Republican candidates for the Alabama District 12 House of Representative seat spoke on topics ranging from ethics to water conservation Friday at a public forum.

Lawyers Greg Johnson and Stephen Parker, county commissioner Wayne Willingham and entrepreneur Bill Floyd will be on the ticket for the Republican primary this Tuesday.

Representatives from the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce and The Cullman Times led the forum.

The chamber’s governmental affairs committee chairman, Seth Thompson, asked candidates what they felt would be the biggest challenge facing the Alabama Legislature in the next few years.

Floyd took the floor first and said he felt like the last legislative session’s political gridlock will be one of the biggest challenges lawmakers will have to face.

“The second thing is integrity and honesty in government,” he said.

Johnson followed and said he thought one of the biggest challenges would be overcoming personal agendas to speak on behalf of constituents.

“Whoever you send to Montgomery needs to know who the employer is and who the employee is,” he said. “They must put aside political differences.”

Parker said he perceives the main issue to be the future of ethical reform, specifically PAC (political action committee)-to-PAC transfers.

“We can’t have an effective Legislature if (legislators) don’t have respect for those who put them in office,” he said.

Willingham said taxation and immigration will be prominent challenges in the near future.

“We have to stop open-end increases in taxes,” Willingham said.

ETHICS REFORMS

Each candidate was then asked their personal opinions about ethics reforms in Alabama and why measures to change ethical standards have failed to pass.

Johnson said he feels ethical reforms consistently fail to pass because most legislators in office are already supported by PACs and special-interest groups. He said he feels representatives should be public servants and not accept PAC money.

“Many things could be accomplished but they are not going to happen if people don’t put aside special interests,” he said.

Parker said he thinks lack of political will and courage are weaknesses in Legislature that prevents ethical reforms from being made.

“People see the trips and the dinners...they want it to continue,” he said. “They have a feeling of entitlement.”

He said he would support full disclosure of all lobbyists’ expenditures.

Willingham said he was supported by political action committee ALFA (Alabama Farmers’ Federation) and not ashamed of their contributions and support.

“I’m against PAC-to-PAC transfers,” he said. “I’m not ashamed of taking ALFA’s money because I’m a working man and I need the money.”

Willingham said he was in favor of having an open-door policy if he were to be elected.

Floyd said he thinks most of the ethical conflict in the Legislature comes from a lack of transparency.

“They like it like that,” he said. “We’re going to have to change the mindset of the people there.”

Floyd said one thing he feels could change the ethical standard of the state’s Legislature is eliminating voice votes.

“There needs to be a recorded vote,” he said.

PARTISANSHIP

Thompson asked candidates how they would work past partisan boundaries to represent the district, in light of last year’s legislative stalemate.

“(Former District 12 representative) Neal Morrison did a wonderful job (of crossing partisan lines),” Parker said. “He was a statesman and not a politician.”

Parker said he believes he has the temperament to communicate well with others of different beliefs and said he thinks a representative should be willing to bend a little to build relationships with other delegates.

Willingham said it takes “sheer leadership” to maneuver through partisan bias.

“I’m capable of working with anyone,” he said. “I run on the Republican ticket because I believe in their values.”

Floyd said effective communication is key to getting the job accomplished.

“Some things you can not compromise on...morals or personal beliefs,” he said. “You try to find a common ground to be to the benefit of all of Cullman County and the State of Alabama.”

Johnson said a strong character is essential to leading in a Legislature of dissenting opinions.

“You have to be brash and to the point,” he said, and continued by listing honor and integrity as traits of an effective leader.

“I believe I have these traits and I will be able to unify Legislature for a common cause.”

WATER SUPPLIES

The other forum moderator, Derek Price, editor of The Cullman Times, asked candidates what they thought about Alabama’s long-term water plan and what should be done differently to ensure adequate water supplies in the future.

Willingham said he thinks the issue is growing in prominence and is something legislators will have to stay up-to-date with, however he said the issue will mostly need to be dealt with on a local level.

“It’s something we’re going to have to be up on,” he said. “Water is soon going to be our greatest commodity.”

Floyd said he agreed local governments should be more concerned with managing water than the state government should be.

“We need to look at where the water is coming from, the cost of it and the cost of processing,” he said. “I don’t know what the solution is but locally we need to not close any doors.”

