This is the seventh preview of the House District 51 race, which includes 12 candidates.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A former Monongalia County Board of Education member is seeking his third trip to Charleston as a member of the House of Delegates.
Joe Statler, a Republican who prefers a ‘common sense’ approach to most issues, made his final pitch on WAJR’s Monday edition of Morgantown AM.
“I’m the type of person that when I see a problem, I want to attack that problem, find a solution, and let’s move on,” he said. “Don’t debate it to death, don’t look at it like we got to change the whole world to make this fit in and work.”
Right in his wheelhouse, Statler said he supports additional pay raises for teachers — as long as the state can afford it.
“Do we have the money to sustain?” he said. “When you give a five percent pay raise — and I’m all for that. I don’t care if it’s ten percent or not. I am one that don’t believe we pay our state workers enough. But the main thing is — when you give that away one year, it’s not a one year commitment you’re signing up for.”
While some Democrats in this race and races across the state have advocated for increased severance taxes for natural gas extraction, Statler pivoted to his preferred solution — economic growth.
“I believe that we have to grow our base,” he said. “Growing our base and getting a tax base that’s larger is always better than raising the taxes on the few that’s trying to do.”
Statler said he does not want to see higher taxes drive away businesses that create high paying jobs.
“Our severance tax is already higher than the surrounding states,” he said. “Those drill rigs they will complete maybe what they are drilling on, but they’ll look out into the future and say, ‘Listen, it’s not profitable for us in West Virginia.'”
He is also critical of the funding formula for the state’s road repairs, having in the past co-sponsored legislation to find fixes for the formula.
“I’m not sure where in the heck and how they come up with that funding source,” Statler said. “And I have asked for that.”
Check out the full interview at the main page of WAJR.com. You can also read additional previews from other candidates who have been interviewed on Morgantown AM, including incumbents John Williams (D), Rodney Pyles (D) and Cindy Frich (R), plus challengers Evan Hansen, Danielle Walker (D) and Roger Shuttlesworth (R).