Chuck Tackett for Kentucky House District 62
Voters in the 62nd House District will see a reprise of last March’s special election on the Nov. 8 ballot. They should affirm their earlier choice by returning Chuck Tackett to the legislature.
While the seven months that Tackett has served in Frankfort may fall short of giving him all the knowledge and experience of an incumbent, the eight years he served on Scott County Fiscal Court, the local elected governing body, do give him a big edge in terms of readiness to serve the district and his constituents.
A farmer, business owner and conservative Democrat, Tackett, in his interview with the editorial board, expressed a commitment to funding education, both public schools and colleges and universities.
Tackett also supports reforming Kentucky’s outdated tax system with a goal of spurring economic growth by making the state’s businesses more competitive. He has a broad understanding of agriculture, farm labor needs and the importance of developing new markets for Kentucky’s farms.
His experience in local government has deepened his understanding of the district’s needs, in terms of both physical infrastructure and human capital.
Republican Phillip Pratt, the founder and owner of a lawn and landscaping company in Georgetown, also stressed his commitment to education and promised to do his homework before voting on issues, but he’d have a lot more homework than Tackett to do.
The district — which includes parts of Scott and Fayette and all of Owen counties — faces challenges ranging from explosive growth in some places to a lack of economic activity in others.
It was previously represented by Republican Ryan Quarles, who resigned after being elected state agriculture commissioner last year. In the special election, Tackett defeated Pratt by about 4 percentage points or 253 votes.
Tackett is better qualified to represent the 62nd and contribute to making Kentucky a better place to live, work and do business.
The unendorsed candidate may submit a 250-word response by noon Friday.
This story was originally published October 25, 2016 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Chuck Tackett for Kentucky House District 62."