Gubernatorial Hopefuls Talk Jobs, Education at Forum

Recently, the Government Relations Committee hosted the Gubernatorial Candidates at a Chamber luncheon for a forum. All three republican candidates were in attendance and below is the follow-up story provided by Tennessean.com.

Three Republican contenders in the race to be Tennessee’s 49th governor answered questions about their visions for the state at a forum hosted by the Hendersonville Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp answered questions posed by chamber members about the state’s budget crisis, job creation and public education at the chamber’s monthly luncheon held at Bluegrass Yacht and Country Club.

Each of the candidates agreed reining in government spending and kick-starting the state’s economy is the top priority.

Serving as moderator, radio personality Steve Gill kicked off the forum by asking the three Republicans for one specific example of how they would create jobs in Tennessee.

Haslam said he would tailor an economic strategy promoting the assets of each region and vowed his administration would assign a director to focus on developing rural economies throughout the state.

“I think going forward we need a more regional approach to economic development,” he said. “You can always worry about what you don’t have or you can go sell what you do have. We need to be a lot more small business-focused,” he said.

Ramsey, a Blountville, Tenn., auctioneer, said he believes business prospers when government gets out of the way.

“The only thing I want from the government as a small businessman is ‘nothing,’” he said. “Get out of my way, leave me alone and I’ll create the jobs. That’s the administration I’m going to have.”

Wamp, a 16-year congressman from Chattanooga, told the crowd he would create jobs by growing the defense industry and homeland security investments in Tennessee.

Wamp envisions a corridor of military industrial businesses that capitalizes on the state's existing technology centers and would stretch across the state from Huntsville, Ala., to Fort Campbell, Ky., along interstates 24 and 65.

Haslam, Ramsey and Wamp agree that Tennessee needs to remain a right-to-work state with low taxes.
On the state budget

Each of the candidates has a different approach on how he will face budget challenges, but all three agree the state’s budget could be better trimmed.
 

Gubernatorial candidates, from left, Bill Haslam, Ron Ramsey and Zach Wamp, and moderator Steve Gill. (Tena Lee/Sumner County Publications)