Hal Heiner For Kentucky Governor: My Experience Tops Potential Rivals'.

Heiner says his experience tops potential rivals's 

Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Hal Heiner said background and experience are what separates him from potential opponents, including Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, in the race for governor.

“I think there’s a big difference in my background and experience and just about anybody else that’s considering getting in this race,” he said.

The Republican spoke to members of the Daily News editorial board Wednesday.
He is headed west this weekend for the Fancy Farm Picnic but will not have a speaking spot because he is not on the ballot in 2014, Heiner said. The governor’s race will be in 2015.

Heiner is the founder of Capstone Realty and a former member of the Louisville Metro Council. Before that, he worked for a civil engineering firm and in the commercial division of a regional development company.

He said he knows what the state needs to do from a jobs standpoint. “The No. 1 issue by far in Kentucky is how do we kickstart the economy in Kentucky,” Heiner said.

The state has stagnated in the areas of jobs and income, he said.
One of his legislative priorities, if elected, would include the passage of right-to-work legislation that would allow employees to opt out of paying union dues, Heiner said.

“Kentucky has to join the other 24 right-to-work states,” he said. “We have simply no choice.”
Another priority would be comprehensive tax reform, including the state’s income tax, Heiner said.

Heiner said Kentucky is increasingly becoming an island in terms of its 6 percent personal income tax rate. Indiana’s rate is lower at 3.4 percent, Ohio has lowered its rate and Tennessee has no personal income tax.

“Our tax structure in Kentucky, if it was a platform, would be moss-covered,” he said. “It has been untouched for so long.”
Heiner said he also wants to improve fiscal management in state government.

If elected, Heiner said he wants to see Kentucky named one of the top 10 states to do business by Chief Executive Magazine within two years of taking office.
The governor needs to be out in the state campaigning for the changes he wants to make and getting people on board with his vision even after the election is over, Heiner said.

“If you want to have long-lasting, big improvements in state government, it can’t happen just within Frankfort,” he said.

The governor should be the holder of a vision for where the state needs to go, Heiner said. Once people are on board with that vision, they will encourage legislators to make necessary changes, he said.

“There is a yearning in Kentucky for a vision and for new ideas,” he said.
Heiner has been traveling the state for about four months campaigning and said he feels he is gaining name recognition.
“I wanted to get into the race early to meet people face to face,” he said.