Candidate talk:  John Szoka 

By Rhonda Griffin

Editor's note:  BladenOnline believes the voters should know their candidates in order to make a fair and solid decision at the polls. We would like to offer the opportunity to all upcoming candidates to share information about themselves and the issues they feel strongly about with our readers. To schedule an interview, call Rhonda Griffin at 549-4649. 

John Szoka has a simple yet strong view of his campaign for N.C. House District 22 – “Principles, Not Politics.”

Szoka, the Republican candidate who will face Democratic incumbent William Brisson in November, visited Bladen County recently, where he asked BladenOnline to meet him at the corner – The Corner Cafe, that is. Priding himself as not being a politician, but a family man, a veteran and a small businessman, Szoka shared his beliefs that the voters should “vote for the better person, not the party.”

“An election is a contest of ideas, not a contest of personalities,” Szoka said with a smile.

His way of campaigning is simple as well – he shares his ideas and beliefs with the voters and tells them, “If your views are the same as mine, then vote for me,” since like-minded people working together can make a big difference.

As Szoka, a resident of Hope Mills, spoke of his choice to run for the House seat, he said, “There's a problem with our state government and it needs fixing. I believe I have some solutions to those problems.” The District 22 seat is made up of all of Bladen County and part of Cumberland County.

Reading a few of his ideas may have readers asking, “Who is John Szoka?” Here's what we found out:

His background:

Szoka graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in engineering and went on to obtain his master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. He spent 20 years of his life defending his country in the U.S. Army, working mostly in infantry, and retired as a lieutenant colonel.

After his retirement in 1996, Szoka joined the business world working in financial services and mortgage lending. His time in small business opened his eyes to what was going on in his home state of North Carolina.

“All decisions have consequences, but these consequences are hitting people in the pocketbook,” Szoka said of past decisions being made by our state government officials. “Small businesses end up on the short end of the stick.”

The “wasteful spending” Szoka said he was seeing is ruining the economy throughout the state and across the country. He wants to try to make a difference.

What he stands for:

Reform state government – “I will fight to cut the irresponsible wasteful spending that is devastating our state economy, and work to stop the corruption that has gripped our political leadership.” Szoka suggests a zero-based budgeting policy, no state borrowing of money without voter approval, and making state teacher and retiree health benefits a priority.

Lower taxes to create jobs – “Since our state has one of the highest tax burdens in the Southeast, we need to lower taxes for families, small businesses and family farms to keep more money in your pocket, fix the economy and create jobs.” Szoka believes that small businesses are over-regulated. He also believes the legislature should perform its own cost/benefit analysis on proposed legislation, review existing regulations and repeal laws that create government restraints of trade since “regulations should help promote competition, not restrict it.” Jobs could be created, Szoka said, by creating a special tax rate on “pass-through businesses,” reducing corporate tax rates and eliminating targeted tax breaks and corporate welfare programs, and controlling spending.

Reduce healthcare costs – “I will stand up to any Obama healthcare program that takes away people's choices for quality healthcare. We need to lower healthcare costs, not reduce choices. We need to stop frivolous lawsuits that are driving insurance costs sky high and forcing doctors out of medicine.”

For more information about N.C. House District 22's Republican candidate, visit his Web site at www.SzokaforNCHouse.com.