Reproductive rights and public funding for non-public schools are issues that draw a clear ideological line between candidates for the 60th District House seat in Boone County.
Marianne Proctor, a Union Republican, is the incumbent. The licensed speech language pathologist is a staunch opponent of abortion “from conception to natural death” and an opponent of mandated vaccines. She also is an avowed constitutional conservative who holds fast to what she calls the mantle of life, liberty and right to property. She supports fewer taxes and less government spending.
At the same time, Proctor has touted to LINK her involvement in bringing “more than $136 million for road improvements within District 60” since she was elected to represent the district in 2022.
Deb Ison Flowers is a Union Democrat and has been a nurse for 37 years. Flowers said she is opposed to any government act that may take away a woman’s right to control her own reproductive health.
“Every human being is entitled to bodily autonomy and to make decisions about their own health care,” said her campaign website.
As for spending public dollars on non-public K-12 education, Flowers said she’s against that, too.
“We need to keep our property tax dollars in House District 60,” Flowers said on her website. “Further, both Ryle and Cooper high schools need to be expanded. I will fight for the money from Frankfort to see that these expansions can move forward in order to decrease overcrowding and recruit quality teachers to add to our already amazing school staff in Boone County.”
Passage of Amendment 2, on the ballot this fall, would allow state lawmakers to budget public money for non-public K-12 education in future legislative sessions. Proctor was one of dozens of House Republicans voting early this year to put the amendment on the ballot.
“Education is not a one-size-fits-all system,” Proctor said on her campaign website. “I will advocate for parental authority and school choice over leftist indoctrination.”
Other campaign issues in the district are affordable housing and creation of good salaried jobs.
Proctor told LINK she wants to increase the workforce by reducing regulations and emphasizing a return to core academic skills. New development, she said, must be carefully balanced with protection of property rights and “preservation of our local character.” She also intends to continue to campaign for reform of certificates of need, the state program that oversees growth of health care services and facilities in Kentucky.
Flowers said she wants to see high-quality development of more low- and middle-income housing and expanded access to high-speed internet in the district, now impacted by what Flowers called numerous “drop zones” that make access unreliable. She also wants to see expanded public transit, better sidewalks, traffic relief on Frogtown Road and more.
“I will seek out funding from Frankfort, all grant opportunities as well as partnership with local businesses who would be served by increased public transportation and improved infrastructure in order to make these things happen,” Flowers said.
When asked what the 60th House District can expect them to deliver should they be elected, both women said communication and relationship building are central to their campaigns. Flowers said open communication between her, local officials and individual citizens should be expected.
“The best way for me to make sure that NKY’s voice in Frankfort is heard is to ensure that I fight for and speak up on behalf of every segment of our population,” she said. “I welcome all productive comments, ideas, questions and concerns. Together, united, we will start living the words written on our state flag, ‘United We Stand Divided We Fall.’”
Proctor said listening to her constituents and keeping them informed of how legislation important to them is progressing should be expected if she is reelected. “I will continue to listen carefully to them and keep them informed on the progress that is being made to turn bills that matter to them into laws that work for them,” she told LINK.