LAFAYETTE, IN — The Journal & Courier asked candidates in contested primary races to answer questions to help voters learn about them.
A complete list of Tippecanoe County candidates on the May 5 Primary Election ballot can be found online.
Republicans Tracy Brown and Oscar Alvarez are vying to be the GOP candidate for Indiana House 27th District in the fall election. Whoever wins will face Democratic candidate Sheila Klinker.
Alvarez chose not to participate in this news report.
Tell us about yourself
Brown: Age: 63. Current occupation and any previous political experience: Tippecanoe County commissioner from 2015 to present; Tippecanoe County sheriff from 2007 to 2014. The city you live in: Lafayette.
What are the three biggest issues you’re hearing from constituents in this election cycle?
Brown: Indiana is struggling to attract and retain teachers. Low starting pay and limited long-term earning potential are keeping people out of the profession and pushing experienced teachers away. My wife, Beth, has taught in the Tippecanoe School Corp. for nearly 38 years, and through her, and many friends in education, I’ve seen both the strengths of our local schools and the challenges facing the profession. While we’re fortunate to have strong schools here, that’s not the case everywhere in the state.
There is a growing concern that decisions impacting our communities are moving toward a one-size-fits-all approach at the state level. Land use and natural resource decisions affect infrastructure, economic development, and quality of life, and they work best when local communities have a strong voice in the process.
As a cancer survivor, I have seen firsthand the volume of care being delivered by outstanding providers in our community. In some areas of the state, there are simply too many patients and not enough providers, creating real barriers to timely access, especially in primary care, mental health and specialty services. Even here at home, as we add two additional hospitals to the two we already have, I have concerns about how those facilities will be adequately staffed.
How do you plan to address those issues if elected?
Brown: On education: We need to grow the pipeline and keep good teachers in the classroom. One approach is to expand loan repayment and incentive programs for teachers, similar to what worked to bring physicians into underserved areas. At the same time, we have to keep pushing for better starting pay and long-term compensation.If we do both, we’ll attract more people into teaching and keep the good ones we already have.
On local control: We need to maintain local control while strengthening collaboration between state and local government. The General Assembly should provide clear guidelines, share best practices, and be a partner in helping communities make informed decisions, not replace them.
As a former sheriff and current county commissioner, I’ve worked through these issues from both a public safety and local government perspective. I understand how decisions made at different levels impact real communities. I will continue to support local decision-making while encouraging a collaborative approach that brings the state and communities together.
On health care: The best way to address this is by strengthening the health-care workforce. That means expanding in-state training opportunities and supporting loan repayment programs tied to underserved areas. It also means taking a thoughtful look at current regulations to ensure they are not unintentionally limiting access to care, while always maintaining high standards.
We should also continue to support solutions like telehealth and team-based care to extend the reach of providers and improve access across Indiana.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: GOP House candidate eyes education, health care and local control
Reporting by Ron Wilkins and Jillian Ellison, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
