What Did Candidate Gary Stratton Tell Us?
How did the candidates reply to the questions? Together Frankfort asked questions concerning the six (6) issue areas below:
1. Quality of life (including both economic and environmental issues, planning & zoning, and Tax Increment Financing)
2. Voting
3. Gun Violence
4. Campaign Contributions
5. Healthcare and
6. Housing
Questions from Together Frankfort are in purple text; candidates' response are in black.
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Candidate for House District 57 Gary Stratton
~~ Together Frankfort: Quality of Life for All Citizens ~~
Together Frankfort: What proposals would you make to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Frankfort and Franklin County?
Candidate Gary Stratton: Continue to enhance the climate of innovation and entrepreneurship by bringing groups together to develop venture funds and encourage entrepreneurship as well as pushing for more cooperation between groups (city and county). This is mostly a local government duty but I am involved in many community organizations that can help foster these relationships. In other words, help make the Capital more Business friendly.
Together Frankfort: Describe your vision for sustainable economic growth in Franklin County.
Candidate Gary Stratton: What I would like to concentrate on at the state level that can have a positive impact on Franklin County and the region will be to propose various economic development projects (being in the majority party I will have a much better chance of attracting these projects). The State Capital should be shining example for the state, which we are in many cases we are, however there are several aspects where we can make improvements.
One proposal will be a conference center/school of business building for KSU (community oriented with state, city, county and KSU collaborating). Also, bring more support to the nursing program in order to help with the nursing shortage and advance the idea for a Kentucky School for Veterinarian Medicine. These along with other ideas I have would bring about a growth of innovation for our area.
I see a capital region for Kentucky that is not just state worker based, but tied to new innovative development in many fields that have a diverse business climate.
Together Frankfort: What could our community do to address climate change?
Candidate Gary Stratton: We are addressing climate change by supporting various fuel types as we move forward in the next 50 years. I am a proponent of looking into nuclear energy in a different way than our country did 50 years ago. It can be a safe and clean energy source if done properly.
Together Frankfort: What are your priorities for Planning and Zoning?
Candidate Gary Stratton: This issue more for County/City officials.
Together Frankfort: In what circumstances would you support using Tax Increment Financing (TIF)?
Candidate Gary Stratton: I would support Tax Increment Financing (TIF) in most public/private partnerships in which brings in private money to help close the gap in government type projects.
Together Frankfort: Voting - Only 33% of eligible Franklin County voters participated in the last election and that was considered a good turnout. What do you think can be done to increase voter turnout and engagement?
Candidate Gary Stratton: To increase voter turn-out: have more connections from local officials to K-12 schools to show the importance of voting. Propose more civic classroom experiences. Use social media to promote the importance of voting.
Together Frankfort: What is your opinion about election security in Franklin County?
Candidate Gary Stratton: I believe Mr. Hancock (local level) and Mr. Adams (state level) have done an excellent job to assure that our voting system is safe in Franklin County.
~~~~~ Gun Violence ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: What specific measures do you believe could reduce gun violence in Kentucky and if elected, what would you do to make sure those measures are put in place?
Candidate Gary Stratton: I know we already have a large prison population but for gun violence, I would increase the penalties. Example, some guilty of murder and given 20 years in prison should not be eligible for parole in 10 years. So first, serve your sentence for violent crimes.
Most police forces throughout the state are under staffed; assure funding to bring them up to staffing needs.
Together Frankfort: Suicides account for 66% of all gun deaths in Kentucky. Do you have proposals that would reduce those deaths?
Candidate Gary Stratton: On the suicide issue, I would expand the services for mental health (see Health Care area)
Together Frankfort: The federal government has just passed legislation that would send money to Kentucky for gun violence prevention--specifically for enacting a red flag law or something similar. How would you propose to spend that money to prevent gun violence in our commonwealth?
Candidate Gary Stratton: N/A
~~~~~ Campaign Contributions ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: What is your position on Dark Money?
