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Lt Gov Candidates Speak at Paducah Chamber of Commerce Forum

Rob Canning
/
WKMS

Kentucky’s lieutenant governor candidates have contrasting views on how the state should handle the financial health of rural hospitals but both agree to rolling back taxes for Kentuckians.  

Republican Jenean Hampton and Democratic candidate Sannie Overly spoke at the Paducah Chamber of Commerce Lieutenant Governor forum Thursday.  

In yesterday's gubernatorial debate on Kentucky Sports Radio, Republican candidate Matt Bevin said he would cast a vote for retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson in the 2016 presidential election.  Bevin had previously supported the candidacy of Sen. Rand Paul, who is expected to stump for Bevin this weekend in Frankfort. Bevin later took to Twitter to say he wasn't endorsing any presidential candidates but that he would #StandWithRand.

But when asked a reiteration of the same question at today's forum, Bevin's running-mate affirmed her support in the Bowling Green republican. 

“I would probably vote for Rand Paul,” said Hampton. “He’s from my hometown, and he supported me last year when I ran for a different office. He’s been a Liberty candidate and I love what he’s doing in the Senate. My choice would be Senator Rand Paul.”

“Well, I’m glad they got that corrected,” said Overly, who went on to say that she would support the democratic candidate whoever it may be.  

Religious Exemptions 

In light ofthe recent controversy surrounding a Kentucky county clerk refusing to follow state law to issue marriage licenses citing a religious exemption, the candidates were asked if there was a duty in state office they would seek such an exemption for.

"I think what we've seen within our state and our nation is that emotions really are running high on both sides of that issue as Kentucky and other states seek to implement the Supreme Court decision," said Overly, running-mate to democratic Attorney General Jack Conway.  "Jack and I are both in favor of looking at a very narrowly tailored exemption to provide accommodations for religious freedom so long as we do that in a general session of the Kentucky General Assembly, because we don't think it's right to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to call a special session. In my role as lieutenant governor, I don't foresee an issue where my religious freedoms would be impaired." 

But Hampton, a veteran of the US Air Force, responded by saying that state officers should obey their orders, so long as those orders are lawful. 

"The Supreme Court doesn't always get it right," said Hampton. "I would hope that if we all lived in the age where I would be considered property that that would be a law that you would disobey. I would also point out that as a military officer, we are charged with obeying the orders above us, but there is a caveat that you may be unaware of, if you never served: the orders must be lawful, and the person that decides that is each of us. Each of us has a moral compass that we bring to our jobs and I would never renounce my faith over my duties, but that said, I cannot anticipate any duties that would come into conflict with my faith as a Christian."  

Rural Hospitals/Healthcare

A 2015 State Auditor report found a number of Kentucky’s rural hospitals in either “fair” or “poor” condition. That report indicated that the hospitals struggled because of a decline in private insurance.

Earlier this year, Parkway Regional Hospital in Fulton County closed its doors to the community and created a devastated economic impact.

Hampton says, if elected, she would work to roll back the expensive requirements on hospitals from the Affordable Care Act.   

“So I would like to see little bit less regulation," said Hamtpon. "We’ve the seen the negative effects of Obama Care where the government is dictates from the top down, and it does have the effect on our health care decisions, on our health care providers.”

But Overly says Hampton’s running-mate's opposition to Certificate of Need laws for underfunded hospitals would have a “devastating effect."

“If we repealed CoN in Kentucky, our rural hospitals would become more vulnerable," said Overly. "You would see more of them go out of business as other providers came in, cherry-picked more lucrative services and left those rural hospitals to fail.”

Tax Reform

Overly says she and Conway will take a keen look at the state tax structure; specifically the inventory tax.

“It’s a tax that makes Kentucky companies not competitive with companies in other states and it is one that is hard to collect," said Overly. "So we’ll take a hard look at repealing the inventory tax.”

However, Hampton says she will work to strip back taxes for all Kentuckians.

 

“And so we would aim to lower the overall tax system, to simplify it, and the aim is to keep dollars in families’ pockets," said Hampton. "When our families have more to spend, that money goes into the economy and that’s a win for all concerned.”  

 

The last day to register to vote in the 2015 statewide elections is next Monday, October 5th. 

Rob Canning is a native of Murray, KY, a 2015 TV Production grad of Murray State. At MSU, he served as team captain of the Murray State Rowing Club. Rob's goal is to become a screenwriter, film director or producer and looks to the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie for inspiration. He appreciates good music, mainly favoring British rock n' roll, and approves of anything with Jack White's name on it. When not studying, rowing or writing, Rob enjoys spending his free time with a book or guitar.
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