DAVIESS COUNTY CITIZENS FOR DECENCY VOTER GUIDE
Candidates for Owensboro Mayor
1. Your background in terms of education, work experience in the civic arena, special skills and expertise?
Titus Willis - I attended many elementary, middle, and high schools in Owensboro, KY. Upon finishing school, I attended our local community college to work on an associate's in science to pursue my dream of receiving a Ph.D. in theoretical physics. I also attended real estate school through Century Real Estate School out of Louisville, KY. In the civic arena, I have worked closely with neighborhood alliances to better understand what needs to be done on a neighborhood scale. I am a volunteer with the Community Development Department as a citizen's advisor. I work closely with the Chamber of Commerce to bring back our youth council to engage our youth in community and city government. Also, I ran for city commissioner not long ago.
Mayor Tom Watson – Graduate of Northwestern University Certificate Program in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Board Certified Prosthetist 40 plus years. 40 year business owner of Tom Watson’s Prosthetics and Orthotics Lab. Treating patients with limb loss and disabilities. Past President of AOPA (American Orthotic and Prosthetic Assn.). Extensive lobbying in Frankfort and DC for trade Assn, and City of Owensboro.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
2. How would you describe your political philosophy?
Titus Willis - I believe the United States is the best country in the world. I believe in conserving the American Dream for generations. I believe in liberty, justice, and freedom for all. I believe in the Constitution and personal rights. I understand United States history; therefore, I'm a believer in no taxation without representation. I believe in God, family, and unity! I believe transparency and collaboration are important in government. I believe in opportunity, equality, and education. I believe only together we can stand strong.
Mayor Tom Watson – I am fiscally and socially conservative. I do believe in helping those in need get a second chance. Created a program “Second Chance reentry program” for those incarcerated. I believe in supporting nonprofits as much as possible. I believe in economic development AND living within our means.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
3. Why are you seeking this office?
Titus Willis - I'm seeking to win the mayoral election for the people. I have lived in Owensboro my whole life. I've seen Owensboro go through many stages. I would hear people talk about how great Owensboro is but leave due to essential issues that could have been fixed or improved for many years. Even those who don't move away from Owensboro, leave Owensboro to spend or make money. We want our local businesses to grow; we want our city projects to grow; we want to attract key businesses; we want to attract development. Let's bring more jobs people want to work. We want to keep and bring back our people.
Mayor Tom Watson – I feel there is more that can be accomplished. With the relationships that I’ve built in Frankfort and DC, that gives our community more access to decision makers for funding of projects such as the Mid State corridor, etc.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
4. Please read the enclosed, sealed excerpt from a book found in the “Teen Section" of the Daviess County Public Library. In your opinion, is this pornographic? Should it be available to children? Please explain your answer.
Titus Willis - The content you provided me with was sexually explicit in words. With the page you provided me, it seems to be a sexually psychological descriptive story of an individual engaging in intercourse with other individuals while giving insights on the main character's thought process during such actions. This is pornography, and I would not personally allow my children to read this material, and this should not be in public libraries available to children. Pornographic material can be harmful to the developing mind. Our children are the future!
Mayor Tom Watson – At the very least pornography! It was repulsive and disgusting to the point that I couldn’t finish reading it. Absolutely NOT, or anyone else for that matter.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
5. To what extent do you believe government should be open and accessible to the public? How important do you believe openness is to local government?
Titus Willis - You will hear a lot of individuals say the mayor is like the CEO of the city. I believe the people are the CEO, and the mayor is like the COO. Collaboration and transparency with the CEO\the people are vital for growth in Owensboro. Awareness is needed to keep things running smoothly. When a government body gets disconnected from the people, it leaves room for division. I want to see Owensboro win; that cannot happen without community engagement. Transparency within local, state, and federal government is crucial as well. Making vital connections is important to the improvement of Owensboro.
Mayor Tom Watson – Transparency is the key to good government. We have open public forum at every commission meeting and my door is always open.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
6. Do you believe it is your role to facilitate increased public involvement in city government? If yes, what steps or changes do you propose to enhance openness, transparency, and public participation?
Titus Willis - I believe it would be an honorable opportunity to increase public involvement in city government, and I have a plan. We have to spread more awareness by promoting our city more now than ever. We have to spread awareness of board opportunities and help with our neighborhood alliances to see them all reactive. We have to engage with our youth and reestablish the youth council to engage our future generation into the community. We need to engage with our local businesses, non-profits, and organizations frequently. We have to get other elected officials working toward the same mission, although many already are.
Mayor Tom Watson – I believe it is my roll as Mayor to facilitate the “City of Owensboro Mission Statement”.
· To provide first class public safety
· To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services
· To promote economic development
· To enhance neighborhood qualities and values and
· To provide appropriate community facilities
The second part of that question can be answered this way. Steps have been taken for transparency. All commission meetings are open to the public. We’ve set up a live feed through Owensboro.org as well as other social media sites to view all meetings. Al meetings are archived. Anyone can view a past meeting. Concerns can be addressed with a phone call or email.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
7. What are the top issues facing the City of Owensboro and its citizens? Do you believe city government plays a role in addressing those issues?
Titus Willis - We need to advocate for pro-business policies and regulation to allow a swifter process on new development and business in Owensboro. We need more family-oriented businesses in Owensboro. We should show off the talent we have and reach out to new talent. We need to create more cash flow on our projects and maximize the utilization of our projects while looking for new revenue streams. I'm sure we can handle more events and festivals. We need to improve our cybercrime protection; the Owensboro Economic Development was hacked for $500,000. The question is, how many people are affected by cybercrime, and how many go unreported? Crime in general is a concern; we have to engage with the community more. We need to take the load off our officers backs. The problem is not in the police department; the problem lies with those who are choosing to make bad decisions. Also, were we decide to send our youth for criminal rehabilitation is vital. We exhaust a lot of the same ideas; we need to have development programs in place. our youth are dying, and crime is rising.
Mayor Tom Watson – Public Safety, balancing budget (Live within our means), Getting our bond rating up again (upgraded twice in my tenure), making our interest lower. Retention of good employees. And, yes, absolutely.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
8. As an elected official do you believe social issues fall within the scope of responsibility for an elected city official?
Titus Willis - Social issues that don't affect the livability and flow of the city and residents should not be a concern for elected city officials. During hard times, times of division, or catastrophe, it should be the mayor's role to send a message of unity and attempt to give people the courage to move forward with dedication and strength in such times, not only with words but with action showcasing leadership and the ability to keep going forward during the hard times.
Mayor Tom Watson – The term “social issues” is way too vague.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
9. Do you support the passage of a “fairness ordinance”? Please explain?
Titus Willis - If someone is being discriminated against, that should not be happening. I stand for non-discrimination, and I do stand for freedom. I have many people from the LGBTQ community whom I associate with, and I listened to the problems they are facing; the discrimination does exist in the form of racism I've seen it with my own eyes, but the proposed ordinance won't fix the problem. You cannot be oppressed and oppressor at the same time. The answer to the problem they face is unity. When this discussion comes up, I think to myself, is the United States more racist or less racist, and I'm sure all the data would point towards the United States being less racist than it ever has been in all its existence.
Mayor Tom Watson – Any fairness ordinance should be handled through fiscal court as there are pockets of county property within the city limits. There would be no way to enforce this any other way. I would need to see how the ordinance is written before I would support it. Much like the smoking ban. One restaurant on one side of the street was exempt because they were county even though they resided within city limits. It had to be handled county wide to be enforceable.
Ron Payne – Absolutely not.
Sharon Castle – There’s no room for that. This is a Christian community.
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer
10. The damage done by pornography to an undeveloped mind is well documented. Proponents say it is necessary for those children transitioning into the LGBTQ lifestyle. What are your thoughts? Should this transition be a concern of public schools?
Titus Willis - I'm going to try to answer this to the best of my ability. The individuals I've talked to from the LGBTQ communities have never said such things around me. I would think and hope this information is just a select few individuals out the community who share their own beliefs. I was told something I'll never forget; there are good and bad people in all walks of life. The LGBTQ community probably has some bad people in it like all walks of life, but if the community as a whole is pro-pornography for children, that would be devastating and unprocessable for my mind. I would advocate against pornography for children and formulate a plan to stop those who wish to indoctrinate and strip the innocence from children. LGBTQ students are not a concern to the school. Pornography should and is a concern in school; at least was, when I went, kids would get in trouble often for looking at pornographic material on school property.
Mayor Tom Watson – My personal thoughts are, I’m opposed to pornography at any level, for any reason.
Ron Payne – No Answer
Sharon Castle – No Answer
Pam Smith-Wright – No Answer