Local candidates for this fall's General Assembly elections demonstrated clear ideological differences as they debated the role of government in social programs in an issue forum hosted by the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy last night.
The forum, held at Park Street Christian Church before about 150 people, included state Sen. Emily Couric, D-Charlottesville, her challenger Jane Maddux (R), Del. Paul Harris, R-58th, and his challenger Ed Wayland (D), and Del. Mitch Van Yahres, D-57th.
Overseen by a moderator, the candidates tackled questions concerning social issues including: higher wages for University employees, the cost of housing, state death sentence appeals, health care and day care.
Throughout the discussions, Democrats Wayland and Van Yahres emphasized the need for government programs while Republicans Maddux and Harris highlighted the importance of tax cuts and community efforts to provide social relief.
Harris staked out his ideological position in the beginning. In answering a question about day care, he warned of being overly dependent on government.
"We can't solve these problems with government alone," Harris said.
In an answer to a question about the Living Wage Campaign -- an effort to raise the state determined wages of University workers -- Harris said comprehensive partnerships between the government and faith-based organizations "are the best hope for alleviating poverty."
Maddux also mentioned that the government should cooperate with faith-based organizations. But Wayland, Van Yahres and Couric all said they supported a "living wage" for University workers.
Harris also attacked past government social spending programs, such as the national War on Poverty, but Wayland argued that similar social programs have worked in the past.
"Poverty did in fact decrease in the War on Poverty," Wayland said.
Couric stressed two points throughout the forum: keeping public education the top priority, and the keeping the economy strong.
"I believe the public school system will always be the best way to provide people the means to earn" a decent wage, she said. "We must fund public education first."
The candidates also addressed the "21 day rule" concerning appeals of the death sentence. In Virginia Commonwealth courts, a death sentence cannot be appealed after 21 days from the day of judgement, even if evidence of the defendant's innocence appears.
The Democrats all supported an appeal of the rule.
"I believe we should change the law," Van Yahres said.
The Democrats said it was unjust to allow people to be executed when evidence existed indicating their innocence. However, both Republicans supported the rule.
They said without "finality," the justice system would be bogged down in appeals.
"We'll have no criminal justice system at all" if the opportunity for appeal remains after sentence, Harris said.
Turning to the housing situation in Charlottesville, Wayland said it is important to focus on the needs of residents.
"The cost of housing remains a serious problem," he said.
It is the responsibility of local governments to plan for housing for lower-income residents, he added.
"Where will the poor among us live?" Wayland asked.
Harris praised the Virginia Housing Development Authority because it is a self-sufficient organization that helps build low income housing and is not subsidized by government funds.
The candidates also laid out the priorities in their platforms during the debate.
Couric listed public education, health care and protecting the quality of life in Virginia. Harris highlighted the importance of strong families, while Maddux outlined education, tax cuts and health care.
Van Yahres listed an array of issues, including the preservation of some of the state's tobacco settlement for health care research.
Wayland also fell in with Couric on the importance of education.
"Education also comes first for me," he said.
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