Christian County’s District 6, better known as Oak Grove and Pembroke, went under the microscope during Monday’s Hopkinsville League of Women Voters Forum — as incumbent magistrate Phillip Peterson and fellow Republican candidate James McKnight discussed policy and plan before the up-and-coming primary.
Peterson, who won a recount for the seat against Jack Lackey in 2018, has 19 years of experience owning a security business and 28 years of service as a volunteer firefighter. He said he hopes to stand for lower taxes, smaller government, small business and landowner rights, public safety and the importance of first responders. He voted against the nickel tax, and during this last term, he noted that property tax dropped a tenth of a percent.
McKnight, meanwhile, is retired Army Green Beret and U.S. Postal Service worker with nearly a decade of experience on Oak Grove’s city council and its ensuing budget committee — helping lay some of the groundwork in south Christian County’s economic development. He said he owned a proven voting record, and that he wanted to be loyal to the county, while reining in taxes at the county level — and seeking relief for state pensions.
Asked about his top two priorities for the county if re-elected, Peterson cited the dire need for advancement on the proposal for a super three-lane road replacing KY 115, as would the go-ahead for permanent tornado shelters in the south part of the county.
McKnight agreed with the improvement of KY 115, and further noted that education — particularly at the vocational level — needed to improve for the county in order to prepare the workforce for these incoming industries.
Speaking of incoming industries, McKnight stated that Christian County’s current tax incentive packages made him feel uneasy — and added he’d likely approach more shrewdly if elected.
Peterson countered, pointing to surrounding municipalities with competitive and equal tax incentives — perhaps forcing Christian County’s hand.
One random question asked, but a good one: how would you, as magistrate, continue to improve relationships between the public and local law enforcement?
McKnight pointed to the metered success of neighborhood watches.
Peterson added that the success of police and sheriff’s academies has helped inform locals about the daily ins-and-outs of the job, and that the afforded transparency has been a net positive for some.
Peterson and McKnight also answered questions about budget philosophy, a road maintenance plan, the magistrate’s role in advocating for the county at the state level, the importance for rural broadband and the need for more citizen’s participation in local government.
Full forum:
