PHOTO BY DAVID LOWE Lynn Wernette looks over a brochure with Republican Chris Younts, a candidate for District 11 of the U.S. House of Representatives. Candidates for District 11 of the U.S. House of Representatives, along with those running for several county offices, shared their views with voters at a forum Thursday.

Along with the congressional hopefuls, candidates for Precinct 4 county commissioner and Precinct 2&3 justice of the peace answered a series of questions during the Lampasas County Conservative Club event.

Republican congressional candidates Al Cowan and Chris Younts, as well as independent W. Clayton Tindle, said they would support a constitutional amendment to require a balanced national budget every year.

Cowan emphasized his opposition to taxpayer-funded “bailouts” of certain industries and to “earmark” spending on projects within a U.S. representative’s district. He and Tindle called for a spending ceiling that limits the year-to-year increase in the national budget to the rate of inflation.

Younts urged freezing the national budget at the spending level set before Congress approved billion of dollars in financial and auto manufacturer subsidies in 2008 and 2009. The candidate also pledged to limit Congress to the powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution, Younts said, is the key tool that will resolve the United States’ budgetary problems.

“When you have a big fire, you need a big hose and a lot of water,” said Younts, a former San Angelo firefighter. “The Constitution is that big hose.”

Responding to questions about the Federalist Papers — a series of newspaper editorials written in the 1780s to advocate ratification of the U.S. Constitution — all three congressional candidates claimed at least a cursory knowledge of the constitutional arguments in the papers.

Cowan listed Thomas Jefferson as his favorite statesman from the United States’ founding period. Tindle quoted Patrick Henry, an anti-federalist who feared the Constitution would empower the national government at the states’ expense and said he “smelt a rat” when delegates met at the Constitutional Convention.

“We may be coming to a time when we have to call another meeting of the states to resolve the mess we’re in,” Tindle said.

The independent argued that the national Republican and Democratic parties focus too much attention on candidates’ reelections and push for legislation that opposes true national interests.

In another matter, Cowan and Younts indicated support for an audit of the Federal Reserve, although neither candidate explicitly called for its repeal.

Also, Cowan specifically pledged to limit himself to three terms in the House if he unseats incumbent District 11 Rep. Mike Conaway.

Conaway, a three-term Republican from Midland, was in Washington, D.C. and could not attend the recent forum.

Earlier in the evening, incumbent Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack B. Cox and his opponents — Democrat Brent Henderson and Republican Marcus Foster — answered questions about their qualifications and plans for the office.

Cox noted his experience in banking, engineering and road construction. A retired Texas Department of Transportation project manager, Cox worked on bridges and served as field engineer for the Colorado River bridge at Bend.

Henderson also touted his construction experience, which he gained by working for his father, W.L. “Bill” Henderson, at Lampasas Sand & Gravel. Henderson later worked as a civilian contractor on Fort Hood and in 1997 opened Brent Henderson Trucking & Welding. He said he knows how to operate all equipment used by county road crews.

Foster, a farm and ranch contractor, also serves as pastor of Naruna Baptist Church. Experience managing private funds, Foster said, will help him allocate county funds without raising the property tax rate. Foster also has run heavy equipment, he said, and he pledged to work full-time alongside Precinct 4’s county road crew.

Answering a question about the Lampasas County Office Building addition, Foster said he opposed the use of certificates of obligation. The certificates, he said, were a way to “bypass the taxpayers.”

Many Precinct 4 residents, Cox said, opposed building a new jail but did not mind construction of an annex addition. The $1.6 million project will cost about half of the original estimate, Cox said. The commissioner added that he voted against the purchase of a 12- acre potential jail site out of town.

The jail issue underscores the need to listen to the will of constituents, Henderson said.

“I really feel like I can listen to the people and argue for the people,” Henderson said.

The candidates agreed that road maintenance is important, especially for dirt roads the county cannot afford to pave yet. Many roads are too flat, Foster said, and need to be “crowned” better so water will run off more effectively.

