— Mary Garrison/Tribune-Courier
Attorney General Jack Conway (standing, left) stopped by the Calvert City Senior Citizens’ Center on a tour of the District 6 area Thursday endorsing Democratic State Represen-tative Candidate Will Coursey (standing, right).

Coursey, Wilson prepare for special state rep election

Beshear visits Calvert
City to campaign
for Coursey


By Mary Garrison
Tribune-Courier Reporter
mgarrison@tribunecourier.com

CALVERT CITY — Enthusiasm ran deep within the walls of the Calvert City Civics Center on Monday as newly elected Governor Steve Beshear stopped in on a brief tour of western Kentucky.

And residents of Marshall County and surrounding areas turned out to show support, including the applauded Marshall County High School Golf team, recently dubbed Kentucky State Champions.

The team honored the new Governor with a plaque for his accomplishments. However, Beshear wasn’t the only one honored at Monday’s ceremony, though. Calvert City Mayor Lynn Jones presented each member of the team, as well as coach Paul Lamb, with the honor of “Lords of Calvert City.”

Jones, Judge Mike Miller, Coursey and Gov. Beshear expressed their pride and heartfelt gratitude to the team before moving on to the issues of the afternoon, in which Beshear addressed public concerns of the budget.

Beshear spoke on the much discussed topic of Kentucky’s recent budget crisis and how he hopes that the citizens of Kentucky will be patient with both he and the General Assembly so that together, the state will once again prosper.

“When I took office back in December, I expected to find the cupboard bare,” Beshear said. “But I didn’t realize that there wouldn’t even be a cupboard.”

Beshear recently implemented strict cost cutting measures in the state’s general budget and the Executive Branch in an effort to offset a $265 million deficit.

“For years we’ve been spending at this level,” Beshear commented, gesturing above his head. “However, our income has only been enough to support spending at this level [which is much lower].”

“We’re going to have to do this just like you all do at home when you’re running short, ladies and gentlemen,” Beshear said. “We’re going to tighten up the belt and sit down to balance the checkbook.”

As reported in previous press releases, the executive branch cost cuts include: reductions in the state work force due to attrition; a contract review; reductions in travel expenses, printing and energy costs, and discretionary spending; a moratorium on furniture and equipment purchases; and speeding up the sale of surplus property.

Beshear is scheduled to present his budget plans before the Kentucky General Assembly on Jan. 29 for consideration.

“We’re all going to have to work together on this if we want to succeed,” Beshear said, addressing the crowd. “And I’m going to need people who are going to work with me for the good of the Commonwealth.”

Beshear said he believes Democratic candidate for the sixth district house seat Will Coursey will work hard to do just that. Beshear also said he is looking forward to working with Coursey to see to the needs of western Kentucky to the best of their ability.

Coursey accepted the Governor’s endorsement enthusiastically amid crowd approval, stating that if elected, he would work hard to be the most accessible member of the constituency.

Coursey went on to emphasize his desire to see the potential of western Kentucky fully realized.

“We have all the infrastructure,” Coursey said. “We have the best in education available to us with Murray State University and Paducah Technical. I want to see us capitalize on that. I want to see to it that when our students graduate, they have a place right here.”

In addition to his desire to see the best and brightest remain in western Kentucky, Coursey said he believes that his is a campaign of experience.

“I fancy myself a young man, still,” Coursey said. “But I know the legislative process well. I know the members of the General Assembly. I know the ropes in Frankfort.”

Governor Beshear returned to Frankfort shortly from his brief stint in the area to prepare for the upcoming budget meetings.

Wilson “will not be
a rubber stamp for
government-”

By Misti Strader
Tribune-Courier News Editor
mstrader@tribunecourier.com

EDDYVILLE – In the upcoming special election for 6th District State Representative, the difference between the two candidates vying for the seat couldn’t be much more vast, says candidate Marvin Wilson.

Aside from the some 30 years separating the two, the biggest difference between them, Wilson says, is experience.

With a diversified background in law, education and agriculture, Wilson said feels he stands poised to bring a wide variety of expertise to serving Western Kentuckians.

