Ron Fusselman speaks as candidates introduce themselves for the Huntington TEA Party debate
Candidates for the Indiana House of Representatives Ron Fusselman and Rep. Dan Leonard and State Senate Candidates Jim Banks and Tom Wall participated in a pre-primary debate at the Huntington TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party Friday evening at The Awakening Community Church.
With both political races represented in one debate, topics ranged from homosexual marriage and Second Amendment restrictions to the Fair Tax initiative and immigration reform. Candidates struggled to cram their answers to the audience-submitted questions into one minute before a bell cut them off.
Since the candidates held similar points of view on nearly every issue discussed, Debate Moderator Wil Kline had to encourage candidates to utilize their two one-minute rebuttals. With little to rebut, most of the candidates used them to finish their answers that didn’t fit into 60-second intervals.
One topic that did evoke a variety of responses was how to approach a reduction in state spending.
Wall said after County Council’s recent decision to force every county department to cut seven percent from the budget, he is convinced the state can cut back too.
“County Council cut $945,000 out of county government … it’s still working. I was told there was not fat in county government. I was also told there was not fat in state government.” Wall said. “There are many ways we can stop and get these expenses back in line and we need to go through (the budget) line by line.”
Fusselman said state government has grown too large with too many employees and the people of Indiana don’t need that much oversight.
“I have a wife who is a school teacher who knows how to teach kids and she doesn’t need them to tell her how to teach. It’s time to allow the businesses to run their own business,” he said, noting he believes industries flee to foreign countries like Mexico because its government will leave them alone. “Government likes being big. They aren’t going to like me when I say it, but they haven’t liked me since the day I signed up to run, so I’m not really worried about it.”
Banks said he believes the people of Indiana are taxed heavily to support a state government that is swollen out of proportion.
“Government is too big; it spends way too much money and that’s why we spend way too much in taxes,” Banks said. “I signed a pledge in my campaign: I will not support a tax increase. That is why I support capping our property taxes. The more we restrict the money they receive, the more money we have at the end of the day.”
Leonard countered the other candidates’ remarks by asking them what exactly they would cut from the state budget.
“The government has cut state government by 30 percent in the last year. We have the least number of state employees since 1981. Fifty-five percent of the state budget is K-12 education and another 15 percent is higher ed. Another 15 percent is Medicaid which leaves about 15 percent to cut,” Leonard said, explaining Medicaid is suffering, higher education funding has already been reduced and the recent cut to K-12 education was the state’s last resort. “The government cut K-12 about 4 to 5 percent and it’s tough because I don’t want to cut education. But those are the only places left to cut.”
The candidates also agreed, if elected, they would support Indiana joining a lawsuit against the federal government to declare the recently passed health care bill unconstitutional.
Leonard, who referred to the new health care plan as “debauchery,” said although joining the fight would cost the state about $55,000 in legal fees, the new health care system will cost Indiana a minimum of $25 million.
“The agreements Indiana has made with the Medicaid system with pharmaceutical companies, we know that when this (health care) goes into effect, it will void all those agreements we have,” Leonard said. “Last year the State of Indiana saved over $25 million through those agreements for pharmaceuticals for people on Medicaid. I say the $55,000 is a good bet against the $25 million.”
Banks said the new health care law is a violation of the 10th Amendment and is nothing more than a “power-grab” and a “national takeover.”
“This is about allowing our federal government to get too big, giving away too much of our state’s rights and our state’s sovereignty to the federal government and this lawsuit is about fighting for it back,” Banks said. “That’s why I support it (the lawsuit) wholeheartedly … It’s a paramount issue and I’ll do whatever I can to support the lawsuit and keep off the federal government when they reach too far.”
Banks also commended his opponent, Wall, for jumping on the lawsuit bandwagon. Wall, who had only heard about the issue in the last debate, said he was hesitant to lend support for something he knew nothing about.
“I asked if other states were getting on board with this and I can see they are. I’ve researched this and … I think it’s a good idea,” Wall said. “But I think we should give them a few more bucks and let’s go ahead and fight for our state sovereignty while it’s there. Let’s get it done all at once and protect the state of Indiana.”
Fusselman said the health care plan will do nothing but drain the pockets of American people and Indiana should have sued the federal government a long time ago.
“They mandate this; they mandate that; they un-fund it. You don’t get anything. The state has to pay for it,” Fusselman said. “Do I support this? Absolutely. It’s time to shrink government back down to size so the states and local government can have control. But not really so they have control, so you (the people) have control.”
The candidates also all pledged their support to help bring small businesses and more jobs to the state of Indiana.
Wall reminded the people he sits on three economic development boards to bring more jobs to the Northeast region of Indiana.
“We need jobs. People are hurting and there is 10 to 12 percent unemployment,” Wall said. “Regional economic development is going to be a win for everyone living here. At the state level, I want to help keeping on this with the local economic development groups.”
Fusselman said it’s vital for the state to make it easier for local businesses to open and prosper.
“Simplify it, simplify it, simplify it. Lower the tax rate … give them the best atmosphere in Indiana and they’ll come here,” said Fusselman, who owns the local coffee shop Coffee D’Vine. “The state doesn’t get it. It’s time to make it easier and not cost them as much money. That will help.”
Leonard said Fusselman hit the nail on the head.
“Ron has it exactly right. We need to give them more tax breaks to incentivise them to hire people,” he said, noting Indiana, formerly ranked 24th, is now ranked the seventh in the nation as a business-friendly state. He also said he during his time in office he sponsored a bill which included a pilot program allowing developing companies to request tax abatements. “Lowering taxes will make Indiana a more business-friendly state will increase business.”
Banks said the easiest way to produce growth is to limit government spending, reduce the size and scope of government and tax businesses less.
“You’ll see more jobs created when you do that,” Banks said, explaining his campaign chairman, the economic director of Wabash, has been helping him develop ideas to help level the economic playing fields between larger cities like Indianapolis and Fort Wayne and rural areas. “We’ve got some ideas to do that and it won’t cost taxpayers money and it will be fair and overall attract more businesses to rural Indiana.”
The TEA Party also featured two guest speakers: Jim O’Donnell, associate professor of business and economics and executive in residence at Huntington University, and U.S. history teacher and Kokomo radio personality Peter Heck.
O’Donnell expressed concern over growing national debt which he said has not been this high since World War II. He encouraged the people to pay attention to what’s going on in Washington and get involved to help put a stop to the Obama administration’s plans, which he said will continue to grow the nation’s deficit – already the size of “the monster that devoured Cleveland” – until the year 2020.
Heck gave a history lesson about the Declaration of Independence, which he said provided the underpinnings of the Constitution’s grand design. Using the founding fathers’ description from the Declaration, Heck compared the Obama administration’s push to pass the health care bill to the tyranny of King George prior to the Revolutionary War. He encouraged everyone to consider the future liberty of those yet unborn and act worthy of the honorable title of “Americans.”
Straw Poll Results
State Representative Race
Ron Fusselman 92
Dan Leonard 84
State Senate Race
Jim Banks 138
Tom Wall 45
Peter Heck speaks before the debate at the Huntington TEA Party debate for state House and Senate debate
"Ben Franklin" speaks at the Huntington TEA Party debate
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