NEWS

Democrats respond to Dodds remarks By Kurt Van der Dussen, Herald-Times Staff Writer October 20, 2004 Remarks by Republican Monroe County Council candidate Andy Dodds at a recent election forum were criticized Tuesday by the three Democratic candidates for the three council seats the remarks targeted. In response, Dodds stood by the intent of his comments and accused the Democrats of trying to divert voters from the real issues of a council race. In a campaign release, Sophia Travis, Warren Henegar and Michael Woods reaffirmed their own prior signed commitment to clean campaigns. The three were especially disturbed by a remark by Dodds at a meet-the-candidates event sponsored by the Farm Bureau, in which he mocked Travis' qualifications to serve on the council. Dodds said of Travis, a professional musician, "She plays the accordion. That says enough." "We have no need to get personal," stated Woods. "We know the issues and have good positions. That's what the voters want and respect." The three Democrats also took Dodds to task for two other remarks. One questioned whether Woods would get his law degree from Indiana University School of Law. The other criticized Henegar's comment at a prior candidate forum that the county's taxpayers are "undertaxed." Henegar contended Dodds misconstrued his remarks about under-taxation, maintaining the remark was limited to the county's 1 percent income tax, not property taxes. "I feel sorry for Andy," said Henegar. "He was badly advised by party radicals." "He gave us the perfect opportunity to show that we are about the issues," said Travis. "We have done that so far, and will continue to do so." "With all of the challenges our county faces, our energy is better spent on problem-solving than name-calling," Woods said. Dodds responded later Tuesday that "The intent of my comments was basically to highlight the vast difference in both philosophy and experience between myself and my Democratic opponents." He defended his statements at the Farm Bureau forum. "How can you misconstrue Warren's comment that we are being undertaxed?" he asked of Henegar's remark at the prior forum. As for Woods, Dodds said he was highlighting the fact that Woods is a university student who has lived a very short time in the county. And as for Travis, he said his point was that "I haven't heard her bring out any other experiences other than that she is a musician." He said "the bottom line" voters need to know is that the council's main job is to manage a $46 million budget. "They're attempting to distract the focus from the real issues that face our county." Reporter Kurt Van der Dussen can be reached at 331-4372 or by e-mail at kvd@heraldt.com.