John McKamey is a career educator and athletics coach from the Tri-Cities area. He also served on the Sullivan County Commission and was elected Sullivan County Mayor, and is active in several civic and charitable organizations. Mr. McKamey is running in the August Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee. The winner will face presumptive nominee and incumbent Gov. Bill Haslam in the November general election.

Mr. McKamey was kind enough to answer our lengthy questionnaire on a wide range of issues. His responses after the break...

KnoxViews: Briefly, why are you running for Governor of Tennessee?

Mr. McKamey: As a retired teacher, what they are doing to education in this state has caused me great alarm. People in charge of decisions about our children's and grandchildren's education aren't even from a public school background. Public school teachers need to be back in charge of their classrooms and experienced public school teachers need to be in charge of the decision making. Coming from a rural area of Tennessee, I see problems that aren't being addressed such as broadband internet service that accommodates business and industry. New ideas for recruiting jobs in rural areas, such as utilizing real estate brokers as industrial recruiters, need to be explored. In 2014, the 14th amendment stands as strong as ever and equality should not be debatable.

KnoxViews: What are your qualifications for the job?

Mr. McKamey: I spent close to 50 years as a student and teacher in public education and served 28 years as Sullivan County Commissioner and County Executive (now called County Mayor). As a teacher and community leader I worked and served with the residents in my county and with that experience, I would serve the citizens of Tennessee well.

KnoxViews: How would you describe your political philosophy and governing style?

Mr. McKamey: Government is a service, not a business. A business is meant to make profits and government is meant to serve people. As Governor, my political philosophy will be serving the people of this state with a government that best meets their needs.

KnoxViews: What is your position on expanding Medicaid/TennCare in Tennessee according to the provisions and funding in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?

Mr. McKamey: Tennessee is a sales tax based economy. The more money we can bring into Tennessee, the more services our government can provide. This year alone revenue is down about 20% and yet we are willing to deny Medicaid expansion for our citizens. As a result hospitals are facing layoffs and closings and communities are looking at increased unemployment leading to additional demand on government programs. My leadership wouldn't be letting much needed jobs evaporate into thin air.

KnoxViews: What are some of the highlights of your overall plan for economic development and job growth in Tennessee?

Mr. McKamey: Utilizing new ideas for bringing jobs into Tennessee will be of utmost importance. Every community has Real Estate Brokers that know the community and know the available resources. Develop a real estate broker's network that can bring industry into the counties. Natural resources are our most precious assets. I will protect them and welcome those that come to enjoy them. Tourism is one our most valuable sources of revenue. Efforts will be made to project a good image of our state nationally.

KnoxViews: Regarding corporate relocation and economic development, what is the appropriate role of state government in terms of incentives? What are your thoughts about transparency surrounding these projects?

Mr. McKamey: It is always the responsibility of government to be transparent. Incentives are offered by every state in the union in some way or another. As long as we are transparent with public negotiations and work with companies that will bring clean, good paying jobs to our state then negotiations to decrease the unemployment rate are always welcome.

KnoxViews: What are your thoughts about the VW Chattanooga worker's council organizing effort and Gov. Haslam's intervention?

Mr. McKamey: When VW was recruited and agreed to come into this state it was quite well known that they incorporated work councils in their management. Suddenly, once they were here, our government started dictating to them how they should run their company. What kind of a message does this send to other companies who might consider bringing industry and jobs to Tennessee? It is the responsibility of government to recruit business, not to run the business once it is here. As Governor, I would not use tax dollars to reward or punish companies. Based on my political belief, incentives for industry to expand and add jobs should be fair, without regard to partisan politics.

KnoxViews: Do you support raising the minimum wage in Tennessee?

Mr. McKamey: The Bureau of Labor statistics reports that Tennessee is number one in minimum wage workers in this country. In Tennessee, 7.4% of workers make minimum wage, or below. The number nationally is 4.3%. In a sales tax based economy we need to make sure our citizens have money to spend. That does not happen when people make minimum wage. To create a thriving economy, we must increase wages and pull the working poor out of the minimum wage cycle. I would like to see incremental wage increases for our minimum wage workers that will benefit the state as whole economically.

KnoxViews: What are your views on competition among telecommunication and internet service companies operating in the state, the level of service provided to consumers and businesses, and particularly rural broadband access?

Mr. McKamey: I am supportive of any efforts that will result in affordable broadband internet access to all areas of Tennessee. All Tennesseans, including those in rural areas, should have affordable, reliable, high-speed internet access offered by any and all who wish to do so. The State of Tennessee should not erect barriers to the development of this service.

KnoxViews: Regarding education, there have been a number of recent and controversial changes regarding teacher evaluations, tenure, licensing, compensation, due process and organized representation. Do you feel these are necessary and appropriate?

Mr. McKamey: Tenure does not guarantee a teacher's job but it does ensure that a teacher cannot be fired without just cause. Legislation has created many controversial changes in Tennessee's schools resulting in confusion among school boards, teachers, and parents who are all trying to understand what is happening to public education. The best thing we can do for education is to change the people in Nashville that are creating this problem. My Commissioner of Education and the people surrounding that Commissioner will be experienced public school educators.

KnoxViews: Do you support employing Teach for America teachers?

Mr. McKamey: No one should teach our children except professional educators. A five week class does not qualify a person to properly or effectively work with students in a classroom.

KnoxViews: What are your views on education reforms such as achievement testing and Common Core?

Mr. McKamey: Let the teachers decide what elements in Common Core are good. Teachers are not prepared or equipped to implement some components of Common Core. Teachers, students and in this case the infrastructure is not prepared for the sudden changes required. The technology required falls short in many school systems across the state. The biggest problem we have in our school system is that we are allowing people who do not have an adequate background in actual classroom experience to make decisions and create mandates for our public school systems. I have real issues with the current methods of testing because I am not convinced that current assessments actually assess the students' level of knowledge and they certainly do not assess the teacher's effectiveness in the classroom.

KnoxViews: Do you support school vouchers?

Mr. McKamey: There is an all out effort on the part of current government to take public dollars away from our struggling public school systems and redirect that money to other profit or non-profit schools and corporate structured schools. Vouchers would be one of those money diversions. If we have struggling schools it is and should be our responsibility to find out what challenges that school and fix it. Public dollars need to stay with public schools. I do not support vouchers.

KnoxViews: What are your thoughts about charter schools, and particularly for-profit charter school operators and the recently enacted statewide charter school approval authority?

Mr. McKamey: We need to take care of our public schools and not use public dollars to fund private for profit corporations. The 2013 State Report Card indicated for the first time in Tennessee's history that on average no Tennessee school system received 50% or more of its money from the state. In fact the actual county average was 48%. According to the 2010 census Tennessee ranked 49th nationally in per pupil spending. They are not getting this right; I will focus on our public schools.

KnoxViews: Do you support Gov. Haslam's plan for free community/technical college tuition funded by lottery proceeds?

Mr. McKamey: I am a strong advocate for community/technical colleges. Our communities need certified welders, HVAC technicians, plumbers, electricians, and other trades. Most of these trades and skills provide a good income.

One concern is that it will redirect a large number of students away from 4 year colleges. With tuition costs rising dramatically every year in 4 year colleges this could create an even larger financial burden on students seeking a four year degree.

According to the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEED), from 2007 through 2012 state funding in Tennessee for higher education declined 31.5%. As these reductions continue, they result in an increase in costs to students and their families. According to the College Board of Advocacy and Policy Center, middle-income students are graduating with the highest debt levels of any income group. The study also shows that nationally 64% of all middle-income students are joining the workforce with over $30,500 of college debt. Our leaders need a new attitude about education, at all levels. Our priorities about educational policies should be from the perspectives of the student and their family and should not come from the need to cut the budget to protect other interests.

KnoxViews: What are some highlights of your plan for improving education in Tennessee?

Mr. McKamey: The Commissioner of Education will be an experienced public school, classroom teacher. Education should be in the hands of professionals from public schools. The Department of Education personnel will all be experienced classroom teachers. All the experiments in education need to stop and it is time to get back to putting teachers in charge of their classrooms.

KnoxViews: Regarding the state budget, what would be your top funding priorities and what adjustments would you propose in other areas to achieve those goals?

Mr. McKamey: Public education will be my #1 priority. No vouchers, no charter schools, no money to Teach for America, and no money for experimental educational programs. Money will instead go back into the public education budget and instead of putting the focus on weakening our public schools, my priority will be to strengthen our public schools with professional public school educators.

