be to improve the existing ability to digitally transmit data that exists in the offi ce. However, we need to very be careful that we don’t abuse the budget and overly burden our taxpaying citizens.


2. Are you a licensed surveyor? How impor-tant is this for your position?

3. What are the greatest challenges facing the surveyor’s offi ce, and how would you address them?

David K. Harden (D)1. I started working

at Associated Engineer-ing with my dad in 1967 after school and during the summers on the survey crew. After graduation, my respon-sibilities were to run the survey crew and handle construction stake-outs, inspections for bridges, roads, buildings and various projects. From 1975-1983, I handled these same respon-sibilities for Harden Engineers. I have been associated with the county surveyor’s offi ce since 1983, working with John Rudd for Robert Allen in his land surveying business. I have had the privilege to work and learn fi rsthand from two of the best men I have ever known, my dad and Bob. In March 2007, I was asked by the county commissioners to carry out the remaining term of John Rudd as county surveyor. I have always enjoyed working with the county and helping the public when at all possible and look forward to continuing to serve as the county surveyor.

VOTE MAY 8

DAVEANDERSON

CommissionerRepublican, District 1

Experienced, Reliable, Impartial

“If it’s important to you,

it’s important to me”

Paid for by Dave Anderson for Commissioner Committee

(Continued from page 7) COUNTY RECORDER

CRITSER

CAIN

GARDNER

COUNTY SURVEYOR

PLATTER

HARDEN

Brown County Primary Election Guide Wednesday, April 11, 2012 PAGE 92. No, I am not a licensed surveyor. It is not a

requirement for this position. Numerous counties do not have a licensed county surveyor. I am in business with a licensed surveyor.

3. The greatest challenges that face the survey-or’s offi ce are updating records and providing infor-mation for the public. The accuracy of the county GIS mapping system is a task on which we are constantly improving.

Kevin Allen (R)1. I began my career in 1981 as an assistant proj-

ect manager for substation design. This included de-signing seismic-resistant structures and foundations, fi nite element analysis, structural design and stress analysis. In 1983, I accepted a position as senior designer for bridge, road, watershed analysis, drain-age and storm sewer design, architectural and site development projects. Since 1997, I have focused on providing land development services including environmental compliance issues for commercial real estate developers and brokers on projects in 16 eastern states. I’ve also conducted countywide GPS control surveys in Wells, Morgan and Brown coun-ties. I have also established primary and secondary route control surveys for over 300 miles of cross-country natural gas pipelines in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida, Mississippi and Indiana.

2. I meet the qualifi cation requirements for the offi ce of county surveyor as defi ned in IC 36-2-12 and Article 6, Section 6 of the Indiana Constitution. IC 36-2-12-2.5 provides for this offi ce to be fi lled by a non-registered land surveyor.

3. First, there is the need to address drainage issues, water quality and erosion control concerns of this community.

Second, there is the task of informing and educating the public as to what the offi ce of county surveyor can and should do for this community.

Third, there is challenge always fi nding ways of providing the statutory or required services to this community for the lowest possible cost. These would be positive steps toward improving service to the public as well as keeping Brown County a natural wonder.


2. Do you have any new or innovative ways to dispose of sheriff sale properties?

3. How well do you feel the current system of tax statements is serving the public?

Barbara Melton (D)1. My qualifi cations

are simple ones: I am a United States citizen, I am over 18 years of age and I am a registered voter in Brown County.

I graduated from Brown County High School a few years ago. This was the home of my grandparents and it is the home of my children and grandchil-dren. I have a lot of time invested and therefore want to continue to live here and be involved in the local community and the local government. I have worked in county government over four years in a couple different offi ces. I love working in local government.

I have a very diverse background that includes an associate degree. I took several of my classes locally at the CRC. If you see me out somewhere, ask me why I want to be the next treasurer of Brown County. I would appreciate your vote.

2. At this time I can think of nothing “new” or innovative to add to our current process. Once elected, I promise to learn more and be better able to answer a question like this.

I also believe that sometimes “new” doesn’t mean better. I am a big supporter of the K.I.S.S. formula: Keep it simple ...

