BROCHURES, HARDER TIME FOR METH CRIMES TOPICS AT HOUSTON DEBATE

PERRY- State Senate District 20 Democratic challenger Dan King,
looking at his opponent's campaign brochure, said Monday night that
all of the things incumbent Ross Tolleson is fighting for this
election were the same, untouched issues he fought for the first time
he ran.

In the flier, which Tolleson used in his 2002 campaign, King said
there were promises from Tolleson of improved education, better jobs
and better health care for Middle Georgians.

"You allowed jobs to go to India, voted against smaller classrooms and
dollars for schools," King said in a debate Monday night to a nearly
full auditorium at the Houston County Board of Education offices in
Perry.

"I guess we are all pulling out fliers tonight," Tolleson, R-Perry,
said in response, claiming that King's brochure contained meritless
information and that King lacked the experience to serve Middle Georgians.

The two agreed on many issues like tort reform, supporting Robins Air
Force Base and supporting the protection of the state's natural
resources, but they clashed on items like the state budget and job
outsourcing.

Also at the forum, in the hotly-contested race for Houston County
district attorney, Democratic challenger Michael Moore accused
Republican incumbent Kelly Burke of routinely letting methamphetamine
users and dealers go free without jail time.

Moore cited several cases in which those convicted of
methamphetamine-related crimes did not receive prison sentences but
probation instead. "The list goes on and on," Moore said.

But Burke countered that Moore is presenting a classic case in which
rhetoric doesn't match the facts. Burke said that when Moore was an
assistant district attorney for Houston County, just as many
defendants that Moore prosecuted received probation instead of jail
time.

Burke pledged to post Moore's cases in which drug defendants received
probation on his web site today. Burke said Moore wasn't being
reasonable, while Moore said he doesn't think it's reasonable to allow
methamphetamine users and dealers back on the streets.

Moore also hammered Burke on the use of public funds, TV commercials
and felony conviction rates, many of the same issues that the
candidates have been going head-to-head on in the last few weeks of
the campaign.

In a previous interview, Burke said it's difficult to get jail time
for first-time drug offenders, but that a long probation period gives
the district attorney's office the means to put offenders in prison if
probation is violated.

The forum also was to have featured candidates for State House
District 136. Incumbent Robert Ray, D-Fort Valley, attended the event,
but his challenger, Republican Carol Bird of Forsyth, did not. The
event was sponsored by the Greater Area Perry Chamber of Commerce.