Candidate Gary Stratton: On Dark Money, I believe there should be open records for this money and the organizations to follow. I do not want to stop donations from sources, just make sure the records are public.
Together Frankfort: Will you identify all contributors to your campaign, including those who contribute to political action committees that support you?
Candidate Gary Stratton: First, my campaign will collect and then spend close to $50,000 by November, but most of this will be from myself, round $40,000. I only accepted one donation from a PAC (the Bluegrass PAC). I have not, or will not accept money from groups that would only want some favor in the future. If I did, I would fully disclose the names.
~~~~~ Health Care ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: What is your position on reproductive health care for women and Constitutional Amendment #2?
Candidate Gary Stratton: I am for Amendment 2. However, I am for exceptions of course. The health of the mother is first, the main concern. Here we are choosing between the two lives and we need to choose the mother. Open to discussing other exceptions.
Amendment 2 will still give the legislature the ability to work with these exceptions.
Together Frankfort: What is your position on expanding mental health care in Franklin County?
Candidate Gary Stratton: On mental health care: I want to see more resources brought in to mental health care (this combines with the suicide issue in the gun section), we have ignored this issue for decades. While the systems from years ago may have extreme measures that we needed to end (I agree) the pendulum swing too far in the direction of “lets ignore the issue”. Some individuals that are a danger to themselves and others should receiving help in an institution that can care from them in a respectful manner.
~~~~~ Housing ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: Would you, if elected, tackle our affordable housing crisis by supporting a city/county ordinance that adopts the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act (URLTA) to define the rights of renting citizens and families and landlords, and follow the lead of other towns and cities by adopting regulations on Airbnb and other short-term rentals?
Candidate Gary Stratton: These are more local issues.
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Thank you, Candidate Gary Stratton, for responding to Together Frankfort's questionnaire.
For readers interested in discussing these issues further with this candidate,
his contact information can be found below.
Gary Stratton for State Representative
P.O. Box 324
Frankfort, KY 40602-0324
Click here to email Candidate Gary Stratton
Candidate website
Candidate Facebook page
The 2021 Kentucky General Assembly redistricted Franklin County, dividing it so more of the county is represented by two districts. House District (HD) 56, which now represents more of western Franklin county; & House District (HD) 57, which represents the remaining part of Franklin County. HD 57 is described, with maps, more fully at the bottom of this page.
Franklin County is currently represented in the Kentucky House by two Members: Rep. Daniel A. Fister, (R), HD 56 & Rep. Derrick Graham, (D) HD 57. Both incumbents are running again to retain their respective House district.
Together Frankfort sent questionnaires to all candidates running to represent Franklin County in both HD 56 & HD 57. Of the two House candidates for HD 57, Candidate Gary Stratton (R) responded. Incumbent candidate Rep. Derrick Graham (D) politely declined to participate, as he has a long standing policy regarding questionnaires.
Click here to learn about Candidate Stratton's background and campaign issues. Click this link for information about the role of a House Member.
*(i) indicates an incumbent candidate, i.e. someone who already holds the office and is running for re-election.
Candidate Dr. Gary Stratton
Contact information:
Where is House District 57 & What do House Members Do?
House District 57, part of Franklin County, KY, is one of the House Districts created in the 2021 Kentucky legislative session, which redistricted the Commonwealth. House District 57 includes the western portion of Franklin County, except for portions adjacent to Woodford County, as noted on the map to the right. HD 57 is bordered on the north by Henry County & Owen County; to the west by Shelby County, & to the south by Anderson & Woodford Counties.
The maps below identify House District 57 in the map on the left. The map on the right shows an enlarged portion of House District 57 which takes in a large portion of the City of Frankfort.
The The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. Composed of 100 Representatives, members are elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve the principle of equal representation.
Representatives are elected for two-year (2) terms, with no term limits. The entire House is elected every 2 years.
Questionnaire Responses from
Candidates for Kentucky House District 57