FAIRHOPE — Voters gathered at the Fairhope Civic Center Tuesday evening for a political forum attended by all candidates running for the state Senate District 32 seat. This office was recently vacated by Bradley Byrne, who resigned May 24 to accept the appointment by the State Board of Education as Chancellor of the Alabama Post-Secondary Education System.

Harvey Joanning, president of Citizens for Responsible Government, a local non-profit organization, emceed the 90-minute event, sponsored by the city of Fairhope. Officials estimated the crowd at between 200-250

The five Republican candidates, David Ed Bishop, Albert Lipscomb, Don McGriff, Randy McKinney, Trip Pittman, and lone Democrat candidate, A.J. Cooper, responded to previously submitted questions from area residents, which had been culled by an editorial board.

Each candidate had three minutes to respond to the first question. They were asked to identify the major issues facing District 32 and how they would handle them.

Lipscomb, a former three-term state Senator representing Baldwin County and current Baldwin County Commissioner, named infrastructure. He said, “I voted for taxes for this when I was in the Senate before and I would do it again now.” He also listed health care and insurance reform as other top priorities. He said he favored the South Carolina model for insurance reform.

McGriff, a former member of the Baldwin County Board of Education and special state parole board and current chairman of the Baldwin County Republican Party, said growth management and preservation of Baldwin County’s quality of life and community culture would be his top priorities.

McKinney, former Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney, certified real estate broker and state Board of Education member, said immigration, insurance, growth and ethics in government would top his list. He would like to see more control of immigration at all levels of government. “Our local law officers need more arrest powers (with regard to illegal immigrants),” he said.

Pittman, a Baldwin County tractor dealership owner, topped his priority list with effective leadership. He also said he wanted to work for more open government and the elimination of double-dipping, improve on growth management, maintain the quality of Baldwin schools, protect the waterways in the area, keep county-generated dollars in Baldwin, increase documentation on illegal immigrants and improve hurricane response.

Bishop, a Baldwin County Commissioner and 25-year member of the Fairhope City Council, named insurance as his top priority. He also wants more of Baldwin’s tax money to remain in the county instead of going into state coffers.

“We are investing in the state but they are not investing as much in our area,” he said. He also wants more control on immigration and thinks scams against senior citizens is a priority.

Cooper, former mayor of Prichard, Ala. and a practicing Fairhope attorney, said his priorities would begin with values and community as well as growth management, public safety, additional revenue sources, education and the environment.

On the issue of Alabama Constitution reform, McGriff is for it but is concerned about keeping special interest groups from controlling the rewrite.

McKinney thinks it needs to be rewritten article by article, and voted on by the people, article by article.

Pittman is also for an article-by-article rewrite.

Bishop thinks reform is badly needed and is “in favor of whatever will get us there.” He also wants a new constitution that will give more authority at the local level.

Cooper wants it fixed now. “The government can call the Legislature into special session for as long as it takes. Otherwise, we should immediately have a convention.”

Lipscomb is in favor of an article-by-article rewrite but added a caveat. “There is another side to this issue. If we are not careful, the door can be opened for additional taxation.”

Questions 3 and 4 dealt with water and air quality, economic development, transportation and future growth.

McKinney said a countywide plan for drainage and water quality is needed to maintain Baldwin’s quality of life, which he thinks is strongly related to the quality of the water resources of the county. He made note of the traffic congestion in the county and said “we need help here” to provide adequate funding for road construction all across the county.

Pittman wants to see the creation of more economic opportunities for people to work in the county and technical training for work force development. He thinks Baldwin needs a better, broader stormwater and watershed management plan as well as better control of sewer. A comprehensive watershed management plan is needed. He also stressed the importance of retention ponds in development with the stipulation that maintenance of them be mandatory.

Bishop spoke about the countywide strategic plan the County Commission has been working on and how it would address these needs. He said the county needed stormwater and wastewater bills passed at the state level.

Cooper criticized the procedures used by the County Commission in developing its plan and called for more openness in local and county government planning. He said better communication that gives residents a chance to participate in the process is also important. “We need to do something now. If there is a Democratic governor, it might be a good idea to have at least one Democrat in the Baldwin County Delegation who can go to the Democrat-controlled Senate and Democrat-controlled House and bring home the bacon for Baldwin County.”

Lipscomb took exception to some of Cooper’s remarks and said the commission and county government operated in an open fashion, noting that every commission meeting was televised. He pointed out that Sen. Pat Lindsay is a member of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation and is a Democrat.

McGriff thinks there needs to be better communication between the different regions of the county and between departments of city and county government. He said he didn’t want to go to Montgomery to work with just Republicans, he would work with everybody.

The candidates were asked how they would handle public policy with regard to Hispanics in Baldwin County.

Cooper said, “We can’t close the borders but we can deal with illegal aliens in Baldwin County if we have the gumption to do it.”

Lipscomb outlined three steps: secure the borders, implement state and federal verification of citizenship and “identify who is legal, who is not and take action.”

McGriff said the Legislature needs to strengthen screening of immigrant labor.

McKinney wants the borders made secure and wants local law enforcement to have more authorization to ask for proof of citizenship. “Americans must be ready to show their passports and VISAs at all times when they are in a foreign country,” he said, adding that the uniqueness of citizenship was being eroded.

Pittman thinks businesses need to be protected. He is also concerned about “the rampant fraud going on with IDs.” He said Hispanics were coming here “because there are better jobs here.”

When asked how the candidates would raise revenue to cover costs for essential services, Cooper said he would return to Baldwin County all available federal funds possible. He thinks the county has done “a miserable job” in this regard. He would work at the state level to “return our fair share of tax monies” to the county. He said he would also find strategic places to block what the governor “wants until we get what we need.”

Lipscomb is for selective economic growth, which he said may take more taxes. He also thinks more of the money sent to Montgomery should be returned to Baldwin County.

McGriff said he would use his abilities to bring home enough dollars from Montgomery to pay for the things needed. He would not impose more taxes “unless the people told him that’s what they wanted.”

McKinney said he would seek federal funds for roads and bond issues for schools. “We are behind the curve on growth and need to work with others to find solutions.”

Pittman wants to continue to improve the business climate in the county, promoting free enterprise, business growth and a well-trained work force. He said he would work to get the federal funds needed and the return of more of Baldwin’s tax dollars from Montgomery.

Bishop said growth would cause sales tax and ad valorum revenue to increase. He said he would go to Montgomery and Washington, D.C. for road money.

The primary election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 7. The general election or runoff, if needed, will be held Tuesday, Sept. 11. If a primary runoff is held, the general election will be held Tuesday, Oct. 16.