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Mayoral Candidates Speak at Tilghman Forum

Mayoral Candidates Speak at Tilghman Forum
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By Tim Brockwell
Oct. 24, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY
By Tim Brockwell Oct. 24, 2016 | 04:51 PM | PADUCAH, KY
The Paducah Tilghman High School speech and debate team hosted a mayoral candidate forum Monday night.

Incumbent mayor Gayle Kaler took the stage with challenger Brandi Harless at 6:00 pm in the school's cafeteria. Students asked each candidate eight questions, which addressed fostering growth and job opportunities in the city, making Paducah more sustainable, and supporting Paducah's tourism opportunities.

Kaler and Harless spoke on a range of issues including economic development, leadership, and Paducah's place in the region. Both candidates offered their visions for the future, as well as what qualifications they feel make them right for the job.

Harless stressed a need for new leadership, saying she is not running because she has any disrespect for current leadership, but because she feels she is a consensus builder, and can use skills developed during her professional career to find creative funding opportunities and leverage tax dollars for city projects.

"We're at a place where a lot of leaders have paved the way and built a great foundation for where we are now, but to get us over the tipping point requires a new set of skills and a new leader to get us there. I'm that leader. I know for sure and am certain that I am." Harless said.

Kaler noted her experience as a long time business owner and elected official as qualities that will help her serve the community if re-elected. 

"The experience that I've had, not only in my years as a business owner, with working with employees, being a mentor and being able to inspire people to do more than they think they can do. To me those are really good qualities of a good leader." Kaler said.

Harless stressed regionalism as a key to continued economic growth for the city, saying she will work to attract more corporations to the area.

"The reality is that we are competing with gigantic cities in 2016," Harless said. "As we all know, people are swarming back to urban areas, which means that our population is declining. We have to do something different. We've got to get creative with the freelance community. This is a big opportunity for a town like Paducah, because it's affordable to live here, and we have a great quality of life."

Kaler said she has been here a long time, and she wants to continue to serve the community in office. 

"I have been a leader in Paducah for ten years. I'm not going anywhere. I raised my family here, I started my business here, and Paducah is in my heart. I want to continue to work for you." Kaler said. 

Click the link below to listen to the entire candidate forum.

On the Net:

PTHS Mayoral Candidate Forum
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