The Democrat primary for 3rd District State Representative seat pits long-time incumbent Charlie Brown against attorney Bryan Bullock.

Both candidates are from Gary. There is no Republican candidate so far.

The 3rd House District stretches from Gary to northern Porter County. In the Duneland community, the district includes Westchester precincts 1, 2, 6-9, 12-14 and all of Jackson and Pine townships. The 3rd district also includes a portion of Washington Township in Porter County.

The candidates were asked to respond to the following questionnaire. Their responses are printed as submitted, unless they were shortened to meet a 100 word limit.

1. Why should you be elected state representative?

Brown: “I have been a dedicated and effective representative to the people of the Third House district. I have responded to all emails, letters and calls from my constituents and feel that I can continue to meet their needs as a champion for the district concerns.”

Bullock: “...I have a vision for our state and my district. The focus of my candidacy is to bring environmentally sustainable jobs to our region that pay a living wage. In my capacity as an attorney, I am accustomed to reading, interpreting and analyzing laws and legislation and I will bring this expertise to this position. My training as a lawyer has already provided me with a keen sense of commitment to those who I represent .... I will focus on economic development, improving the quality of our educational system and slowing the ‘brain drain,’ protecting the environment and addressing property tax issues if elected ....”

2. What provisions, if any, of H.E.A. 1001 should the Indiana Legislature revisit in 2009? Why?

Brown: “We need to closely monitor how schools are affected by the tax caps in the next few years. Unlike local government, schools have almost no tools for raising new revenue. In addition, educators are struggling with federal mandates under No Child Left Behind. The governor’s original plan did not protect education enough, but the General Assembly added $120 million for schools over two years to reduce projected shortfalls. We need to make more available if needed, and we also must ensure that our children’s education is not shortchanged in the long run by this tax plan.”

Bullock: “I will revisit the provisions of the entire bill, in particular those portions that are the most detrimental to my constituents.”

3. Why are you running for state representative?

Brown: “To continue my agenda with legislation such as: No smoking in public places, adding more people to the Healthy Indiana Plan, and a comprehensive economic plan for a new hospital in Gary and the Gary/Chicago Airport.”

Bullock: “I am running because I believe that I can best represent the needs of my community is this capacity. I have been active in various not-for-profit community organizations like the NAACP and the Calumet Project and I am currently board president of Gary Neighborhood Services. I have remained in this community in order to serve it. I believe that my talents, education, focus and intense desire to effectuate change, which I brought to these organizations, can best be used in the state legislature on behalf of my constituents.”

4. What are the best and worst accomplishments of the Daniels’ administration?

Brown: “I am torn between Daylight Savings Time and the sale of the Toll Road as the worst accomplishments -- I would have to flip a coin to decide. I think this administration learned some lessons after pushing through those initiatives, however. Since Democrats regained control of the House in 2006, the Governor has been forced to build consensus and negotiate more. This approach allowed the passage of what I think is his biggest success, the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP). Bringing health care coverage to thousands of low-income Hoosiers is a tremendous accomplishment, and I was proud to have authored the legislation.”

Bullock: “I give the Daniels administration an "F" for: Privatizing the toll road, closing the license bureau branch in Gary, not following through on the promises of "Major Moves,” proposing to privatize the Gary airport, not ensuring that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management was doing its job in issuing permits to BP Amoco, allowing Hoosiers' property taxes to sky-rocket and relieve industry of its obligation to pay its fair share of taxes and authorizing the supposed property tax ‘relief’ legislation.”

Posted 4/18/2008