R.L. Clark

Age: 75
Residence: Asheville
Occupation: small business owner/operator
Education: B.S. business administration, M.Ed., WCU
Party: Republican
Political experience: N.C. Senate 1995-96, '97-98

1. Do you support allowing individual municipalities to enact their own campaign-finance reform ordinances?

Yes.

2. Do you believe the state's ethics law for legislators is adequate? If not, how would you change it?

Yes. Additional laws will do nothing but cause legislators to invent new ways to circumvent them. A legislator is either honest or dishonest!

3. What's your position on the proposed passenger-rail service between Raleigh and Western North Carolina?

This is pie-in-the-sky dreaming of another way to spend taxpayer money, whether it be local, state or federal.

4. Would you support state funding for renovating or rebuilding the Asheville Civic Center? Why or why not?

No. Point out in the U.S. or N.C. constitutions the responsibility of government to provide entertainment for its citizens by taxation.

5. Do you support a public-funding option for Council of State candidates, similar to the judicial public-financing system approved in 2002? Why?

No. Do not support government controlling who candidates for elected office are. This infringes on citizens' First Amendment rights.

6. What do you plan to do to ensure equitable distribution of state lottery funds to WNC?

If the lottery is not declared unconstitutional, I would introduce legislation to amend the current law to ensure the equitable distribution.

7. Name three state budget areas or items that should be reduced and three that should be increased.

Reduced: Slush funds ... for use by the governor, president pro tem of the House and Senate, and speaker of the House. Appropriations to nonprofits; state gas tax.

Increased: Mental-health funds for direct client services, funds going directly to the classroom for students and teachers, and the judicial system (courts).

8. Would you approve additional local-option rooms-and-meals or food-and-beverage taxes for Buncombe County? Under what circumstances?

No.

9. As WNC's land prices skyrocket, would you support tools -- such as the property-transfer tax or inclusionary zoning -- to help communities keep housing affordable?

No.

10. What most distinguishes you from your opponents in this primary?

Education, experience (workplace and political).

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