Republican
Hal Patton
Edwardsville
Age: 44
Married
Children: 3
Job: Dentist
Phone: (618) 830-9922
Web: --
Facebook: --
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E-mail: drpatton@sbcglobal.net
Education: Edwardsville High School, 1986; Bachelor's in biology, math minor, Centenary College, 1990; D.D.S., University of Minnesota, 1994
Previous offices: Edwardsville City Council, Madison County Board member, District 17
Qualifications: I own and operate two businesses, employing 10, in Edwardsville. I previously served four years on the Edwardsville City Council, and eight years on the Madison County Board.
Top issues: The top issues in the county board races are the same I see at the state and federal levels. People want and deserve better government. Specifically, elected officials who can hold down taxes and create good-paying jobs. The relationship between the two is clear. Businesses want to build in areas where the quality and reputation of local government is strong. Good policies make for strong predictability, and that is where businesses are looking to expand. As we attract these companies, we broaden our tax base, reducing the burden on residential property taxpayers. It is also clear that the current majority has done little to address these issues. They have voted to increase the property tax portion of the budget every year for the past 30 years. While progressive counties across the nation are improving their economic outlook, unemployment in Madison County climbed to nearly 10 percent last month.