KnoxViews: In your view, what is the best way to generate tax revenue to fund state government?

Mr. McKamey: Sales tax is our number one source of income. To increase revenue people need to spend money. Our national image needs to be cleaned up so Tennessee is attractive to new business and industry. Our workforce needs livable wages. When our workers have access to higher paying job opportunities they support the economy.

KnoxViews: There have been a number of problems with state information systems projects in terms of delays, cost overruns, and systems that don't work as planned. How would you address this? Should the state have a cabinet level information technology chief to manage all state IT projects?

Mr. McKamey: Tennessee has had a number of high-profile IT state project problems over the past several years. Millions of dollars have been thrown away and no one has been held accountable. It is time to tackle this problem with the expertise it requires. Tennessee needs a state cabinet level information technology chief and staff to get the job done.

KnoxViews: Do you feel that TDOT's environmental review process is transparent and responsive to the environmental, social and economic concerns of affected citizens and communities?

Mr. McKamey: Hopefully the recent assessment of the Tennessee Environmental Streamlining Agreement with its amended policies and procedures will address TDOT's handling with regard to environmental, social and economic factors that affect our communities. Transparency and community involvement is absolutely necessary in addressing these issues.

KnoxViews: What are your views of TDOT's "Tennessee Environmental Streamlining Agreement" for "streamlining the transportation development process and achieving regulatory and environmental compliance?"

Mr. McKamey: In theory, the "Tennessee Environmental Streamlining Agreement" (TESA) sounds like a logical approach to transportation projects in the state. Basically its goal is to work out all perceived future conflicts in the beginning allowing for uninterrupted and completed transportation projects. TESA established a coordinated planning and project development process with various resource and regulatory agencies. It appears there have been problems with the process since its beginning and these issues have been assessed. In January of this year the agencies involved agreed on changes in policy and procedures and adopted an amended plan to go into effect April 2014. TESA is a plan worth pursuing. Because of the variety of agencies involved, issues can be resolved in the planning stage instead of in the middle of construction. TESA provides opportunities for increased environmental protections, enhanced project planning, uniform state-wide procedures and it increases the likelihood of realistic construction schedules and budgets. While not perfect, TESA is a step-up in planning and implementation of better coordinated transportation projects statewide. Continued assessment and updating of TESA will greatly increase its usefulness going forward.

KnoxViews: Do you feel that TDEC is doing an adequate job protecting and preserving Tennessee's natural resources? What if any changes would you like to see, particularly with regard to regulatory authority?

Mr. McKamey: A report by the Tennessee Clean Water Network (2011 -- 2012) indicated a drastic reduction in enforcement orders from TDEC, yet indicated that violations had not declined. TDEC has written guidelines and procedures yet it appears they are not being enforced. TDEC needs to answer to the department's standards and not to special interest groups. Their communications with the public need to be open, clear, and transparent. If funding is an issue, their budget should be assessed and adjusted to insure they have adequate resources to perform their job effectively.

KnoxViews: Do you support regulations prohibiting mountaintop removal mining?

Mr. McKamey: Yes. Our mountains need the protection of the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Act. Furthermore, at a time when our state needs to be attracting tourism dollars, it would be wrong to allow the destruction of our beautiful mountains. While many argue our state needs the jobs that mountaintop removal mining would bring, actually there are less than 200 jobs in mountaintop removal mining in Tennessee while tourism brings in more than $15 billion a year and provides countless numbers of jobs and business opportunities. I grew up in the mountain rich area of Northeast Tennessee. As a child I hiked and hunted in these mountains and today I continue to enjoy and respect their beauty. It is up to all of us to insure that these same mountains, with all their grandeur, remain undamaged by the devastating results of mountaintop removal.

KnoxViews: What are your thoughts about the recent proposal for selling TVA to a private utility operator?

Mr. McKamey: The TVA service area covers most of Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and parts of several other states. A few years ago a good friend of mine told me that FDR should be called the father of this country because he saved this country. In my eyes TVA saved our state and helped bring our state resources that helped strengthen its economy. I am thankful that our region has some of the most affordable energy in the nation. I fear privatizing TVA could cause a substantial increase in consumer energy costs. I am not in favor of forcing Tennesseans into paying higher electric bills. I could write a book on all of the good TVA has done for Tennessee over the years; cheap electricity, flood control, teaching good farming practices, fertilizers, improved crop yields, replanted forest, controlling forest fires and TVA gave us our great recreational areas with fish and wildlife. TVA made it possible to recruit businesses with high paying jobs and has played a vital part in the growth of our great state. I could go on and on, but the direct answer is NO; we should not sell TVA to private business.

