Herron says he'll fight for jobs, less spending

April 13, 2010

By KEVIN SAULS and BONNIE LILL
The Stewart Houston Times

State Sen. Roy Herron is seeking a seat in Congress and, to that end, made campaign stops in Houston and Stewart counties last Thursday.

Herron (D-Dresden) shook hands and spoke for about an hour at Fitz’s Restaurant in Erin and then met supporters at the courthouse in Dover.

In Houston County, he spent most of his time on jobs – or the lack of them – in an area with more than 12 percent unemployment.

 “If I get the chance to represent you in Washington, my top three priorities will be jobs, jobs and jobs,” Herron said. “My next three will be cut the spending, cut the spending, cut the spending.”

Though it is the Democrat-controlled Congress that has sent the country and the economy reeling with record spending and deficits, Herron told his audience he would be “as conservative with your dollars as I am with my own. If you know a tighter person than me, I’d like you to introduce him to me.”

He is running in the 8th Congressional District, which covers 19 counties from Memphis in the west to Clarksville in the east.

Herron said he is optimistic about the Highland Rim’s economic future for a number of reasons:

The joint Stewart-Houston Industrial Park. “The state has been trying to get counties to work together. You’ve all been ahead of the curve on that.”

 “The quality of people. You have the right values and right work ethic that attracts businesses.”

The business climate in Tennessee is among the very best in the country.” He cited the new Clarksville location of the Hemlock Semiconductor plant, which could spark spinoff industries in surrounding areas.

A half-billion-dollar education reform package passed by state lawmakers that will make more money available to schools and will tie teacher job security to student performance.

Improving online capability that will enable rural students to access the same high-level educational resources as students in more populated areas. “Broadband access is going to be huge.”

Herron seemed a bit taken aback when Erin pharmacy technicians Brandy Jones and Lisa Moore told him that they think TennCare – Tennessee’s Medicaid managed care program - is a disaster.

 “Millions of dollars are being wasted,” Jones said.

 “I see people throw a fit over paying a $3 co-pay for a brand-name medicine that costs $300. I can’t get that medicine on my insurance, and my husband has good insurance.”
Herron promised to address their concerns.

He delivered a similar message about jobs in Dover where about 30 people awaited him at the courthouse.

 “I am the sixth generation of my family in Weakley County,” he said, “and I am convinced that if we don’t have job opportunities, then I’ll be the last. I want my grandkids to have the same quality of life as I do.”

He said that it’s become a personal mission to help create conditions favorable to keeping and creating jobs in Tennessee so people can remain here and work.

He also stressed the benefit to Stewart County of the U.S. 79 widening.

Brad Wallace of Dover commented on the new Dollar General Market that is going in on Hwy. 79 in the Big Rock area.

Herron said, “The last time I checked, two-thirds of the sales tax paid by Stewart Countians is paid elsewhere.”

He said that more shopping opportunities in Stewart County would keep more sales tax money in the county.

Herron did as much listening as talking when he fielded questions during the session and chatted with residents afterward.

Dover resident Charles Westerman voiced his displeasure with so much work going overseas.

Herron replied, “We have free trade but not fair trade…Trade agreements need to be repealed or reformed.”

He cited the need once again for broadband access that would allow Tennesseans to compete for jobs that they could do at home.

 “International competition over the internet requires that we all have broadband,” he said.

James Robertson pointed out that part of the problem with companies paying good wages is that for every dollar paid out, there are 40-75 cents in benefits that the employer must pay.

 “It’s an enormous strain to compete,” said Herron.

After the session, Eileen Frazier spent a few minutes with the senator, voicing her displeasure about some aspects of Tennessee’s status as a right-to-work state.

She made the point that employers in Tennessee are not above getting rid of higher-paid employees and replacing them with those who will accept less money, thereby exacerbating the unemployment problem in the state.