MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A social worker with more than 30 years of experience, primarily in addiction treatment, Diane Market-Gaston is the Democrat candidate for the House of Delegates seat in the 78th District.
Market-Gaston is running against incumbent Republican Geno Chiarelli and on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” believes she can better represent the district.
“I believe I offer a fuller embrace of all of our citizens regardless of their walk of life, no matter what age, but representing all of them,” Market-Gaston said.
She would like people to better understand the role of harm reduction in recovery. Harm reduction is the last tool to keep addicts alive until they decide it’s time to enter treatment, and without it, more addicts would die and the public could be exposed to serious diseases like HIV or hepatitis.
“What we’re trying to do is keep them safe,” Market-Gaston said. “Keep them safe, which in turn keeps their family safe, meaning they’re not going to die, so it has a little bit more to do with keeping people safe until they are ready to enter treatment.”
On the proposed tax cut, she wants more details, like incumbents have asked for, and said the opposition is a reason for pause and more research. Every five percent cut to the personal income tax equals a drop in state revenue of $110 million; she wants to make the state economy robust enough to withstand that reduction.
“For me, when you have a lot of people against it and a lot of members of your own staff against it, that’s going to get my attention,” Market-Gaston said. “I’m going to put up a flag and go do a lot more research.”
Market-Gaston said persistent hard work will help her if elected to serve in a Republican supermajority. She said if her efforts don’t result in her own success, she could be paving the way for others in her party.
“My part just may be to turn a little head and for someone to stop and pause and say they have never thought of that before,” Market-Gaston said. “Even if that happens, that’s an opening others may be able to walk through.”
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