After former Speaker Mike Hubbard was removed from office when he was convicted of 12 felony ethics violations in June, the Republican candidates now running for his vacant seat in the Alabama House of Representatives District 79 were asked at a forum Monday how they would comply with ethics laws if elected.
“Because of my life history of how I have operated and been asked to operate for the last 25 years living overseas and living here, it’s just not in my nature,” said Sandy Toomer of violating ethics laws, adding that his business affairs as owner of Toomer’s Coffee Roasters do not present any conflicts of interest.
Several candidates agreed that ethics issues are linked to prolonged terms in office, and both Toomer and candidate Brett Smith said they support a two-term limit.
“I think we have too many people making a career politician job out of the elected position, and it creates an opening for too much corruption,” said candidate Joe Lovvorn.
Smith said being an elected official means representing everyone in the district.
“And what that means is we’ve got to have more transparency, a stronger open meetings law,” Smith said.
Jay Conner pointed to his role as a real estate broker and representing others against regulations and issues as an example of his character.
“And it’ll be no different when I get to Montgomery,” he said.
At a moderated forum in the Auburn City Council chambers, the four candidates discussed the district’s need for restored faith and trust in its representative, answering policy questions as well.
After Hubbard was removed from office, Gov. Robert Bentley called the special election to replace him.
“I tell people the main thing I’m trying to do for this office is bring back honesty and integrity to your representative position,” Toomer, who ran against Hubbard in the 2014 Republican primary, said.
Lovvorn, real estate broker, businessman and former firefighter, acknowledged the need for “political healing” and restored faith in government and even city officials.
“I’m trying to come in as a person that can apply some common sense that they apply to their own businesses, that they apply to their family and apply those to fixing some of the issues we have in this state,” Lovvorn said.
Conner said his reason for running in the election is because the state has a “broken system.”
“And we keep sending the same people that we think might fix the system,” he said. “What happens at the state level affects us greatly, and people don’t realize that until they start to thinking.”
Smith, attorney and businessman, said he was tired of politics of the past.
“We wanted to present a new generation of leadership that unified us, that brought us together and that makes us better,” Smith said.
His first focus, if elected, would be to fully fund education, he said.
“Education is the cornerstone. It’s the bedrock of our future,” Smith said.
Lovvorn too said he would make enhancing the educational budget a top priority.
“I would look deep into education to make sure that we’re not in a K-12 business here,” Lovvorn said. “We’re through the K-16 in this community. We’ve got Auburn University.”
Conner said he couldn’t pinpoint one piece of legislation he’d make his first priority, but would make efforts to get citizens’ opinions on issues before taking action.
In an interview with The Plainsman earlier this year, Conner said a state-run lottery would be his first priority, noting he would push for a lottery bill in his first 100 days in office.
Aside from restoring integrity to the office, Toomer said the most important issue to tackle is fixing the state budget.
“Once that’s corrected, the next thing is we need to get Medicaid, educational funding — all these things — under control and funded properly,” Toomer added.
Last week, the Alabama Senate approved Bentley's lottery bill intended to pull revenue into the General Fund, but amended it to direct a portion of the funds toward the Education Fund and Medicaid.
The bill must be approved by the House by Wednesday, Aug. 24 in order for the lottery to be presented to voters for approval on the Nov. 8 ballot.
In contrast to the other candidates, Smith said he does not support the lottery, calling it a “blank check." In an interview with The Plainsman, he said he doesn't support "gambling" on the state's healthcare.
“And the thing is, today’s lottery proceedings are not going to cover tomorrow’s budgetary shortfalls,” he said, adding that the lottery funds fluctuate with the state of the economy. “So what we’re going to do is say … we’re going to gamble with health care and education.”
Toomer said the lottery should be something the voters decide to support or reject, though he said he would allow it. And both Lovvorn and Conner said they would prefer the lottery be directed toward education funding.
“Now that’s probably not what’s going to come out, but I’d still vote for it,” Conner said.
