ELECTION 2004 - OHIO Races for the Ohio statehouse Ohio 8th Senate District Ohio 14th Senate District Ohio 28th House District Ohio 29th House District Ohio 30th House District Ohio 31st House District Ohio 33rd House District ELECTION 2004 - KENTUCKY Battling for a seat in Frankfort Kentucky 17th Senate District Kentucky 23rd Senate District Kentucky 61st House District Kentucky 67th House District

Jack Westwood: Northern Kentucky, because of its prosperity, is a "donor" region to the rest of the state. Kenton County only gets approximately 65 cents back for every dollar sent to Frankfort. We need to improve on that return. If we can't fund our own infrastructure adequately there's a real danger that we could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. As a member of the Appropriations & Revenue Committee I was able to include NKU's Special Events Center and expansion of Gateway College in the budget along with millions of dollars for water, sewer, and road projects for the region.

Kathryn Groob: Citizens in Northern Kentucky value education and want the state government to properly fund school districts and provide competitive salaries and benefits to school employees. Understanding that Northern Kentucky has been successful with economic development, Kentucky needs to provide adequate resources for Northern Kentucky University and Gateway Technical College so they can provide an educated, skilled workforce. The rising costs of health insurance and the growing uninsured population are priorities for individuals, health care providers, businesses and our cities. Adequate road funding and initiatives to fuel growth in our older cities are also high priorities for the 23rd District.

What should be done to resolve the chronic budget impasse in the legislature, and how can you help in that process?

Jack Westwood: House leadership must be willing to work out differences over the budget with Senate leadership. Twice the Senate voted to pass the budget, but House leadership refused to allow its members to vote on that budget. The House should elect new leaders who will allow members to vote on important legislation. If they were permitted to vote, we would have a budget. There's little that one person outside of leadership can do. Bringing stakeholders for the budget to the table with party leaders to clarify the importance of passing a budget would help, and I did that on several occasions.

Kathryn Groob: Obviously, if we keep sending the same people to Frankfort we will keep getting the same results. We need new people, like myself, who are willing to the put the interests of the commonwealth of Kentucky before the interests of a political party. The failure of the Legislature to not pass a budget twice requires tough action. I will sponsor legislation to amend the Constitution to require passage of a budget; requiring legislators to remain in session without pay until the job is completed.