3. To answer this question in 150 words is pretty hard, so ask me in public sometime. When elected, I would explore every avenue there is to keep the entire tax collection process here in Brown County. Twice a year, obviously more help would be needed to accomplish this. It would be my desire to pay local help and not outsource if at all possible.

I would also look into offering to county employees the ability to pay their taxes through equal monthly payments with payroll deduction.

Mary Smith (R) 1. I began working

in the treasurer’s offi ce part-time starting in 2001 until I took the job of deputy treasurer in 2006. I became chief deputy treasurer in 2010 and currently hold this position. Because of my experience, I have a good understanding of all the duties that the treasurer’s offi ce must perform. I already have a good reputation with the public because I am knowledgeable and dedicated to resolving problems and concerns of the taxpayers in Brown County. I graduated from Indi-ana University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

2. The treasurer’s offi ce, unfortunately, has no part in the decision of what happens to properties eligible for or sold at a sheriff sale. In the Indiana General Assembly, the idea of county treasurers taking over the task of dealing with sheriff sales has been discussed. It was, however, determined that since this would entail the removal of people from their homes, that was not a power that a county treasurer should have. The county treasurer, along with the county auditor, handle property tax sale pro-cedures — which result from unpaid property taxes, not properties going into mortgage foreclosure, the result from that being a sheriff sale.

3. The system of tax statements is, for the most part, mandated by the state. Currently, the mailing consists of two sheets of paper, the fi rst being the actual bill and the second being the TS-1A form which lists assessed values, exemptions, information regarding tax caps, and a table with the breakdown of the gross property tax distribution. There has been confusion among taxpayers over this form. County treasurers can make some changes to it if the change is approved by state offi cials, but nothing that would change the form overall. Statements for both May and November installments are mailed at the same time, usually in April. While this does put the re-sponsibility on the taxpayer to remember to pay their November bill that was mailed six months prior, it is the most cost-effective plan for Brown County. If elected treasurer, I do plan to make sure that there is a reminder put in the newspaper closer to the Nov. 10 due date.


2. What is the most pressing need of the Brown County judicial system at this time?

Judith A. Stewart (D)1. Over 14 years’

experience as judge of the Brown Circuit Court; referee of the Brown Circuit Court under Judge Sam Rosen; United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana serving as a federal prosecutor and representing the United States in civil litigation; private practice of law han-dling general civil litigation; Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis; bachelor’s degree from Butler University.

2. A pressing, concrete need is to upgrade the courthouse, both the physical structure and the available technology. Facility needs include improving our jury room by provid-ing more space, incorporating restrooms and making it wheelchair-accessible. Although a wheelchair-accessible room is available if needed, it is less than ideal. Courthouse se-curity needs to be improved, and a separate entrance is needed for law enforcement and individuals who are in custody. Our technol-ogy needs to be updated to include video-conferencing capability. Videoconferencing would allow us to conduct appropriate hear-ings without all parties appearing in person, reducing time and expense for transporting inmates and providing additional convenience for out-of-town witnesses.

1. What are your qualifi cations for Congress? What experience qualifi es you?

2. What are your views on lowering the stan-dards in regard to air and water quality?

3. What are your ideas for addressing the broad need for health care in the U.S.?

4. What are your ideas for reducing the debt and defi cit in government?

Jonathan George (D)No responses.

John Griffi n Miller (D)No responses.

John W. Tilford (D) 1. Although some

of the below listed items appear to be ac-complishments/duties, closer consideration will indicate the skills required.

Lived in the district without break since 1975 other than two post-9/11 mobiliza-tions with the Army Reserve, one 12-month to Washington, D.C., and one 18-month to the National Ground Intel-ligence Center, Va. I did not move back to Indiana to run for Congress. Polly

League of Women Votersof Brown County

Vote May 8Your Vote is Your Voice

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COUNTY TREASURER

MELTON

SMITH

JUDGE OF THE 88TH CIRCUIT COURT — BROWN

STEWART

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 9

TILFORD


and I live here. We raised our kids here. Her parents live here. (Mine are deceased.)