Johnson said he suggests building a reservoir.

“We need an independent reservoir,” he said. He said tapping into Smith Lake is not an option and the state should encourage municipalities to build reservoirs.

Parker said he supports the county’s duct project to pipe water in from the Tennessee River.

“As far as what Legislature can do, I think this is a local issue,” he said. “When government money is involved, it comes with strings. The best thing is for the state to back off.”

IMMIGRATION

Each candidate was then asked to share his thoughts on immigration.

Floyd said he thinks federal laws need to be enforced by all branches of law enforcement, even to a local level.

“We need to enforce the law when we’ve got them,” he said. “(Illegal immigrants) should be held and prosecuted.”

“Law enforcement is one thing but the next thing is we need a strong Legislature to go to Washington,” Johnson said.

“I do not believe they (illegal immigrants) are entitled to one red cent of state or federal money,” he said.

Parker said illegal immigration control starts in Washington.

“It’s not right for the country and it’s not right for the state,” he said.

Willingham said he agreed illegal immigration is a federal issue but said it is also a state problem and requires effective leadership on a state level to take concerns to the capital.

CORRUPTION

Candidates were asked what they thought about recent corruption in the state’s two-year college system.

“This is something that has been going on for decades,” Johnson said. “We have to send people with the will to recognize problems (to Legislature).”

Parker said each legislator will have a personal agenda but there needs to be an increase in transparency to make sure lawmakers are not showing preference to any special-interest groups.

“It comes down to accountability,” Willingham said. “It’s been going on for so long that it’s just business as usual now.”

Floyd said the problems in state agencies now can be attributed to how the system began.

“The system was established so political debts could be paid by hiring someone into a position,” he said. “We need people with integrity there.”

INFRASTRUCTURE

Forum moderators then asked the candidates how he would identify what was the most-needed infrastructure in his district.

“I would go out and talk to people in specific areas,” Parker said. “A lot of relationship building will have to be done...Look for where the need is and then get the money.”

Willingham said he would ask what the needs are and provide the leadership to work the right people to get what was needed in Cullman County.

Floyd said his focus would be on following through the promises already made to the area, such as widening the I-65 overpass on County Road 222 to a four-lane.

“I would identify the real needs and not somebody’s pet project,” he said.

“Build it and they will come,” Johnson said. “We must prioritize based on what it will take to get businesses here.”

Johnson said focus on infrastructure, education and business would bring all aspects of the community together for a better way of life for Cullman County residents.

RELIGIOUS BELIEF

Finally, each was asked how he would decide when to draw the line between his personal beliefs and his obligations as a legislator.

“My personal beliefs will play a strong factor in everything I do,” Willingham said.

Floyd said he agreed.

“I will draw a line between my personal beliefs and issues in Montgomery,” he said. “But if a vote does not honor God or reflect Biblical beliefs, that’s the line.”

“You better believe it will be a fine line,” Johnson said. He said he will stand by issues close to him, such as his opposition to abortion.

“I will take the values of Cullman County to Montgomery,” he said.

Parker said he will keep in mind his religious views may differ from other legislators’ but that he will always stand for what he feels is right.

“Some things are right, some things are wrong,” he said. “Regardless of what the polls say...it comes down to what is right. Yes there is a line and that will not be crossed.”

CLOSING REMARKS

In his closing statement, Floyd said he has learned the value of hard work through his life experiences and will use those values to shape his decisions in Montgomery.

“My core values are going to be honesty and integrity in government,” he said. He listed his key platforms as being education, property value reappraisal every four years, adequate funding for education and economic development.

Parker closed by saying his platform is “very simple.”

“I’d love to see us do away with sales tax on groceries and over-the-counter medication,” he said. “It’s an undue burden and there is enough fat in the budget we can cut.”

Johnson said he feels he is best qualified of the candidates to represent the district and also advocated abolishing tax increases.

Willingham said he would work hard to protect small businesses in the states.

“Small businesses are the backbone of this country,” he said. “I will fight off undue taxes on businesses.”

He said he would also take Cullman’s values to Montgomery and maintain an open-door policy to hear the problems and ideas of Cullman-area voters.

The District 12 primary election will be held Tuesday.