Republican Perry Newcom is running for a fourth term as Crittenden County judge-executive.
Newcom has served as Crittenden as judge-executive for Crittenden County – home to more than 9,000 people – for nearly 12 years. He’s running unopposed, with no GOP challenger and no Democrat on the ticket to oppose him in the general election in November.
He says the biggest issue facing the county is supporting and maintaining its infrastructure.
“You do not have to drive very far from region to region to realize the degradation of our infrastructure support with respect to roads and bridges,” Newcom said. “Unfortunately, that is all predicated on a state revenue system.”
Newcom says the state level formula to help support infrastructure needs to be updated.
Crittenden County has recently been the beneficiary of state support. The City of Marion was granted $173,410 in March to build a new water plant. The money came from Kentucky’s Cleaner Water Program. Newcom says he is grateful for all the help his county has received, but there are still issues that need to be addressed.
“As I speak with colleagues across the state it seems more and more general fund dollars are being used to subsidize our road fund dollars,” he added.
Newcom’s plan for the county involves continued cooperation with state legislators to help improve funding allocations. He says he must express the real needs for the county and lobby for change in the system. He says state-level funding has helped the county but he wants assistance to be more “proactive” than “reactive.”
During his time as judge-executive, Newcom has helped bring an air evacuation unit to the Crittenden Community Hospital. The Crittenden County Community Hospital was sold in 2018 to an outside company, a move that saved the county $4 million in debt services.
Newcom says he’s also helped strengthen the county’s fire department, levying fees on citizens' tax forms instead of asking for optional payments to fund the volunteer department’s operation.
Newcom says if anyone who could accomplish more than him ran against him, he would fully support them.
“To me, it’s more about the community than it is about myself,” Newcom said. “That is something that I have always shared openly. Fortunately, I am blessed to be well supported and the majority of people have appreciated what I have been able to do.”
For more information on how to vote in Crittenden County and other communities in west Kentucky visit Kentucky State Board of Elections website.
The 2022 primary elections will take place on May 17. Learn more about races in the region in our Primary Election Voter Guide.
