Senate District 19 GOP primary pits Wallace against Wagner

One of the highest profile State Senate GOP primary races in Arkansas centers on District 19, which pits incumbent Sen. Dave Wallace, R-Leachville, against challenger Dr. Tommy Wagner of Manila. The Republican primary is Tuesday, March 5.

Talk Business & Politics asked each candidate to answer a series of questions. Their answers are below.

Q: What specific changes do you think need to be made to the LEARNS Act to make it more effective moving forward?

Wagner: We got ahead of ourselves and we should admit that and go back to boots on the ground level and listen and move forward from there. A majority of the 145-page law has not even had the rules promulgated yet for implementation.

That said, we have to come up with a better way to fund salaries for our teachers; that will make the career path competitive for years to come, especially in the face of inflation. We have to figure out how to stop consolidation of our schools, and we have to devise a fair “formula” for funding that will satisfy the law. We have to get back to the roots of education where teachers can teach, and where parents are empowered and engaged in their children’s education. We have to gather input district by district as to their specific needs. I want to take a fresh look at all of this as a legislator. I want to collaborate with each and every school district to define real and impactful reform. Reform that will preserve our conservative values.

Although well-intended, LEARNS did not improve the situation in the biggest problem schools. Poverty is the root of most of the problems and people that can’t move to better districts have not benefited from LEARNS.

I would propose a holistic approach in each school district to make an impact at the overall student level. Meaning addressing economics, crime, health, mental health across all public agencies and modalities.

Wallace: I’m ecstatic that Arkansas now has the highest starting salary for teachers, adjusted for cost of living, in the country. As a matter of fact, most Arkansas teachers received at least a $9,000 raise. We also surged funds for reading tutors and setting high standards so that kids are able to read at grade level. That being said, we have more to do with funding education. We need to continue to prioritize teacher raises, funding facilities, and creating environments for kids to get the best education possible.

Q: Do you support making the FOIA a part of the state constitution and if not, what changes need to be made to the laws? If a constitutional amendment isn’t the answer, then what protections need to be installed legislatively to protect our citizens rights when it comes to knowing how the government is operating and spending its citizens’ tax dollars?

Wagner: Our citizens deserve transparency in government. With technology, the transactions with government funds should be public record nearly real-time. I’m unsure why anyone in government has a problem with that transparency. It’s the taxpayers’ money – they should have the right to see how those funds are spent.

Wallace: I support our strong FOIA laws. We have some of the best in the country. Our constitution has more than enough amendments. We have ever-evolving threats, both to personnel and people’s private data. Because we don’t fully know how technology will continue to develop, we need to maintain flexibility.

Q: The state needs more prison bed space, but Arkansas Department of Corrections officials say that they can’t hire enough people to safely operate the current prison system. How do you think these problems need to be solved?

Wagner: In my mind, solving the bed space problem starts at the root of the issue. We have to make a bigger investment at the law enforcement level and create a presence and culture to prevent crime. To truly elevate our communities economically and culturally will lower the burden on the system.

Wallace: As a small business owner, I know the struggles of finding a good workforce. We have to be competitive in pay. If we can do that, we can get enough people hired. I have confidence the Governor knows this and is working to get it done.

Q: What are some personal legislative priorities for you if win the primary and the general election?

Wagner: I want to focus on revitalizing all of our communities. Communities are built by people not by government. Government’s role is to support that development. Churches, schools, infrastructure and healthcare are central to the success of these communities.
We need to change our priorities in state government and focus on improving our public education and supporting our local hospitals to help them upgrade facilities and services. We need to look at tax credits, dollar for dollar for donations to your home church. We need to formulate a plan to help cities provide the infrastructure and low cost funds to build residential properties in our small communities.

We need to match up our tax deductions at the state level to match those at the federal level, especially when it comes to real estate and agriculture. And, I want to work on the quality of life issues; such as, improving the experience on our WMA’s and providing opportunities for families to have things to do outside of their workday.

Wallace: Continue to make District 19 the best place to live, work, and raise a family. I’m proud of the work to make this district the steel capital of the world. I’m also happy with the work to lower our income tax from the 14th highest in the country to the ninth lowest in the country since I’ve been elected.

Editor’s note: The winner of the GOP primary does not face a general election opponent.