I saw men die in combat in Vietnam. When working for the Defense Intelligence Agency as a se-nior military intelligence analyst, I saw an executive branch rush to war in Iraq and put pressure on the intelligence community to come up with justifi cation after the decision was already made — by men who avoided service in Vietnam, I might add. (I briefed the senior intelligence offi cer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon that our job was not done in Afghanistan in 2002, that the Taliban would resurge and we would have greater losses when we were required to return.) There are not enough representa-tives in Congress with similar military backgrounds to assure we do not send young men and women into combat without accurately weighing the benefi t, if any, to the national interests of the United States. I have a master’s degree in strategic intelligence from National Defense Intelligence College, Washington, D.C. Most of the recommendations of my master’s thesis were adopted by the Defense Intelligence Agency.

I designed and helped implement the Internal Revenue Service taxpayer service organization for the entire state of Indiana. I have been both a management analyst and organizational analyst for the IRS and for the Department of the Navy. I can, and have, increased effi ciency and effectiveness in two federal agencies as a civilian and the National Ground Intelligence Center as a mobilized Army reservist. I was on two national level task forces as a civilian, one for the Navy and one for the IRS.

Bachelor’s from Indiana University in education, general science major, chemistry minor. Additional 42 semester hours of graduate work separate from and before (earlier mentioned) master’s in strategic intelligence. I have taught in a public school.

I have personally helped, face-to-face, thousands

of 9th District citizens with their Department of Veterans Affairs benefi t claims, appeals of improper denials; gone to personal hearings with them; fi led appeals with the Board of Veterans Appeals in Wash-ington, D.C., for them; and won a case for a disabled veteran before the United States Court of Appeals of veterans claims, also in D.C. I took the Monroe County veterans service offi ce from near last in pro-ductivity in Indiana to third place. (First and second place were full-time offi ces. Ours was half-time.) Approximately half of these claimants were women — most of those surviving spouses of veterans who died service-connected deaths or of deceased wartime veterans. Others were women veterans. I assisted the fi rst woman veteran in the district to fi le for service-connected disability from her service in the fi rst Gulf War. Negotiated bi-weekly for veterans column in the Bloomington Herald-Times, which has run without break since 2004. Graduate of the Navy negotiations course, Burlington, Vt. Negoti-ated three union contracts. Service offi cer for both American Legion Post 18 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 604.

As word spread regarding my assistance with veterans issues, others have requested and received my assistance with Social Security and Social Se-curity disability applications, military retirement, CHAMPVA, Tricare and Tricare for Life, applica-tion for federal and state employment, student loans and health insurance.

I have written draft House resolutions address-ing needed legislation, emailed, USPS and hand-car-ried to members of the U.S. House. But I’m not a big donor or high status politician. Todd Young refused to introduce an HR for Space A (military aircraft) fl ight eligibility for 100 percent service-connected disabled veterans, for example. It would cost noth-ing.

Deacon and Sunday school teacher for New Unionville Baptist Church.

Lobbied — in person — Military Offi cers As-

sociation of America, Reserve Offi cers Association, U.S. senators and U.S. representatives in Washing-ton, D.C., for repeal of full offset between Survivors Benefi t Plan (DoD) benefi ts and Dependency In-demnity Compensation (V.A.) benefi ts. Partial relief granted in 2009 to approximately 55,000 widows of veterans who died of service-connected causes. Achieving full relief requires additional congres-sional action.

Coordinated Girl Scout cookie sale for Monroe County for eight years. Signed for a third of a mil-lion dollars’ worth of cookies and distributed accu-rately to all troop leaders each year.

Adjunct instructor in basic college mathemat-ics at Ivy Tech Community College, Bloomington campus, for fi ve years. Many of my former students have gone on to professional positions.

I founded and was the only president/CEO for Hoosier Honor Flight Inc. We fl ew 449 WWII and Korean War veterans and their helpers to Washing-ton, D.C., to see their national war memorials at no cost to the veterans. It was the right thing to do. HHF suspended operations when we ran out of applica-tions in 2010.

