GOP House candidates discuss issues at forum
Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2008
BELLA VISTA — District 95 state legislative candidates differed again Friday over how a state lawmaker should handle the issue of lobbyists and their meals for lawmakers.
Republican candidates Duncan Baird and Linda Bisbee were among candidates who addressed the Republican Men of Benson County.
Baird stressed, as he has in previous forums, that he wouldn’t accept meals and other gifts from lobbyists.
“ I’ve made a personal pledge to you: I won’t accept (from lobbyists ) food or drinks or other gifts not available to the general public, ” Baird told the Republican Men.
Baird’s opponent, Bisbee, challenged Baird, pointing out that Baird’s campaign had accepted a $ 250 contribution from a Political Action Committee.
Baird and Bisbee, who have differed on the meals-and-lobbyists question in many previous candidate forums, engaged in a spirited discussion of the issue that was still going on after the meeting ended Friday.
Bisbee’s campaign had accepted a contribution from the same Arvest PAC that was identical to Baird’s, and she saw nothing wrong with that but couldn’t understand a distinction Baird wanted to make between accepting campaign help from PACs on the one hand, and eating lunch with a lobbyist on the other, Bisbee said.
Lobbyists often have lots of information on specific issues that lawmakers consider, and it only makes sense to see what the lobbyists think, she said.
She supports full disclosure and believes voters can learn the facts and determine for themselves how well their interests are being represented, Bisbee said.
Candidates are required to list and disclose all but small campaign donations and expenditures. And in any case, if she were elected, her vote in the Arkansas House, like that of many legislators, simply could not be “ bought, ” Bisbee said.
Baird said he wasn’t questioning Bisbee’s or anybody else’s personal ethics.
He intended the no-gifts pledge only as one person’s — his — way of starting to change things for the better, not as an ultimate solution for other candidates or lawmakers on ethical issues, he said.
“(His pledge not to take gifts ) is personal, not political, ” he said.
He does see a difference between campaign donations, which help candidates get their messages to the voters, and a personal gift to a candidate or a public official, Baird said.
A Wisconsin law prohibits gifts of food and beverages to legislators, except when the food and beverages are being made available to the public at a public forum, Baird said. He wanted to let Arkansas voters know that, if elected, he would not accept gifts that were not being made available to the public, Baird said.
Both candidates also pledged to support property rights; to oppose abortion; and to support state assistance in enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Candidates Vickey Boozman and Tim Summers, running for the District 99 House seat, both oppose new taxes and talked about government spending and other issues.
Government is like a household in that when there is not enough money to fund all spending, priorities have to be set and respected, Boozman said.
Expanding the tax base, not raising taxes, has been a winning formula for northwest Arkansas and Benton County, and Summers would like to see that formula continue to be used, he said.
District 100 candidates Mary Lou Slinkard and Byron Warren talked about their experience. Warren is a Gravette City Council member and a firefighter. Slinkard is the Benton County clerk.
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