“My experience is deeply rooted in education. I started school in a one room school-house and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture Education and a secondary teacher’s certification.” He later went on to earn his law degree.

Wilson said that a legislator’s ability to read and interpret statutory laws they are voting on, drafting and proposing is essential.

Of his opponent, 29 year-old Willie Coursey’s qualifications Wilson said, “Knowing the names of fellow legislators may be qualification enough for an administrative assistant position, but for the position of State Representative, the bar should be set a little higher.”

Add to that an extensive list of volunteer services to his community and the gap between the candidates continues to widen. Wilson has logged countless hours working with organizations such at the Rotary Club, Jaycees, UK College of Ag. Alumni Club, and the Pennyrile Board of Realtors where he served as Past President in each of those organizations.

Wilson and his family have also been very involved in missions work through their church. “I volunteer in my community because my community has given a lot to me. “That is why I am running for office. I want to make our area a better place to live and provide opportunities for our future generations.”

And Wilson said it is important to bring that message to the people. “I will not be a rubber stamp for our government in Frankfort. I will work for the people, representing their interests, their wishes, their values and no one else’s.”
When asked what that means to voters, Wilson said, the message is simple.

“My opponent campaigns on how well he ‘knows people in Frankfort and talks of being able to pull their purse strings.’ I think that is the wrong message to send.”

Wilson acknowledged that he too has close relationships with various legislators in the capitol, however, he noted, “the difference is that I am not tied to any particular special interest group or indebted to any politician.”

If elected, Wilson said some of his top priorities are the preservation of traditional family values in the Commonwealth and continuing to work for regional economic development.

“I have worked with the Riverport Authority, Industrial Development Authority and Chambers of Commerce in securing employers for and seeking to secure other industry in the area. I believe that job creation is the key to providing a secure future for all of our families.”

And providing a secure future for his family is something Wilson said he knows well. “I started out earning a living by working my family’s row crop and livestock farm, but after being injured in a farming accident, I was no longer able to meet the physical demands required on the farm.”

He sought work in the real-estate field where he later earned success in the community as a reputable businessman and community leader. But even with that, Wilson said, “My wife and I knew that we could still not afford the type of education we wanted for our children.”

So, for a period of three years, Wilson made a 200 mile per-day, round trip drive to an the Illinois College of Law, while maintaining a busy real-estate business, earning his law degree.

Another difference in the two candidates Wilson pointed out, is life experience. “I don’t recall exactly what age I started to work on the farm, but I do remember that I was large enough to stand and hold the bucket under the cow, but not big enough to carry it inside the house,” he said with a laugh.

And Wilson said he’s been working ever since. “I certainly understand what it’s like to put in a long day at the office behind a desk and I know what it’s like to put in a long day in at work on the other end of a shovel.”

If elected, Wilson said that he understands that facing a reported $500 million budget shortfall will be no easy task. “I do believe that to some degree, the Governor’s statement of a $500 million shortfall is political rhetoric and I also think it is very unfortunate that our government would seek to remedy the situation by first cutting educational funding.

“We are talking about a reduction of 46 million dollars here. We should certainly not be robbing from our children and taking money out of the classrooms to make up the difference.”

Wilson also addressed recent funding cuts affecting law enforcement agencies across the state.

“We absolutely cannot afford to be taking money away from essential emergency services with homeland security issues being what they are. It is disturbing to me that the talk coming out of Frankfort indicates a cut in those types of services. I certainly am not in favor of that.”

Wilson served as a volunteer firefighter and said, “I understand the hard work, education and unpaid hours that volunteers must dedicate to fill those positions.”

When asked about the political divide that has often reduced local elections to merely a partisan battle, Wilson replied, “This is all about having a representative that will work for a better way of life for everyone, not being a Republican, Democrat, or Independent.

“After the election is over, we are all Western Kentuckians, and we are all neighbors, with a similar desire to make our community the best it can be for our families. I am asking for the opportunity to help us all achieve that goal.”