KnoxViews: What are your thought about the so-called "Tennessee Plan" for judicial selection, and the idea of electing judges in general?

Mr. McKamey: The Tennessee Plan allows that election of appellate court vacancies be nominated by a 17 member, non-partisan Commission. The Commission makes three selections and the Governor chooses one from these nominees. This system keeps partisan politics and Party money out of the selection process. If the system is changed and allows for popular election of Judges, then money will play a major role. Our judiciary should not become subject to fundraising and partisan politics.

KnoxViews: Would you support a constitutional amendment requiring a "supermajority" vote by the General Assembly to override a governor's veto?

Mr. McKamey: Our State Constitution appropriately addresses the procedures for overriding a Governor's veto. Now is not the time to distract our legislature with constitutional amendments that take time away from dealing with the real problems our state faces. The focus in our government should be on industrial development that brings our state higher paying jobs, fixing our public schools and increasing state revenue.

KnoxViews: What are your views on state government regulating a woman's right to choose to terminate a pregnancy?

Mr. McKamey: No person, male or female, in our country or state should be made dependent upon the decisions of legislation when making personal medical decisions of any kind. This question strikes close to home for me because my wife Polly died from a heart disease she had dealt with her whole life. We were told shortly after we married that she should never have children because her heart was not strong enough and her life would most certainly be put at risk. While we never had to face the situation, we lived knowing that if we did we would have many tough decisions to make. To think we would have had this very personal and emotional experience ruled upon and judged by strangers elected to our legislature would not only have been cruel but would have been absolutely unbearable. No one should have a say in any medical decision except the person involved, God, faith, and medical professionals.

KnoxViews: What are your views on marriage equality for same-sex couples?

Mr. McKamey: Marriage means more than a commitment of love between two people. Marriage is also a legal status that allows both parties benefits from jobs and government. The 14th amendment prohibits state and federal government from denying anyone equal protection under the law. Recent decisions made by the Supreme Court and many courts nationwide make it obvious that marriage is a basic civil right and cannot be denied to some individuals and allowed to others.

KnoxViews: What do you make of the Tennessee General Assembly's focus on 2nd Amendment issues?

Mr. McKamey: As a gun owner, I respect your right to own guns guaranteed under the second amendment. I also respect the need to own and use guns responsibly. I do not feel that my right to own a gun has ever been threatened; but I do feel the respect for the property rights of others has been challenged by this legislature. The general assembly should encourage passing a law to require gun safety as a required course in school curriculum. The course would show you how to handle a gun correctly as well as how to handle situations when a gun is involved. Gun ownership comes with the responsibility for gun safety.

KnoxViews: As a Democrat, how would you work with the Republican legislative supermajority to advance your legislative agenda?

Mr. McKamey: I will represent the people of this state and to do so I would most certainly strive to work with all the elected officials. The Republican majority, as an elected body, has the same responsibility to the people of this state. I would work to find common ground and stress the need for compromise that best represents the wishes of the constituency. My administration will be open and will welcome public scrutiny.

KnoxViews: What is your assessment of the current state of the Democratic Party in Tennessee?

Mr. McKamey: Our state and country can only work if more than one party is represented in government. While the Democratic Party may be down in numbers elected at this time, it is still very much representative of a large segment of our state's citizenry.

KnoxViews: In closing, what else would you like KnoxViews readers to know about you and your campaign for Governor of Tennessee?

Mr. McKamey: I have significant experience in government and leadership. I know how to be fiscally responsible. My campaign will not be funded by outside interests but by the will of the voters. If you want to be fairly represented in this state; I am the right candidate. The hard working middle class lacks representation right now. They need a governor who can relate to them. My job as your Governor will be to see that the middle class, working poor, women, teachers, disadvantaged, parents, and children of this state have a Governor who will make decisions based on the interest of all the people in the state. As Governor, I will serve the public. Join me at McKameyforGovernor.com and help me bring a whole new attitude to state government.

Website: McKamey for Governor
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Twitter: @McKameyForGov