Joined MENSA in 1996. Quit paying dues when the organization of the world’s smartest people could not get my magazine subscription straight and wanted to conduct their next meeting in a “clothing optional” spa. The lowest my I.Q. was ever mea-sured was 130, the highest 160.

2. Never! If anything, raise them! Germany — the economic engine of Europe — has much more stringent standards than does the United States.

3. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act did not go far enough. I personally benefi t from “socialized medicine” at the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Indianapolis and the V.A. clinic in Bloomington. I have had several surgeries and other procedures done at the medical center. The care I have received could not have been better. Over 70 percent of all V.A. hospitals are in partner-

ship with medical schools. Internationally-known faculty members of the I.U. School of Medicine have provided their opinions of the best course of treatment for patient John W. Tilford — and they had no idea of my rank or years of service. Don’t think the United States government cannot run a good medical program. The government is doing it right now through the V.A., and it’s a potential model for a national health care system. Lack of such a system burdens the United States economically and handi-caps U.S. employers in international competition. Over $75 billion is spent for emergency room treat-ment for uninsured patients annually. This results in an estimated additional $1,000 in health insurance costs annually to each middle class family. The $4,000 ER bill for the uninsured child with a 104-degree temperature could have been a $50 bill if the child could have been taken to a doctor a week ear-lier and provided some antibiotics. I’ve seen it, and so have you. The United States stands 15th among industrialized countries in terms of life expectancy lost due to problems in health care (trailing such countries as Greece, Spain, Ireland and South Ko-rea) but we spend far and away the most in terms of percentage of GDP: 16 percent versus No. 2 Canada at 10.1 percent. The health care system we have now is among the least effective in terms of benefi t for the cost on the planet — probably THE least effective. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was a blended approach which included existing health insurance providers as a compromise, a carrot to big business and their Republican friends. It will work if given a chance (which it probably won’t be), but not as effi ciently or as effectively as an actual national health care system similar to that of the United Kingdom. Polly and I once overheard a conversation between two ladies at the next table in an English restaurant. One was complaining to the other that her son would have to wait a year for a liver transplant. I know of men and women in the 9th District who will NEVER get a needed organ transplant and will die


Re-Elect Sandy Seitz CainBrown County Recorder

Dedicated and devoted to maintaining and preserving the records of Brown County.Lifelong resident of Brown County. Property owner since 1985

Member of : The Parkview Church of the Nazarene, IRA (Indiana Recorder’s Association), AIC (Association of Indiana Counties), The Commission of Public Records

Volunteer at Mother’s Cupboard23 years in County Government

My First Term of RecorderPut Real Estate Indexes on line from July, 1988 to present www.uslandrecords.com

• Started the Property Fraud Alert System in the Recorder’s Offi ce• Provided the convenience of payment by Credit/Debit Cards• Indexed all Surveys recorded by Section, Township & Range

• Combined and indexed all recorded Ordinances of Brown County• Earned 31 credit hours of Continuing Education Courses

My Ambitions for the Next Term• Scanning and indexing documents from 1960 until 1988

• Archive indexing and scanning from 1959 back to the year 1873• Completing the process of scanning all plats and subdivisions on computer

• Continuing with my Education Credit Courses• Continuing with an effi cient and helpful offi ce

Paid for by Sandy Seitz Cain for Brown County Recorder

Brown County Primary Election Guide Wednesday, April 11, 2012 PAGE 11because of it. Also consider that nothing prevented the British mother from paying for quicker surgery for her son through a parallel, for-profi t medical system. Those who can afford expensive health care can and will still get it. By the way, Newt Gingrich in the mid-1990s supported fees for those who did not voluntarily obtain national health insurance. I guess he forgot.

4. More IRS collection of already assessed cor-porate and individual income taxes. Cutting the IRS budget is — to put it politely — counterproductive. I was an IRS revenue offi cer. Any revenue offi cer “worth his salt” collects many times his or her salary every year. Assessed taxes are agreed to, on the books, ready to collect. The U.S. loses billions every year in uncollected taxes.

