WHEELING - They questioned the need for a federal Department of Education, earmarks, and how to bring jobs and business to West Virginia.
Six of the eight candidates seeking West Virginia's 1st District congressional seat turned out Wednesday for a candidate forum sponsored by the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce. The event took place at West Virginia Northern Community College, and questions were posed by members of the local media.
Those on the panel were Terry Sterling, chamber president; J. Michael Myer, executive editor of The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register; WWVA talk show host David Blomquist; and WTOV-TV reporter Allison Latos. WTOV-TV anchor Eric Minor served as moderator.
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Republicans Cindy Hall, left, Patricia VanGilder Levenson and David McKinley prepare prior to a candidates forum Wednesday night sponsored by the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce. All are candidates for West Virginia’s 1st District congressional seat.
Candidates attending included Democrat Mike Oliverio, and Republicans Cindy Hall, Patricia VanGilder Levenson, David McKinley, Thomas Stark and Mac Warner.
The incumbent, Democrat Alan Mollohan, and Republican Sarah Minear did not attend.
Oliverio was asked his thoughts on whether President Obama should have revealed the U.S. plan for troop surges and planned withdrawals from the Middle East during a recent press conference.
"When I heard our president announced a troop surge, I was a little surprised," he said. "I didn't think that was the proper strategy. It concerned me.
"Our country should be committed to carrying out its objectives. ... But I felt the president's announcement at that time failed in that regard."
Oliverio said more should be done to assure educational and job opportunities for soldiers returning home.
"I am committed to winning wars, and to spreading democracy across the globe," he said. "And I would like to see it done in a different way than it was done at that press conference months ago."
Mollohan has been criticized for his practice of bringing "earmarks," large sums of federal money intended for specific projects, to West Virginia.
Hall was asked whether she would continue the process if elected.
"As long as earmarks are legal in Congress, I will bring as much money into West Virginia as possible," she said. Her efforts "will start with jobs, and to increase the wealth of West Virginia. My focus would be on the people of West Virginia, and their well-being."
Levenson advocated changes by Congress to help U.S. businesses to compete.
"The biggest thing we can do is change our tax structure," she said. "We need to change the way we do business with corporations, and the way we tax our corporations. And we need to relax the regulations that keep them from being competitive in the world market. We are no longer an island in the ocean not surrounded by competitive markets."
McKinley spoke on whether he would support the development of alternative energy sources as West Virginia seeks to promote the use of the state's coal.
"I don't think coal is the only future we have, but it is what we're using now," McKinley said. "It generates 50 percent of our power, and it is our most economical source of generating power. That said, we're going to have to expand ourselves to include wind, solar, and water. That'll come about."
McKinley also noted 75 mine permits for West Virginia were approved by the Bush administration, but that these had since been repealed under the Obama administration.
"That could have been 75 more mines in West Virginia," he said. "Just think of the number of jobs we could have in West Virginia - not only those jobs, but the secondary jobs."
Stark advocated the elimination of federal authority over education.
"The U.S. Department of Education has been a massive failure, in my estimation," he said. "Education should be the responsibility of the state, local community and parents."
The U.S. Department of Education is not mandated under the constitution, Stark continued. He advocated more control over education instead be directed to local boards of education.
"Bringing in so many earmarks is also what has brought our current congressman the title of the most corrupt member of congress," Warner said. "We have to look at the objective, and how it is done. That's why I am against the earmark process as it currently exists."
He suggested not all earmarks are bad, and that many good projects have been brought to the Fairmont, W.Va., area by Mollohan. But Warner called for more transparency in the process through "sunshine provisions." These provisions would require that all earmarks be discussed by congress "during the light of day" and before the public.
"The sunshine is a great disinfectant in the process," Warner said. "If it withstands the sunshine and sands of scrutiny of the day in Congress ... if it is good, it will withstand the legislative process."