Cox noted that County Road 4390 — the subject of a question asked during the forum — is scheduled for paving this year. Cox hauls road materials throughout his precinct “almost every day,” he said. Foster has told the commissioner the road by Foster’s home is in better condition than when he moved to the area, Cox said.

Cox, Foster and Henderson also agreed that road maintenance includes brush trimming in addition to heavy equipment work. Clearing overgrown brush, Henderson said, keeps motorists safe and helps limit road damage. Cox said he carries trimmers at all times so he can cut brush as needed.

Questions about work hours and commissioners’ reimbursement highlighted disagreements between Cox and Foster.

Foster promised to work alongside road crews whenever the Commissioners Court is not in session and emphasized the importance of a “full-time commissioner.” Although Cox said he does direct road work as needed, he said county business in Lampasas often keeps him off his precinct’s roads during regular working hours.

“It’s amazing the amount of time we spend in meetings doing county business,” Cox said.

Cox’s Commissioners Court attendance record in the last seven years is about 98 percent, the commissioner said.

Although Foster said a commissioner should attend all Commissioners Court meetings, the candidate admitted he has attended “very few” during the last several years. Henderson also said work has kept him from attending commissioners’ meetings.

A commissioner’s job requires more than 40 hours a week, Cox said, and the commissioner said he stays on duty 24 hours a day.

“When the creek gets up ... the sheriff’s office calls Jack Cox, and it doesn’t matter what time it is,” he said.

In another matter, Foster advocated freezing commissioners’ salaries, which the candidate said have risen from about $35,634 to $49,327 since Cox took office. Foster also called for eliminating the $7,200 annual vehicle reimbursement commissioners can receive.

That figure, Cox said, does not pay fully for all the times he uses a county-owned pickup truck. The commissioner added that he had just returned from a continuing education trip — in his personal vehicle — in College Station. Cox did not charge the county for mileage or food, he said.

Incumbent Precinct 2&3 Justice of the Peace Dick Lockett, a Republican, and GOP challengers David Ivey and Camron Brister also addressed potential voters at the recent forum. Republican candidate W.D. Crain was ill and could not attend the meeting.

Lockett, JP for the last seven years, said he is accessible to constituents and administers laws in an unbiased manner.

The challengers also noted their experience. Ivey’s two years as municipal judge in Lometa has taught him to exercise judicial responsibilities similar to what a JP handles, he said. Brister noted his 11 years in law enforcement — including four as Precinct 2&3 constable — which he said have helped him gain familiarity with traffic and civil law. Brister has completed more than 300 hours of education in civil processing, he said.

Ivey’s “basic, fundamental ideological differences with the current office” inspired him to run, he said. Because he has not worked in law enforcement, Ivey said he will judge impartially.

The three JP candidates answered a question about how to mitigate overcrowding at the Lampasas County Jail. Nonviolent offenders should be kept out of jail when possible, Ivey said, adding that setting bail at a reasonable rate reduces jail time.

Brister noted that for minor violations, he often tries to secure compliance through warnings, rather than citations.

“I’ve never arrested anybody for the simple fact that I could,” he said.

If elected, Brister plans to create a community service program. Fines, he said, often do not teach young offenders a lesson, as Brister said many parents pay the fines for their children. Offering community service in lieu of jail time also will reduce overcrowding, Brister said.

Lockett countered that the difficulty in finding people to supervise community service activites may make Brister’s idea difficult to implement. The JP does require community service for those convicted of minor in possession, he said, as Lockett requires 1,500 word essays about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Lockett did agree, however, with Brister’s plans to resolve outstanding warrants and to create a collections system for fines.

Also at the Conservative Club event, unopposed incumbents spoke briefly. Those candidates for re-election include District 54 State Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen), County Judge Wayne Boultinghouse, Precinct 2 Commissioner Alex Wittenburg, District Clerk Terri Cox and County Clerk Connie Hartmann. Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Andrew Garcia and Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Sheila Hood also are unopposed.