The Navy really does not need additional nuclear aircraft carriers. Honest. The Air Force does not need any more B-2s. The Cold War is over. The confl icts we face now are primarily ground, intel-ligence-driven and conducted in limited strikes. Rely more on operational reserve forces. They are MUCH cheaper. Ask the Israelis.

No more leaving our forces in place after mili-tary engagements. That wastes hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives. It invites atrocities, be they Mai Lai or Kandahar. If you have to strike, do it quickly and decisively and get out. You can’t invade, kick in doors and force a population to be “free.” (See the second paragraph after No. 1 above.)

Jon Huntsman’s idea was right: Break up the “too big to fail” fi nancial institutions. We took simi-lar action over a hundred years ago regarding trusts and monopolies. I’m all for capitalism, but only as regulated to protect the interests of both the citizens and the nation. Financial institutions make better decisions if they bear the risk.

Prosecute fraud in entitlement programs. “Aid and Attendance” is a national scam in V.A. benefi ts. I’ve been threatened with civil suits and taken ha-rassment telephone calls because of my public stand on this issue. Medicare and Medicaid are commonly tapped for “easy money” by corrupt physicians, “patients” and clinics. (To be honest — and I am drawing Social Security and am covered by Medi-care — these programs are basically sound BUT do need some adjustments to remain so. Remember, we did this before and the world did not end. That’s why my full entitlement age is 66 and some months and not 65. Big deal.)

Immediately repeal the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy which were passed during a time of budget surplus and originally scheduled to expire in 2010.

Counter-intuitively, spend money. Spend money on things that are likely to pay off in the long term, such as education, communications and transporta-tion. Think FDR contrasted with Hoover. Think of the Marshall Plan which created customer Europe. Think of the WWII G.I. Bill for education which cre-ated the middle class we know today and paid back many hundreds of times the initial cost in income tax, national productivity and quality of life. Invest-ing can, if done wisely, create jobs which will “raise all boats” much better than G.O.P. “trickle down” economics ever did. Don’t, under any circumstances, go for the “constitutional amendment for a balanced budget”: 1) There will always be a way around it, and 2) if it was “airtight,” we would lose the fl exibil-ity to deal quickly with national crises. Better to elect representatives with some sense — not campaigning to be reelected is a good fi rst step.

While you’re at it, elect a Congressman who’s a former federal management analyst and organi-zational analyst whose duty it was to make federal agencies more effi cient and effective. I would just love to chair hearings with the Department of Vet-erans Affairs, Social Security Administration and Department of Defense.

Robert Winningham (D)1. Creating jobs is my passion. The economy

remains the main issue for voters in the 2012 elec-tion. My work as the staff assistant for community development for Congressman Lee Hamilton, and

the work I have done as a certifi ed economic developer, have given me the skills to lead the 9th District in creating jobs for Hoosiers.

2. I believe that our nation must have a bal-anced approach when addressing our energy needs against negative effects such as air and water pollution. None of us want to drink foul water or breathe con-taminated air. I believe that we need to take a science-based approach to these issues and, there-fore, would not favor arbitrarily lowering standards simply for the sake of money.

We have the capacity to innovate and bring forth new technologies, which will also help spur job creation. We have seen in the auto industry that every time standards for fuel effi ciency were raised, the industry stepped up to the plate and delivered. As a result, our air is cleaner, our vehicles are more effi cient and the American auto industry has gained market share against foreign competitors.

I would like to see a similar transformation in the energy sector and believe we need to ensure that we put all options on the table when addressing our energy needs. Our nation has the ability to be the leader in the development of green technologies. We need to make that ability a reality and ensure that in addition to the use of more traditional en-ergy sources, we diversify our energy system. Our national security, as well as our future generations, depend on addressing this issue. The EPA standards, while not always convenient, ensure that our children and families will be healthier. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce.

