Bob Compton Announces Bid for State Representative Dist. 74
On Thursday, February 8, 2024, Bob Compton entered the Democratic primary for State Representative District 74.
“I decided it was time for District 74 to have a progressive view from southern Indiana in Indianapolis,” Compton explained. “The state government has had one party rule since 2011. As a result, extreme right-wing views have dominated the political discourse for more than a decade. The time has come for a shift to reflect more Hoosiers’ views.”
Compton has lived in Spencer County (Dale and Lincoln City) since 1977. He started teaching physical education and science at Heritage Hills Junior/Senior High School after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University. He primarily taught 7th grade science and physical education in his 35.5-year teaching career, while coaching swimming for 10 years, track and field for 34 years, and middle school football for 35 years. He retired from the North Spencer County School Corporation in 2012.
“In 1980 I married Cathy. We became thoroughly immersed in southern Indiana living. We had four children, who have given us 13 beautiful grandkids with a 14th on the way. Southern Indiana has given so much to me and my family that I want to give back by becoming the next State Representative for District 74,” Compton noted.
In explaining some of his reasons for running, Compton said, “One big problem Indiana has is our tax codes which favor the extremely wealthy. The tax burden has been shifted away from big businesses and millionaires and billionaires by changes in property tax codes and the lowering of income taxes in favor of a series of regressive taxes. While giving big tax breaks to the wealthy, Indiana increased the sales tax by 2%, levied a steep gasoline tax with automatic rate increases and put an extra fee each year if you own a hybrid or electric car, and created more expensive toll roads and bridges.”
He continued, “We have many roads that are essentially one lane gravel roads that have been ignored for decades. There needs to be a rural roads project with the goal of bring all Indiana rural roads into the 21st century by 2035. In the year 2024, Hoosiers should not have to put their cars through undue wear and tear because of substandard roads not to mention the increase safety risk for an accident.”
On another topic important to many, he explained, “Now that the United States Supreme Court has struck down Roe versus Wade with its Dobbs ruling, women’s reproductive health care is to be determined by the states. We need to protect women’s health care from politicians. The state of Indiana needs to give women the freedom to make their own health care decisions with the aid of their health care professional.”
For Bob Compton, “Education is the silver bullet for a strong and vibrant society. We need to increase funding for pre-K, public primary schools, and public higher education through an expansion of the 21st Century Scholars program The better educated Hoosiers are, the more competitive Indiana will be in the United States and the world.”
In conclusion, Compton stated, “I hope to follow the saying ‘build from the middle out and the bottom up’ through supporting legislation that is centered on strengthening the middle class and providing a strong safety net for Hoosiers who are struggling to make ends meet.”
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