Published: October 06, 2008 11:19 pm         

Election '08: Vigo County Commissioner District 3

TERRE HAUTE — Two longtime political veterans are squaring off for one of the three powerful Vigo County Commissioners’ posts.

Democrat Paul Mason, 60, who has served 10 years as the 3rd District County Commissioner, is defending his seat against longtime Republican Vigo County Councilman Brad Anderson.

At present, Democrats control all three county commissioner seats, two of which are on November’s general election ballot. The 3rd District seat, however, is the only contested race.

Mason, who served as Terre Haute fire chief under former Mayor P. Pete Chalos, said overcrowding in the Vigo County jail is one of the top issues facing the county. The jail has a capacity of 268 but more than 300 prisoners often are housed there, he said. “This is a huge, tremendous cost,” he said.

Mason favors hiring a county employee to work with the courts to keep the jail population under control, he said.

Anderson, 56, a 13-year member of the County Council and former Vigo County Republican Party chairman, said controlling county government costs in the wake of state-mandated budget cuts is a top concern for the county. The County Courthouse renovation is $5.5 million over budget at present, he noted.

Both Mason and Anderson oppose proposals to do away with some county elected offices, including County Commissioners. Both argue that replacing elected commissioners with an appointed county manager would reduce government accountability to voters.

When asked what change he would like to see in the next four years, Mason said he questions whether building a bigger jail was really the best solution for some of the county’s problems.

“Maybe building a jail wasn’t the right answer,” Mason said. “Maybe the right answer would have been trying to put your money toward helping people before they got to jail,” he said, adding that the money might have been better spent trying to help people overcome drug or alcohol problems.

Anderson said he’d like to make a positive change toward creating jobs in Vigo County.

“The economics of job creation has got to be one of the number one things,” he said. As a commissioner, he would work closely with the Terre Haute Economic Development Corp., the Chamber of Commerce and existing and prospective businesses, he said.

Mason’s philosophy of government is not to micro-manage county departments, he said. Commissioners have their own duties and should only get involved in another official’s department when things get out of hand, he said. He also said he returns all phone calls and tries to help anyone who comes to his office.

Anderson said he believes in smaller government, less spending and balancing budgets.

So far, Mason and Anderson say their race has been clean and that they plan to keep it that way.

“I have nothing against Mr. Anderson,” Mason said. “As a councilperson and a commissioner, we all try to work together,” he said.

“I always feel you’re not running against somebody. You’re running for a position,” Anderson said.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.



Candidate bios

Paul Mason

Age: 60

Education: 1966 graduate of Garfield High School in Terre Haute.

Experience: Vietnam veteran who served in the Army from 1968 to 1970. Joined Terre Haute Fire Department in 1971. Served as a firefighter, acting lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and fire chief under Mayor P. Pete Chalos. Vigo County recorder from 1996-98. Named to finish the term of Vigo County Commissioner P. Jim Diehl in 1998. First elected commissioner in 2000.

Family: Married to wife Connie for 40 years. Two children and four grandchildren.



Brad Anderson

Age: 56

Education: Graduated from Wiley High School in 1970. Attended Indiana State University.

Experience: Licensed Realtor for 20 years. Owner of Anderson Sound Co. for 27 years. Owner of Anderson Properties for 23 years. Owner of Life of Riley Grill for seven years. Served as Honey Creek Township assessor for four years and Vigo County Republican Party chairman for 1½ years.

Family: Married to wife Kara for 23 years. They have four children.