3. Access to health care remains a major issue for our country. It is not acceptable that over 50 million United States citizens lack health care cover-age, or that the cost of that system remains higher than any other industrialized nation. Health care is a right and not a privilege. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce; therefore, I see health care as a critical piece of national and economic security. Over the past two years, we have emerged from a divisive debate about the structure of our health care system, culminating in the passage of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act. This measure will not be fully implemented until 2018, yet continues to polarize many Americans.

The act provides signifi cant changes to our health care system and begins to address health care inequities in our country. In the 9th District alone, since the passage of the act, 5,200 young adults now have health insurance as a result of the provision permitting parents to retain coverage for the children until age 26. The threat of health care coverage re-scissions has been eliminated for more than 520,000 residents. Over 10,700 seniors have saved $7 million in drug costs. More importantly, health insurers are barred from denying children insurance on the basis of pre-existing conditions like diabetes, heart disease or cancer. Equally important are the changes not yet realized. For example, in 2014, it will be illegal to charge women more than men for the same health care coverage.

It is incomprehensible that some, like Congress-man Todd Young, would be willing to take these benefi ts away, and I would not support any measure to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Instead, I favor a position to keep and perfect it. I recognize that broader reforms will be required as we evaluate the effects brought forward in the legislation and address the changing dynamics of our health care system. I would favor having a serious discussion about offer-ing all citizens the same access to care as our Medi-care recipients and veterans currently enjoy.

I pledge to continue to fi ght for affordable care for all Americans. Much in the same manner as my

mentor, Lee Hamilton, I believe we must continue to educate and build consensus on this issue. Only by continuing the conversation and evaluating the best methods for providing health care will we be able to deliver the high quality care that Americans deserve.

4. The fastest way for our nation to address our defi cit is to bring growth back to our economy. Many candidates promise job creation, but I am the only candidate running for Congress with a proven record of success, and have helped to create more than 5,200 jobs over fi ve years as an economic development director. My plan to bring growth includes investing in education and workforce train-ing; improving our crumbling infrastructure, which is a vital foundation for the production and move-ment of goods and people; and investing in research which preserves our nation’s technological edge. By promoting partnerships with business, education and government, we will create an environment for economic success.

We also must bring a fair and balanced approach to defi cit reduction, looking at both income and expenditures. Only through shared sacrifi ce and set-ting clear priorities to meet our nation’s challenges can we achieve a goal of a balanced budget. I favor allowing the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire as planned, while also reform-ing our current tax code. As part of the reform, I pledge to close tax loopholes that have distorted our tax system, provide tax relief for the struggling middle class, and work to ensure that everyone sup-ports our country fairly. We must honor the sacrifi ces of the thousands of men and women who have faithfully served their country by preserving and strengthening the support system to veterans. Finally, I remain committed to preserving Social Security and Medicare, keeping a promise we made to our senior citizens. By crafting a budget that refl ects our values, we ensure our collective economic success and fi scal health.

Shelli Yoder (D)1. I am running

for Congress because working families are being left out of the conversation in Wash-ington. My background and experience provide me with unique skills, temperament and under-standing of what strug-gling folks face today. I was born and raised in rural Indiana. I learned about hard work at an early age helping out with our second genera-tion, family-owned gas station. The recession of the early 1980s forced my family to close its doors, and I watched my parents work hard to fi nd other ways to make ends meet. We all pitched in. I worked odd jobs and, to earn scholarships for college, competed in the Miss Indiana pageant. As Miss Indiana, I traveled to all 92 counties advocating for health and education opportunities for Hoosier families. Cur-rently, as associate director of professional develop-ment at I.U.’s Kelley School of Business, I help leaders of tomorrow fi nd jobs today. I have worked in nonprofi t executive management for over 15 years, and I have a master’s of divinity degree and a master’s of counseling and human services degree. I have a proven track record of turning people’s lives around for the better, building community and assist-ing those in need of a little extra help getting back on their feet and to help them to keep moving forward. As a working mom of three young children, I know fi rsthand the day-to-day challenges facing working families. From the hardships my family experienced growing up, I know how diffi cult it is for folks who have been thrown out of work by recession and outsourcing to fi nd a new way to make a living. In Congress, I will work overtime to secure federal dollars to bring new, sustainable, good-paying jobs

to the 9th District and will push for retraining so Hoosier workers can remain competitive in the 21st century economy.

