MORGANTOWN — Three more of the 12 candidates for the House of Delegates 51st District came before The Dominion Post Editorial Board Tuesday morning to share their views on issues.
Four came before the board on Monday and the rest are scheduled for other meetings.
Appearing Tuesday morning were incumbent Democrat Barbara Evans Fleischauer, incumbent Republican Joe Statler and Republican challenger Debbie Warner. All three cited their deep West Virginia roots.
Warner is a fifth-generation West Virginian, she said, and a first-time candidate. She’s married to Secretary of State Mac Warner. Mac served in the Army and they spent the first 18 years of 36-year marriage living all over country and in Germany, then retired to Morgantown.
She’s worked as a substitute teacher, owned small businesses and now works as a real estate agent. All of their children served or are serving in the military and would love to come home someday, she said.
“I’m really committed to helping create those opportunities that would bring them back to West Virginia so that their children could have some of the same experiences they did,” she said.
Statler is a ninth-generation resident. He’s seeking his third House term and previously served 10 years on the Monongalia County Board of Education. One of the best things the Mon BOE did during his term, he said, was hire (now former) Superintendent Frank Devono.
“There is decisions that you make that can change the course of events.” That was one of them. He tries to carry that experience into House and work across party lines.
He’s vice-chair of the Education Committee and chairs the new Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services Committee. “We’re starting to see a lack of volunteerism that’s taking place and we truly need to help those types of issues,” he said.
Fleischauer, who lives on her family farm, traces her local roots back to the Civil War and some ancestors back to the Revolutionary War.
She’s seeking her 12th term. “I have been in the Legislature a long time and I hope that would be considered an asset.” She said her experience helps her get things done during the 60-day session.
Each listed three top priorities.
For Statler, one is infrastructure, including broadband to help business expand and thrive. “We’ve got to bring our state up into the world we are involved in now.”
Education is another, especially developing an educated, drug-free workforce. VFD and EMS services are a third. Both services around the state face money and recruitment challenges, he said.
For Fleischauer, one is healthcare. “I’m a big fan of the Affordable Care Act.” More than 200,000 people gained insurance through Medicaid, and all residents gained protection for pre-existing conditions. “I want to make sure that we protect the healthcare that we have.”
A second is women’s rights and civil rights – including pay equity and protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation. A third is infrastructure – including broadband and roads, and securing raises for Division of Highways workers.
Warner also listed education and infrastructure. “I think broadband is huge, not only for this community but for the state.” Broadband access would open business opportunities in rural communities.
A third is economic diversification and growth. “I want to continue on that path of promoting West Virginia, encouraging investment,” and ensuring a business-friendly environment.”
On the topic of the opioid crisis, Fleischauer said her focus is on children affected by addiction. West Virginia has the top removal-from-home rate in the country and she wants to ensure there are enough Department of Health and Human Resources workers to handle the need, and that there’s adequate money for treatment.
Warner said it’s a complex issue and she’s still educating herself, he recently visited the Child Advocacy Center on Green Bag Road and learned about their program for children traumatized by addiction. She was impressed by their holistic approach of treating the child, the parents and the addiction.
Statler said the answer will require a lot of money. The state needs more rehab homes, but people don’t want them in their area, so there’s going to be some sacrifice by some people.
He doesn’t think the state should rely entirely on DHHR for services to children. It will have to commit money to paying professionals from outside DHHR and the education system to come in and help. He’d like to see a 24-hour hotline for kids to call when they need help.
A short time before the candidates came before the board, Gov. Jim Justice announced an agreement with current legislative leaders to commit $100 million of the budget surplus to stabilizing PEIA and money for another 5 percent state employee raise.
That was the context for comments on fixing PEIA and Justice’s idea of possibly privatizing the program.
Statler said, “I’m willing to look at anything that’s out there that will possibly help.” The state made a promise to the employees off good healthcare to offset lower wages and it needs to keep that promise.
While raising the severance tax on oil and gas has been floated as one funding source, “We don’t want to tax ourselves and shut those rigs down and allow them to go over into Ohio and Pennsylvania. … There’s a tight rope to walk. we want to get what is our fair share for the people of this state but we don’t want to scare off the jobs.”
Fleischauer said the funding source needs to be stable. The severance tax could be one source, but there are other possibilities and funding should come from a blend. Among them are a tobacco tax, which carries health benefits through reduced sales, an alcohol tax hike and a sugary drinks tax, as long as it doesn’t affect the pop tax for WVU’s medical school.
Warner agreed that they need to look to multiple sources and she’s open to conversation about privatizing.
All three also addressed the banking problem hindering the launch of the medical cannabis program. Because it’s federally illegal, the state treasurer won’t accept tax and fee revenue.
Fleischauer said the Health Committee met on this topic last month and learned that the treasurer is open to a couple possible solutions: a cashless closed loop system involving an exchange of credits or a state bank.
It has to be fixed, she said. “This is something people really want for their healthcare.”
Warner said she works as a real estate agent and has had little background on the issue at this point. “I’d like to have some conversations with some physicians and read some of the studies.”
Statler said the feds need to move first and take it off Schedule I, the category for drugs with no medical benefit.
He voted to approve the program in 2017. But, “I don’t like the Ponzi scheme of creating different banking sources and all that just to take care of an issue that shouldn’t be there. If it’s illegal it’s illegal. … I do believe that there is medical use for the people out there. .. I do believe that there is healing that comes from it. … I’m open. Let’s move forward.” But do it legally at the state and federal levels.
