By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

State Senate candidate Mitch Seabaugh this week announced that he will push for passage of legislation that would turn $14 million a year over to Fayette governments, if elected.

The county funding act would take a penny of the state's four cents per dollar sales tax and put it in the hands of local governments without restriction.

“It's their money... why should the state have the opportunity to sit there and hoard this money and give it out as they see fit,” said Seabaugh.

Local governments should control more of the revenue, he said, and the power of the governor and legislature should be reduced.

Though funding bills of this type cannot be initiated in the state Senate but must have their origins in the House, Seabaugh said he has talked up his idea among numerous candidates across the state, and many of them like the idea.

He doesn't think he would have trouble finding a sponsor for the bill, he said.

Seabaugh said he also plans to develop specific legislation in the areas of health care and education reform.

He said he is meeting with doctors' groups and educators to develop the details. “I want to get all the input I can,” he said.

“I want to work positively as far as introducing these things so we can have the debate,” he said. “Campaigns should be about ideas,” he said, adding a criticism of his own political party.

“The Republican Party right now needs leadership as far as the ideas that we stand for. I decided this was an idea that we could try to push, and that other candidates would be talking about.”