Overbey and Lapides face off for Senate seat

By ELLEN BROWN
Nov 03, 2008

Overbey, an attorney, has represented the 20th house district in the 102nd, 103rd, 104th and 105th General Assemblies. He is a member of the assembly’s Finance, Ways and Means Committee, Health and Human Resources Committee, Select Committee on Ethics and Joint Select Committee on Children and Youth. He is chairman of the House Health Care Facilities Subcommittee and a member of the Budget Subcommittee. Last year he was elected secretary of the Joint Study Committee on Long Term Care.

“I’ve been a state representative for the past eight years,” Overbey said. “Being involved in several charitable endeavors led to my running for office, and this (election) is a continuation.”

Lapides, owner of The Gatlin-Burlier tobacco shop and former economics professor, is running for the office as an independent. He has a doctorate degree in economics and created an economics consulting firm in 1976 that developed feasibility studies and wrote federal grants. He also served as head of the Retail Tobacco Dealers Association Committee to push for smokers’ rights and served two terms on the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

“We’ve been broken for a long time now,” Lapides said. “I have a creative mind for new solutions.”

Overbey’s platform includes changing the funding formula for state schools.

“I think the Basic Education Program unfairly penalizes Sevier County schools,” Overbey said. “The state should reward counties like Sevier and Blount for doing things well.”

Overbey also promises to advocate a good sales tax and property tax base, protect current jobs and create new jobs.

“We need to keep taxes as low as possible and not move toward the state income tax.”

Overbey added that he would make sure money was spent effectively in dealing with drug addiction and mental illness.

“We need to make sure it’s getting to the people who need it and that they’re getting the treatment they deserve.”

Lapides said he will advocate for more adequate law reform and health reform.

“I always see a long list of people being incarcerated. We’re criminalizing our society,” Lapides said. “I’m not soft on crime, but I know the difference between incarceration and torture when I see it.

“We’re also taking the ER and making it into a clinic for earaches and maintenance care — and that’s a pretty expensive way to provide care,” Lapides continued. “We’re not doing any planning for the aging population; the waiting list for a nursing home in Sevier County is seven years. We need to start planning now.”

Lapides added that he was also in favor of education financing reform, as well as tax breaks and enhanced solar power.

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This entry was posted on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 pm and is filed under In The News.