State Senate Race: Mark Waterfill (District 35)
by NUVO Editors
NUVO: Introduce yourself in 200 words or less.
I am a father of four great kids and husband of 30 years to my wife, Missy. An attorney for 26 years, I focus my career on employment law and litigation. I am also an owner and developer of Sugar Grove Senior Living in Plainfield, which has created 45 jobs in SD 35. I have taught Sunday School at Plainfield Christian Church and have served on the boards of United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Indiana, Make A Wish of Indiana, Veterans Service Foundation and Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency.
NUVO: Describe your district, name some features that make it special or unique.
SD 35 is a perfect Hoosier district. It is urban and diverse, stretching from Belmont Avenue in Indianapolis to Clayton and Cartersburg in Hendricks County. SD 35 includes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the south half of Wayne Township, and all of Decatur Township in Marion County. In Hendricks County it includes all of Guilford and Liberty Townships, including Plainfield, where I have lived since 1986.
NUVO: List three serious issues facing your district and note how they would translate to your legislative priorities.
Jobs, education and health care are important issues for my district. I have created jobs in the district and know what it takes to do so. My wife is a public school teacher and I know that we must support public education. I am a proponent of enlarging health care opportunities for all Hoosiers, especially the most vulnerable, such as children and the elderly. My opponent has voted against health care check ups for the uninsured and even tried to end federal Medicare in Indiana.
If you could provide one element of constructive criticism about the 2012 General Assembly, what would it be? The Indiana General Assembly is far too partisan. Right to Work should never have been forced upon us, especially the way it was done. The State has no interest in criminalizing contracts between private parties. We need a strong, balanced voice. We need progress not more partisanship.
NUVO: How you do think an extended era of solid Republican control over the General Assembly will influence legislators' work at the Statehouse? Could you comment on how you envision bi-partisanship and checks and balances functioning in this environment?
We need more fiscal watchdogs at the Statehouse. One party control has resulted in the administration "losing" over a half a billion dollars, cutting education funding and then not returning that money, and boondoggles such as the Rockport coal-gas plant and the IURC and DCS scandals.
NUVO: If you could ask one question of your opponent, what would it be?
Why did you co-author SB 423, 2009, a boondoggle requiring the State to buy gas from a for-profit developer for 30 years, and then lie about the fact that you co-authored that bill?
NUVO: What question do you wish we'd asked and how would you answer it?
Are you a fiscal conservative?
Yes. As a small business owner I will work to keep property taxes low. I pledge to oppose wasteful boondoggles such as the Rockport coal-gas plant, co-authored by my opponent. I pledge to end pensions for legislators, another special interest waste of money where their pensions immediately vest for a part time job. Our legislators need to be held accountable and not set up special deals for themselves and their private, for-profit cronies.
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