Though each candidate would be a newcomer to the Legislature, many pointed to building relationships as an avenue to exert influence.
“I’m only going to have 24 months, but I would do my best to get in, totally immerse myself in what’s going on in Montgomery, learn the system, but spend more time relationship-building with other legislatures and other committees,” Toomer said.
The candidates also expressed willingness to work those within their party and outside it.
“Now, we have received a huge, terrible black eye from what happened here, and so I don’t think anybody elected to this post is going to be able to step right in and make some miraculous change, but working with people wherever they are, on whatever political spectrum in Montgomery, to try to find a solution, I’m willing to do that,” Conner said. “And I have no problem working with a Democrat or republican or whoever to get the job done, and that’s what I intend to do.”
However, Smith said the strength of the district lies in its citizens, to whom the legislature should remain accessible.
“He’s the direct link to Montgomery, but he stands and represents everyone,” Smith said.
The next forum is set for Sept. 7 at the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center at 6 p.m.
The primary is scheduled for Sept. 13, and the general election is set for Nov. 29, unless there is a need for a run-off. In that case, the general election would be moved to Feb. 7, 2017.
Below are some of the policy issues discussed at the forum and the candidates' responses:
What are your thoughts about taxes [and] revenue? Is it beneath tax reform, in terms of making it more productive [and] more fair, or is it a spending problem? What would you support and propose to address the revenue problem in the state of Alabama?
- Toomer: Many acres of timberland owned by large state corporations are being “grossly undertaxed,” he said. Toomer wants to focus on those segments first.
- Conner: He said property taxes need to be looked at “across the board,” but all areas of taxes need to be addressed as well.
- Lovvorn: The waste in the statewide system must first be addressed before pulling any funds toward a problem, he said, and he is not for raising taxes.
- Smith: The issue is not revenue, but spending, he said, adding “you can’t tax yourself to prosperity.”
Excluding the department of waste, fraud and abuse, what areas of state spending would you cut?
- Smith: There isn’t a particular department that will be penalized, he said. Rather, he wants to meet with department heads about cuts, waste and abuse, fraud and minimize those issues.
- Toomer: Cuts and more taxes can only do so much and are not his preference. At some point, there has to be more revenue generation, and getting more people back to work would be a priority, he said.
- Conner: He suggests rewriting or revising the state constitution because it “relegates 90 percent of the revenues coming in an earmarks them, and you can’t cut that.” That impedes progress at this point, he said.
- Lovvorn: The General Fund budget is the only real place to focus on, he said. He would volunteer to serve on the General Fund budget committee to find ways to work more efficiently.
Explain what you believe should be done to reduce our prison population, including recidivism, and what you would do to improve conditions.
- Smith: Investing in the future of the state, beginning with education, will help break a “continuous cycle” of people returning to crime, and it starts with building better communities and neighborhoods, he said.
- Toomer: The problem is ultimately “the heart of man,” or an issue of morality that can’t be legislated, he said. Though he said he doesn’t have the answer, building more prisons or putting more people in prisons is not the solution.
- Lovvorn: The solution should focus on prevention, restoring home life and creating a nurturing environment with opportunities that deter people from breaking the law, he. This also includes push more funds into public schools, he added.
- Conner: Working with people to try to rehabilitate them would cost less than housing them in prison, which seems to be an overly popular decision, he said.
Check out The Plainsman's comprehensive coverage of the House District 79 election
- Read a profile on House candidate Jay Conner
- Read a profile on House candidate Brett Smith
- Read a profile on House candidate Sandy Toomer
- Read a profile on House candidate Gage Fenwick
- Read a profile on House candidate Joe Lovvorn
- Candidates talk issues, trust in forum
- Lovvorn refunds $10,000 donation
- House candidate: 'We should concentrate on making our state better' not fighting the federal government
- Fourth Republican announces candidacy for House seat
- Third candidate announces plans to run for Auburn's House seat
- Two hopefuls announce plans to run for Hubbard's vacant seat
- Election announced to replace Hubbard
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