KITTANNING -- The four Armstrong County Commissioner candidates came together for a televised debate in the commissioners' conference room Wednesday.
The Armstrong County Chamber of Commerce and Leader Times sponsored debate forum was the first gathering of the candidates where they talked head-to-head about the issues of the county.
For an hour and a half, Republican candidates Jim Scahill and Patty Kirkpatrick and Democratic candidates Jack Dunmire and Rich Fink debated the budget, promoting industrial parks and communities, new and existing business development, tax incentives and job creation and retention.
The two incumbent candidates, Dunmire, a former banker, and Scahill, a former lobbyist, had the advantage of being incumbents in answering questions, although Kirkpatrick, an education specialist, and Fink, a retired coal miner, delivered equally well-thought out answers.
Each candidate presented comprehensive views that showed little differences in how they would handle issues facing the county commissioners. The candidates mostly agreed on how to run the county.
The candidates disagreed only in their ranking of priorities and favorite causes.
Scahill said tax reform was first with him, followed by keeping the county at the table with state and federal government.
Dunmire stressed the importance of developing our industrial parks and industrial base, while shifting from a manufacturing economy to a high-tech one.
Kirkpatrick and Fink both listed jobs retention and creation as their top priority. Kirkpatrick said workforce education would help in the area of jobs while Fink said tax reform was the answer to the job question.
The candidates said they had unique special talents to bring to the office.
Scahill said his first talent was being able to listen to people and then try to get them where they want to go.
"My first talent is overlooked because of my second talent, talking, because I talk so much," Scahill said. "The county needs a good lobbyist."
Fink's skill is management. He said he would work with the county's employees and departments to make them feel as though they are a resource and part of the team.
Dunmire said he can deal with people making use of his organizational and financial background.
Kirkpatrick talked about serving in many leadership roles with various community organizations.
All of the candidates said they favor tax incentives such as KOZs.
They all see the office as a full-time job.
Last year's county budget was balanced with the help of a windfall. The candidates were questioned whether they would raise taxes or cut expenses to get a balanced budget. None offered to raise taxes.
The candidates were asked how they as commissioners would continue to develop the Northpointe Industrial Park?
"Much of it is already in place," Dunmire said. "Individual lots are not developed and we should make sure we market those lots."
"We must have retail," Kirkpatrick said of the park. "People want a convenience store and a gas station."
The candidates were asked about the county's ranking of importance in cleaning up the former Numec/B&W property in Apollo. All of the candidates favored the county's involvement.
"I'm in favor of the county playing a major role," Fink said.
Asked about creating an opportunity for new housing development and making the county a bedroom community, the candidates responded.
"You're going to want to have jobs too," Scahill said. "We need to find some tax incentives for young homebuyers to buy a house in a town. That's where our problems are."
Dunmire wants to give tax incentives to anyone in the county.
"We are going to become a bedroom community of Pittsburgh even with the high-tech jobs we have," Dunmire said. "We are going to have homes built, with the infrastructure."
Kirkpatrick's said there has to be tax reform before housing develops.
"We're pricing our communities out of new housing," Kirkpatrick said.
According to Fink, the best incentive is tax reform.
"Abolish property taxes for a sales tax," Fink said.
For those who missed the live debate, the program will be re-broadcast on Family Life TV at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
