Jeffersonville neighborhood association hosts candidates

JEFFERSONVILLE — With the Republican National Convention complete and the Democratic National Convention nearing its end, local political forums are gearing up for November’s election.

The Franklin Commons Neighborhood Association held an event to meet the candidates at the Jeffersonville Public Library on Thursday night.

Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District Shelli Yoder offered a brief speech on why she was seeking the office and then fielded questions from the audience.

Republican Incumbent Rep. Todd Young, Ind. 9th District, was invited to the event but was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict, said Derek Spence, president of the Franklin Commons Neighborhood Association.

Yoder pointed to the need to focus on increasing modern manufacturing jobs in the area, improve education and focus on infrastructure in the district.

Among the questions and a concern of the neighborhood association was what could be done about a pain management clinic that has moved into their neighborhood.

Yoder admitted the issue was not on her radar before she began her campaign, but is becoming a priority. She offered that some things are in place to help track prescription drug abuse in the state.

Several of the audience members pointed out the system only works within Indiana.

“There are definitely other states that have more stringent laws in place and I think that hopefully, we will this year in the state house pass something to start addressing this issue,” Yoder said. “This issue is one of the biggest issues that we have going on right now. We must begin addressing the prevention piece.”

She added that funding for the program will need to be renewed this year and also said she hopes to extend the system across state lines.

“Communities are definitely reeling from these facilities,” Yoder said.

Clark County Commissioners District 2

Democratic Incumbent Clark County Commissioner Les Young picked up on some of the topics offered by Yoder and said there are community needs that will have to be addressed.

One of the first points he touched on was the need and impact infrastructure projects will have on the county.

“The bridges are finally going to come,” Young said, referring to the Ohio River Bridges Project. “When they come, good or bad, we are going to be inundated with people.”

He said the county is well positioned with River Ridge to attract jobs to the county. But the concern he offered that comes with an increased number of people on the roads and in the community is the lack of funding available in the county.

“Our budget keeps shrinking every year,” he said referring to road funds. “We’re trying to do more with less.”

Young said the minimal budgets will continue through several budget cycles.

“We’ll never get back to where we was when it was cut 25 percent,” he said, referring to Clark County Council under-funding the county tax levy for the 2008 budget.

Young was also asked about the county commissioners seeking to purchase the former Corden Porter School Building adjacent to the Clark County Government Building.

He said purchasing the building was still on the table and offered that potential uses would include a site for the county’s work-release program and additional judicial offices.

Republican Challenger Jack Coffman said he originally filed to be an at-large candidate for the county council, but switched which office he was running for because people asked him to and because there was a need for more transparency in the office.

Coffman formerly served on the county council.

He also said the budget issue is one of the major problems facing the county and that the county needs to do everything it can to cut spending.

“I don’t think our public can take much more tax increases,” Coffman said.

Again he pointed to infrastructure as a focus and that the county will need to be diligent about ensuring it secures all state and federal funds for which it is eligible.

Another issue was communication between the county offices. He said his relationship as a former council member would help the offices communicate.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re all working together,” Coffman said.

Clark County Commissioners District 1

Democratic Incumbent Clark County Commissioner Ed Meyer said the amount of funding the county has to operate is not feasible.

He explained the county has been operating on a $14 million budget, but the costs to operate the county totals $18 million. He said to cover the costs the county has used up its reserves.

“It’s going to take layoffs, is what it’s going to take. [We] might as well admit it,” Meyer said, referring to what the county will need to do to operate on $14 million.

Among the steps the commissioners have taken to monitor what the county is spending is to approve any purchase more than $500, he said.

Despite the lack of funding for the county, Meyer pointed to River Ridge and the Clark Regional Airport as points of pride.

“It just didn’t happen,” he said, of the effort to get the former Indiana Army Ammunition Plant turned over to the River Ridge Development Authority. “And if it hadn’t had happened then ... we wouldn’t have the jobs that’s coming in now. There are a lot of good things happening for Clark County,” he said.

Republican Challenger Rick Stephenson also picked up on the asset the Clark Regional Airport is for the county.

He agreed with Meyer and pointed to the potential of corporate traffic coming into the airport.

“We can’t be short-sighted on the fact that our county is going to be in the perfect position for massive growth,” Stephenson said. “Once that bridge goes through, we are going to be the hub of this area.”

He said with the increased development at River Ridge, more money will be available to the airport and the county.

“The increased traffic is going to increase revenue,” he said.

Stephenson also touched on the need to improve the county’s infrastructure.

One plan he offered was to set up a regular bridge inspection and repair schedule.

“We need to come in and make sure we can take care of the bridges on a regular basis because if we ... wait until they fall apart, then we’ve got this massive amount of money we need to fix bridges,” he said.

Stephenson also said the county needs to be aggressive in pursuing grants and state and federal funds.

“We need to make sure in five years we can handle the business ... because once the bridge opens we’re going to be open for business,” he said.

Clark County

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