By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ELECTION GUIDE

Election Guide 2003 Cincinnati.com provides an early look at the Nov. 4 vote with help on getting you registered, lists of area candidates and the latest campaign news. And there's more to come, including candidate profiles - as we get closer to Election Day.

On Nov. 4, Kentucky elects a new governor for the first time since 1995. Republican Ernie Fletcher and Democrat Ben Chandler answer questions about their platforms, the race and each other. Answers were culled through interviews, from debates, through stories reported by The Cincinnati Enquirer, the Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal, and from information their campaigns have supplied.

Q. What are your top priorities for Northern Kentucky?

Chandler: Obviously, the Brent Spence Bridge is absolutely critical. It is ... the most important project to make sure we get done because it is the major artery, the most important artery into and out of the entire commonwealth of Kentucky. Northern Kentucky is the economic engine for our state and we need to pursue all the infrastructure needs that we can possibly support for the area.

Fletcher: It is important that we do provide the infrastructure, because (the region) is an economic engine. The Brent Spence project is a major project we need to get done. What I hear up here is that you don't feel like you have an ear in Frankfort to listen to you. We are going to resolve that (because) we need geographic equity. I'll open an office in Northern Kentucky that can help work on the region's issues and problems.

Q. Are you in favor of legalizing casino gambling in Kentucky, and if so, should gambling be allowed at casinos, at racetracks or a combination of both?

Chandler: If we want to move our education system forward in this state, we do have to have new revenue. Congressman Fletcher thinks it's convenient not to show any leadership. What I support right now is expansion at the tracks. That's not to say at some point it might not go a little further. I think it's perfectly appropriate to have a local option, but I don't know how the thing is going to come out (in the General Assembly) and it's an issue that should go before the voters.

Fletcher: I'll let the voters decide that issue, because I think that's where the decision needs to lie. Now, if it is passed, can we leave the same good ol' boys in Frankfort overseeing that that are overseeing the mess we've got in Frankfort now? I made no commitments regarding a land-based casino (in Northern Kentucky). If the people want to vote for it, then they need to decide whether they want to limit it to slots (at racetracks) or whether they want casinos.

Q. Democrats have held the governor's mansion since 1971. Is it time for a change, or should voters stay the course? And is Gov. Paul Patton's sex scandal part of this debate?

Chandler: One thing we do agree on is that we have been embarrassed by our government in Frankfort. As auditor and as attorney general, I have been vigorous in my efforts to fight corruption, to weed out inefficiencies. But what kind of change do we want? Do we want change with an independent governor who has shown courage to stand up against special interests, shown the courage to stand up against people of his own party? Or do we want government by the special interests, for the special interests, which my opponent has a history of providing?

Fletcher: It's time to make a change. We don't need any more shuffling of chairs. We're at a threshold where we have the opportunity for real change. This state has languished far too long. We must clean up Frankfort, and my opponent has been there for 12 years - eight as the chief law-enforcement officer, when we've seen the most waste, fraud, abuse and scandal that any of us can remember. There will be a new sheriff in town. The era of empty promises will be gone.

Q. Has this been an overly negative campaign, particularly when it comes to television ads?

Chandler: The difference in our ads and Ernie's is that ours are accurate and his are not. Ernie's run a deceitful campaign, an untruthful campaign.

Fletcher: The campaign against me has been one of the nastiest I have ever seen. My record is being distorted in my opponent's ads.

Q. Will you raise the cigarette tax, which at 3 cents a pack is the second-lowest in the nation? It's been said that raising the tax will bring in new revenue while reducing teen smoking.

Chandler: I'm against it because I believe it is a tax on our lowest-income people ... our economy is not good and it's not a time to raise people's taxes when they have less money in their pockets. We are doing a good job in this state of reducing youth smoking. Yes, our rates are too high, but the key to reducing youth smoking is to educate people.

Fletcher: I'm opposed to any stand-alone tax increases, but I am willing to bring the cigarette tax to the table as part of an overall tax modernization. Tax modernization that is revenue neutral is well within (my) pledge not to raise taxes on Kentuckians.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com