HUNTINGTON òòò½ÊÓƵ” This year, 17 seats out of the 34 that make up the West Virginia state Senate are up for election.
Three Republicans are competing in the primary for the opportunity to face Democrat Ric Griffith in the general election this November in the 5th Senate District.
Dallas Thacker, 74, of Huntington, is retired. He says elected officialsòòò½ÊÓƵ™ priority should be to òòò½ÊÓƵœlegislate in accordance to the needs of the people and the community in which he/she serves.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Scott Fuller, 62, of Kenova, is also retired after serving six years in the U.S. Navy and 29 years in the West Virginia National Guard, as well as 20 years on the Huntington Police Department.
, of Huntington, is a graduate of Spring Valley High School who has worked as a construction professional, according to Ballotpedia.
Fulleròòò½ÊÓƵ™s focus, if elected, òòò½ÊÓƵœwill be to continue reducing taxes for individuals and businesses, developing infrastructure, supporting our public school system and improving our business climate so that we can continue to attract good-paying jobs to West Virginia.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The candidates were recently asked their opinion on the most important issue facing the state Senate in the next Legislative session, and how they might vote on it.
Thacker took aim at the stateòòò½ÊÓƵ™s tax laws.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI think that the Senate and the House are going in the right direction, in trying to change the atmosphere to the right-to-work law and trying to create more opportunities for the people of West Virginia,òòò½ÊÓƵ Thacker said.
He said the Legislature made strides toward eliminating personal income tax.
òòò½ÊÓƵœThe states that do not have personal income tax are very progressive in attracting companies coming to the area, and I think thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s what we need to do,òòò½ÊÓƵ he said. òòò½ÊÓƵœAs for Huntington, I think what Marshall University has done with the cyber security program in itself creates jobs. And I think that we have to work with Marshall with two regional hospitals and build on those structures to bring other opportunities to Huntington and to Cabell and Wayne County.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Fuller said there are several important issues for state lawmakers to work on to ensure West Virginia is moving forward.
Among those, he suggested lawmakers òòò½ÊÓƵœcontinue to cut taxes and bring jobs to our state as well as supporting our local education.òòò½ÊÓƵ
òòò½ÊÓƵœIòòò½ÊÓƵ™m pro life, Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m pro gun, Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m a conservative and I just plan on bettering the state as a whole,òòò½ÊÓƵ Fuller said. òòò½ÊÓƵœBut thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s so many things that need to be done. I could go on. Thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s why itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s so hard for me to pick just one. Weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re heading the the right direction; we just need to keep moving in the right direction.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Mathis also pointed toward recent efforts to eliminate the West Virginia state income tax.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIf that comes back up and I am a senator, I will vote to eliminate the West Virginia state income tax,òòò½ÊÓƵ he said. òòò½ÊÓƵœStates that are growing the most with people moving to their state are states like Florida that do not have an income tax. We also have retirees leaving the state of West Virginia to go to those states that do not have an income tax so that their retirement is not taxed so hard. And we should make West Virginia an affordable place for citizens working and retired to be. We shouldnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t be competing with other states taking our citizens working and retired because we tax our people where other states do not tax their people.òòò½ÊÓƵ