Candidates battle it out; early voting starts today
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?It is time for a change,? said district attorney candidate Phillip Clemons, saying with his past law enforcement experience he could best challenge incumbent district attorney Dale Potter in August. ?We need someone with law enforcement experience, someone who will be tough on crime. I have a scar or two to show from my time in law enforcement.?
Meanwhile, Lisa Zavogiannis pointed to her work ethic, saying she was proud of rising from poverty as a farm girl growing up in Kentucky.
?Everything I?ve accomplished in life has been through hard work,? Zavogiannis said. ?I am living the American dream, going from poor farm girl to running for district attorney.?
Robert Newman pointed to his local roots and his work in the community, noting he has been part of many community organizations.
?I?ve been a volunteer in my church, a volunteer with Families in Crisis. Like you, I?m concerned with making our community a good place to live,? Newman said, noting he has been a licensed attorney since 1982, thereby giving him more experience as an attorney than both his opponents combined.
However, Zavogiannis pointed out she is the only death-penalty-certified attorney seeking the Democratic nomination, saying she would put her record up against anyone seeing she has represented clients from crimes ranging from DUI to murder. Clemons weighed in saying he is the only candidate who has been a lawman and probation officer.
?I know how to prepare a case and collect evidence,? Clemons said.
As for their future opponent, incumbent Dale Potter, they all had questions as to his performance.
Clemons raised the indictment several years ago brought against Potter for allegedly placing conditions on a child support case ? a case in which Potter was acquitted. Newman suggested Potter may have meddled in areas outside the prosecutor?s office, noting he would not interfere in outside endeavors. Meanwhile, Zavogiannis said she believes improvements need to be made in the victim advocacy area.
All three said they have not decided how they will staff the office and all agreed they will try to put a satellite office in Van Buren County.
The county executive candidates were next with challenger John Pelham calling for a long-term economic plan to bring Warren County back from its present 10.6 percent unemployment.
?We are one of six counties the state considers impoverished,? Pelham said, noting a large number of jobs have disappeared here over the past few years with the departure of major manufacturers such as Carrier. ?We are looking at some staggering statistics.?
In his defense, incumbent Kenneth Rogers pointed out he has brought jobs to Warren County, something which may have saved the county when Carrier left.
?We have generated jobs,? Rogers said. ?If it weren?t for these jobs, just think where we would have been when Carrier left.?
Rogers went on to say the county is saving money in the long run by paying off high-interest debts early and by finding grants.
?We?ve gotten $14 million in grants. No one has got that much before,? Rogers said. ?Land sales are up significantly here. We have a low tax rate and low crime rate. By 2013 we have a plan to make Warren County debt free. And, there has been no property tax increase.?
Pelham took the opportunity to attack rumors he would raise taxes if elected. Instead, Pelham said he knows where to get grants for the county and that spending money to pay off debts early might not be the best policy when there are pressing issues right now.
?Sometimes projections just don?t work out,? Pelham said.