2. Affordable electricity is a key to America’s economic recovery and coal is an integral part of Indiana’s economy. We must protect those working in the coal-burning industries for the sacrifi ces made, as well as our air and water quality. It is well estab-lished that burning coal releases carbon dioxide and dangerous pollutants that encourage heart and respi-ratory illness. The U.S. spends $167 billion in health costs related to U.S. power plant pollution each year. Yet, Congress’s record of inaction on energy policy is blocking our ability to address these environmental problems in conjunction with our country’s energy challenges. It is time to move beyond the politics of climate change to real progress. We should not lower EPA air and water quality standards because those standards will help us reduce greenhouse emissions and protect the public. Lowering the standards of air and water quality de-incentivizes the coal and utility industry from investing in green energy alternatives, and Hoosiers pay the price via increased health care needs and poorer air and water quality.

3. I support health care reforms passed by Congress over the past several years, including the Affordable Care Act, that improve the access of Americans to health care. In particular, I support provisions that prohibit health insurers from refusing coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

I also support allowing parents to keep their children on their health policies until they turn 26. And, I support provisions that close the gap in Medi-care prescription drug coverage for seniors known as the “doughnut hole.” Finally, if elected, I will work to make improvements in existing health care law, including increasing access and lowering costs. In my opinion, passage of a public option is central to further lowering costs and providing maximum ac-cess to health care. I believe the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Health Care Act. However, should it not, I will push for increased access through incremental expansion of the Medicare program.

4. Bill Clinton was president the last time the federal budget was balanced. It’s no coincidence that Clinton was also president the last time America experienced strong, sustained economic growth. One of the central lessons from the Clinton years is that a prosperous economy is the principal avenue for defi -cit reduction. In other words, our defi cit reduction strategy must be integrally linked to our economic recovery plan. When Clinton took offi ce, 10 mil-lion Americans were unemployed and the country faced record defi cits. The Clinton administration’s economic strategy was a balanced approach that included equal parts fi scal discipline, investing in people through education and training, and opening new markets. That’s why the current Republican approach to defi cit reduction — epitomized by the Ryan Plan — does not deliver on its promise. The Ryan Plan would lower tax rates for the wealthy and for corporations, while slashing investments in education and job training, ending Medicare as we know it, and shredding the safety net for the poor. Rather than placing the burden of defi cit reduction on the backs of the middle class, I propose a more prudent path. I support a balanced approach that makes economic recovery a key piece of defi cit re-duction. I support investments into our infrastructure that include transportation, education resources and broadband technology expansions. Such investments lead to more jobs. Job creation will mean a smaller defi cit as a broader tax base increases revenues. We must also continue to comb government spending to eliminate wasteful and obsolete spending programs. In addition, we must cease in this “perpetual war” sensibility.

A full end to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will decrease our defense spending abroad and actually allow us to invest in homeland priorities like public works, research and development, clean energy, and caring for those who deserve the best of our domes-tic resources: our veterans and their families.

WINNINGHAM

YODER

20122012DemocraticDemocraticPrimary CandidatesPrimary Candidates

President of the United States BARACK OBAMA

United States Senator JOE DONNELY

Governor JOHN R. GREGG

United States Representative District 9 Vote for one only

JONATHAN GEORGE JOHN GRIFFIN MILLER

JOHN W. TILFORD ROBERT WINNINGHAM

SHELLI YODER

Judge of the Circuit Court 88th District JUDITH STEWART

County Recorder SANDI SEITZ CAIN

County Treasurer BARBARA MELTON

County Surveyor DAVID K. HARDEN

County Commissioner District 1 DAN L. HUESMAN

County Commissioner District 3 EVELYN KRITZER KENT

County Council At-LargeVote for three only

DAVID RUDDCINDY STEELE

JANET VAN DER DUSSEN

Paid for by Brown County Democratic Central Committee, Maxine Bailey, Treasurer

Documents

Primary Election 2012