State Representative candidates focus on education in debate

State Representative Peggy Welch and her opponent John Shean debated last night and shared their views on the many issues concerning the citizens of District 60. The two candidates concentrated the majority of their discussion on taxes, education and economic development.\nThe forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, and is part of a series of several forums that bring local candidates to citizens of the surrounding area. The forum was held at the Monroe County Public Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave., and drew about 35 people to hear the candidates speak.\nShean, a Republican from Ellettsville, concentrated most of his time on issues of improvement -- such as education, tax relief and job opportunities -- as opposed to radical change. \n"Indiana is at a crossroads as we enter the 21st century," Shean said. "People are telling me that they want new leadership and new direction."\nBloomington resident Welch, the incumbent Democrat, focused her efforts to reassure citizens that they need someone in office that's trustworthy and serves the interests of the community.\n"People just need to think about who can best address the issues, even the issues that you have not heard about," Welch said. "I have made myself accessible to people and have worked hard on constituent work."\nShean, who practices law, hopes to bring what he has learned in his profession to better serve the state and citizens of District 60.\n"I feel uneasy about bragging about myself," Shean said. "I feel what I can bring is what I bring to my private profession, which is professional integrity and competency."\nWelch also stressed personal attributes that qualify her for public life.\n"I will not compromise my integrity for anyone," Welch said. "My word is very important and if you talk to my constituents, people will say that 'Peggy, we trust you.' I have to maintain that trust."\nOne of the main focuses of the forum was education. The candidates' debated the government's role in the education of children and students of higher education.\n"To improve education we have to enact new charter schools and secondly we need to enact tuition tax cuts (in the form of vouchers) for people who decide not to send their children to public schools," Shean said.\nWelch disagreed with her opponent on the issue of school vouchers, but she said education is a top priority for both her and the state.\n"Of course we need to increase funds for higher education -- for the main purpose of promoting life-long learning," Welch said.\nWelch also talked about the opportunity that IU brings to the state in the area of high-tech jobs. She said many opportunities will exist in the new computer age for the state and local communities.\nWhile the two candidates' apparent philosophies on government differ, they agreed on many core beliefs -- such as their opposition to abortion, lowering property taxes, containment of health care costs and their support of the proposed I-69 route from Evansville to Indianapolis. \nWelch cited her experience in the Indiana House of Representatives and the relationship that she has built with the people of District 60 as important factors for voters to look at Nov. 7. Welch described her efforts in the area of education and health care in the last two years and the progress that has been made on the state level.\nShean countered with his view that government programs do not need to be expanded.\n"We need to get out of the mentality that government is the solution of all our problems," he said.