Veteran state senator Tom Butler, D-Madison, 62, will defend his District 2 seat from political newcomer Jim Burden. Butler is completing his third term in the Senate after serving from 1982-1994 in the state House of Representatives.

Burden, 65, chairman of the Limestone County Republican Executive Committee for the past six years, is a retired real estate developer and businessman.

This is the candidates’ responses to several issues in the District 2 race. Some of their answers were shortened because of space limitations, but the essential message was retained.

Do you believe eminent domain is fair to property owners?

Butler: I believe we need a constitutional amendment better protecting the rights of property owners. It is regrettable that this was not passed in the last session and submitted to the people for a vote.

Burden: I don’t think the person that is losing his property to eminent domain ever thinks it is fair. The only proper use of eminent domain is for public use. I would never allow eminent domain to be applied for private use or to increase the tax base. I will work within the system to get the strongest eminent domain laws possible for Alabama

Do you think Limestone County Superintendent of Education should be an elected position?

Butler: Let the citizens of Limestone County decide whether they want an elected superintendent.

Burden: I would allow the people to vote and let them decide.

Alabama Department of Transportation officials say it will be 2012 before work is completed on widening of U.S. 72 West. Would you work to try to move that date up considering the high number of fatal accidents on that road?

Butler: Absolutely—though the road is not in Senate District Three, it nonetheless impacts the citizens of Madison, Limestone and North Alabama. U.S. Highway 72 needs expansion just like other roads in this District. I believe we are not getting our share of road money in North Alabama. The road connections between the Huntsville-Decatur-Athens triad need to be greatly improved.

Burden: That is one of my top reasons for running for this office. Our current senator has not worked hard enough to improve our highways. We are 10 to 15 years behind in the development of highways for this area. We need to widen U.S. 72 West from Providence Drive into Athens…My passion is to improve U.S. 72. How many years have we hard about Alabama 53? After 15 years of effort they just four-laned 1 1/2 miles of Highway 53. Does that make the people that must travel that highway happy? We also need to work on Wall Triana.

Are you for tougher immigration laws, and if so, how would you change them?

Butler: Absolutely—I would work to adopt Rep. Micky Hammon’s five (5) bills, which were introduced last session but killed by the Democrats. I would introduce and work for the passage of legislation to expand training to local law enforcement (similar to our state troopers) to detain illegal immigrants and have them picked up by INS. I would introduce and work for the passage of legislation to require employers to verify the legal status of employees for any state work. These are but a few of the items I would work on to prevent an influx of illegal immigration. I believe illegal immigration is costing us tremendously in our schools, hospitals and job sites—among other places.

Burden: We must stop the social programs, free education, hospital care, welfare and anchor babies. The federal government is ordering us to provide these services and the local government is wanted to fine the companies that hired them $10,000. That is not logical. We must stop the jobs and the social programs so they will go home. We lost $900,000 per year in the Athens-Limestone Hospital, according to an article in The News Courier several weeks ago. Huntsville (hospital) will lose $4.5 million per year. They have no health check to get into this country and are reintroducing diseases that we no longer had. We need stronger immigration laws.

Are you for a new constitution?

Butler: I believe portions of our Constitution are in need of change, but other parts should not be touched. Constitutional protections against raising taxes without a vote of the people, for instance, must not be removed from the document. For that reason, I support revising the 1901 Constitution on an article-by-article basis.

Burden: No, I would not vote for a rewrite of the State Constitution. I would say we can change it one article at time as we have done in the past. If the rewrite ever does pass, I want to be on the committee doing the oversight.

Are you for term limits for elected officials?

Butler: Absolutely.

Burden: I have mixed emotions on this. I intend to only serve two terms.