On July 26, 2010, a Candidate's Forum was held at the St. Joseph Township Hall in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the 84th Indiana House District Republican Party nominees.  A caucus will be held Saturday, July 31, 2010 to decide the Republican Party's replacement for Randy Borror who recently resigned the position.

Candidates:

• Allen County Commissioner Bill Brown
• Former Fort Wayne Community Schools Board member Jon Olinger
• 3rd Congressional District Director Derek Pillie
• Local business owner Bob Morris

Organizer, sponsor

• Fort Wayne City Councilman Mitch Harper, editor of Fort Wayne Observed

Moderator

• WFFT-TV Fox Reporter Daniel Woodruff

Information about the forum's agenda may be found here.

Mitch Harper and Daniel Woodruff, opening comments

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Jon Olinger's opening statement

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Bob Morris opening statement

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Derek Pillie's opening statement

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Bill Brown's opening statement

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Propositions which the candidates could either take the pro or con position.

RESOLVED: That the Indiana legislature should create a redistricting commission in 2011 to draw state legislative boundaries which would follow these five guidelines:

 

1. Consider no partisan political data
2. Keep communities of interest together
3. Create more compact and geographically uniform districts
4. Maintain population balance
5. 'Nest' 2 state representative districts within state senate district

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RESOLVED: That the legislature should approve Kernan Shepherd recommendations in 2011 - some of which were defeated in the 2010 session - including eliminating the office of township trustee; making the offices of county recorder, surveyor, sheriff and treasurer appointed positions, consolidating small school corporations, and making the office of the city clerk in 2nd class cities a post appointed by the City Council.

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RESOLVED: The legislature should approve legislation that would move an existing casino license from northwest Indiana to northeast Indiana.

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Note - This fourth item was stated as a question - not a proposition.

BACKGROUND: In 2009, the Indiana legislature passed an Unemployment Insurance premium increase.  In the House of Representatives, no House Republican voted for the measure as the Republican caucus considered it a tax increase.  The Senate Republican majority voted for it and did not characterize it as a tax increase.  This year, the legislature did not increase the Unemployment Insurance premium.

QUESTION: Are you in favor of the legislature NOT passing an Unemployment premium increase in 2011 in hopes of a federal bail-out or do you believe a premium increase should be passed this year?  If you are in favor of delaying in hops of federal monies can you reconcile a position in favor of such a bail-out with your position on other federal bail-outs by the Obama administration?

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Bob Morris questions Jon Olinger

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Jon Olinger questions Bob Morris

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Derek Pillie questions Bill Brown

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Bill Brown questions Derek Pillie

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Closing statements

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