Meadows accuses Polizos of changing his stance on major issues in House District 74 race

Source: Montgomery Advertiser, Ala.儲存倉Nov. 07--Legislative candidate Dimitri Polizos said he has not changed his position on key issues during his run for the Alabama House of Representatives, but that he now understands some of the issues better because he has read more.However, his opponent, Charlotte Meadows, said Polizos has changed his views, taken different stances in front of different groups and questioned which Polizos constituents would get if they elect him to the House."He is not the consistent conservative he says he is," said Meadows, former president of the Montgomery County Board of Education.She pointed to him voting for two tax increases while serving on the Montgomery County Commission.She also says that during his campaign he has changed his position numerous times, including changing his opposition to the Alabama Accountability Act and to the Rolling Reserve Budget Act, and on a previous comment he made in favor of home rule, which gives more authority to county commissions to set tax levels and other policies.Polizos, a Montgomery County commissioner and restaurant owner, said he feels differently about those issues because he has had an opportunity to read more and understands them better or, in the case of home rule, misspoke once during a radio interview.The two Republicans face each other in a Nov. 19 runoff for the House District 74 seat. Polizos finished well ahead of Meadows and Heather Sellers in the Oct. 8 primary, but did not secure the necessary majority needed to win outright. With no opposition from a Democrat or independent, the winner of the runoff will be the next representative for the district.Both candidates have sent out mail pieces in recent days in the north-central Montgomery district trying to argue their side.Polizos's campaign sent out a mail piece that arrived in Montgomery mailboxes Friday and also sent a similar "contract with constituents" to a group of supporters outlining his view on some issues.A political consultant for Polizos, Jack Campbell, said the contract, which is signed by Polizos, was sent to insiders and lobbyists to outline the candidate's stance on issues.In those pieces, Polizos vowed to oppose all tax increases, support the Rolling Reserve and Accountability Act, oppose the expansion of home rule for county commissions, support all efforts to reduce crime, promote pro-life issues, oppose legalized gambling, and continue to refuse to take money from the Alabama Education Association.Polizos expressed concerns about the Accountability Act and the Rolling Reserve Budget Act during some public forums and in his Oct. 3 meeting with the editorial board of the Montgomery Advertiser. He also said he would be likely to support a lottery, stating that funds from the Georgia lottery had helped educate his niece and nephew.Polizos, in a statement emailed to the Advertiser by Campbell, said he would "not co-sponsor any legislation to bring a lottery or casino gambling to Alabama.""However, if any measure comes before me that allows the people the opportunity to vote on either or both of these issues, I will support that," according to the Polizos statement. "I concur with what Gov. (Robert) Bentley has said, that if it comes before the people and fails, it may not be re-introduced for the next 10 years."Meadows said the positions Polizos has taken has depended on who he is talking to."There is one person who hasn't changed positions in this race and doesn't say something different to each group. I haven't flip-flopped," Meadows said.Campbell said: "We understand how things are in campaigns. She is looking at the same polls we are and she is behind."The Advertiser reached Polizos at his restaurant Friday. After briefly discussing some of the issues, the candidate said he had to return another phone call, but would call back within minutes. Instead, Campbell called and discussed the issues and discussed Polizos' busy schedule as a small businessman. He said Polizos would call later Friday. He did not. When contacted again Monday, the consultant said Polizos would contact the Advertiser later in the day. The Advertiser also inquired about talking to the candidate on Tuesday. Polizos has not returned calls to the Advertiser since Friday.Meadows has accused Polizos of avoiding talking publicly -- being unwilling to talk to the media or participate in forums or debates.Rolling ReservePolizos expressed concerns about the Rolling Reserve when asked about it during a candidate forum at the Alabama Education Association. He originally declined to talk about the reserve act when asked at a later meeting with the editorial board of the Advertiser on Oct. 3. In 迷你倉最平is latest mail piece, Polizos shared with residents that he "wholeheartedly" supports it and believes it ensures responsible budget practices."Now I feel better about it because I studied it and I understand it," Polizos said Friday.The act uses a formula to cap growth in the education budget.Meadows has hailed the Rolling Reserve as landmark legislation and said it will be critical moving forward to stop the state from going into proration, across the board cuts declared by the governor to balance the budget when revenue is not meeting spending. Those cuts can be devastating to schools.Campbell said they are trying to clarify Polizos's position on the Rolling Reserve, which he said has been law since 2011 and was not in any danger of being repealed.The Accountability Act and Rolling Reserve have not been big campaign issues and are already law, Campbell said.Accountability ActPolizos also said he has spent more time studying the Accountability Act and outlined to supporters in his campaign piece that he would "support the general principles of the" act, "especially the flexibility it offers local school systems and the freedom it provides students of failing schools to attend other schools.""I might not be totally supportive of every piece of" the act, Polizos said. He said he might support some ways to revise or improve the act, but was not ready to talk about those.The Republican supermajority in the Legislature passed the act earlier this year despite opposition from education groups and vocal Democrats. The controversial act allows parents of children designated for failing schools to transfer those children to non-failing public schools or to claim a tax credit that can be used toward attending a private school.Polizos also has been critical of how the act was passed, with lawmakers dramatically changing the bill late in the process and ramming it through the House and the Senate.Previously, he also questioned how the legislation assisted poor children who could still not afford private school or poor families in rural areas without the transportation to go to another school."Why don't we fix the school," Polizos asked.Polizos supports most provisions of the Accountability Act, Campbell said, although the use of public funds in private schools makes him "squeamish."Campbell said they did not include the Accountability Act in the mail piece, even though it was included on the contract sent to select people, because people have not talked about it as an issue to Polizos in his restaurant or when he has been out campaigning.Because of her support for the Accountability Act and charter schools and her work for the education reform group StudentsFirst, the Alabama Education Association has spent tens of thousands on mail pieces, automated calls and television ads attacking Meadows. She supports choice for parents and students. The AEA has accused her of supporting taking money from public schools.The AEA has not contributed directly to Polizos and he said he has not talked with any association officials except for when he was invited to the forum, which all three candidates attended prior to the October primary.Meadows also supports charter schools, which Polizos has criticized.TaxesPolizos voted at a Jan. 3, 2006, Montgomery County Commission meeting for a lodging tax of $1 per room per day. He seconded the motion and the commission unanimously approved the resolution to increase the tax, according to the minutes of the 2006 meeting.In September 2010, Polizos joined other commissioners voting 4-1 to support a motion that increased that lodging tax to $1.50 per room per night. He seconded the motion during that Sept. 27 meeting and commissioners approved the action 4-1 with Commissioner Reed Ingram voting against it, according to the minutes of the meeting.Polizos voted against another increase, from $1.50 to $2.25 per room per day, at a Sept. 16 commission meeting, although the measure passed 3-2.Campbell said saying that Polizos raised taxes is a stretch."The lodging tax does not affect the people who live in Montgomery County," he said.In a statement emailed by Campbell to the Advertiser about home rule, Polizos said he opposed the expanded authority "for counties because it would allow local governments to increase taxes on its own citizens at-will.""I did on a radio show say I 'support home rule', but that was a one-time mistake and one that is not consistent with my beliefs," he said in the statement.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Ala.) 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