AARP West Virginia, West Virginia Press Association hosting Oct. 4 debate at Clay Center in Charleston
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The 2016 West Virginia Gubernatorial Debate set for Oct. 4 at the Clay Center in Charleston is just weeks away and questions from residents around the state are rolling in for Republican Bill Cole and Democrat Jim Justice.
Debate organizers — the West Virginia Press Association and AARP West Virginia — are collecting questions from residents at [email protected].
Consider these questions that have been submitted:
— How can we improve our state’s education system that is ranked 49th in the country? What steps would you take to improve our low graduation rates?
— What are your thoughts on the decriminalization and/or legalization of marijuana? Would you push for either here in West Virginia? If West Virginia legalized and taxed the sales of marijuana, where would you want to put that earned revenue?
— With the decline of coal as a career and energy source, what steps would you take to promote new forms of energy generation and bring in new jobs associated with that new energy source?
— After two months, revenue is $48 million below estimates. Why is it off so much so soon, and how are you planning to get realistic numbers in the future?
— McDowell County was once the leading coal producer in the nation and supported the state with revenue from coal production. Now that coal industry has declined and will never return to its previous status, McDowell County has lost over half of its population and the people who remain are struggling to make a living. What do you plan to do to boost the economy, develop industry (other than coal) and provide opportunity to those in McDowell and other coal-producing counties?
— As governor, what specifically would you do to help promote local business and entrepreneurs to succeed? (i.e. work on facilitating meetings with local start-up businesses with venture capitalists, utilizing colleges and universities to create new ideas, improve public infrastructure to better allow goods to be shipped, etc.).
Questions submitted to [email protected] will be considered and used to help formulate the final questions for the debate:
The debate is a 60-minute event and will be televised statewide on WVPB’s West Virginia Channel. Additionally, the 30-minute post debate analysis featuring West Virginia journalists will also be televised statewide on WVPB’s West Virginia Channel. Both will also be live-streamed and available for your media websites.
It’s very interesting to see the issues being suggested from across the state,” said Don Smith, executive director of the West Virginia Press Association. “Numerous questions addressing the revenue issues, the future of the coal industry and thoughts on legalizing marijuana have been submitted. We want residents to share their personal concerns and the major concerns from their region of West Virginia.”
Questions and suggestions can be emailed to this newspaper or to [email protected]
Between now and Oct. 4, organizers will collect questions and work with professionals, experts, members of the media and members of the public across West Virginia to finalize questions for the debate. Organizers will also reach out to educational, business, industry, social and civic leaders for input.
“All of this information will be gathered and used to formulate the actual debate questions,” Smith said.
Organizers have outlined 10 general areas of interest and all questions should fall within the 10 general areas:
No. 1 – Current Events/Disaster Response & Recovery
No. 2 – Economic Development/Job Creation
No. 3 – Issues Facing West Virginia’s Aging Population
No. 4 – Substance Abuse
No. 5 – Second Amendment Rights
No. 6 – Access to Health Care
No. 7 – Infrastructure: Highways and Broadband
No. 8 – Size of Government
No. 9 – Taxes & Revenues
No. 10 – Education
