BENTONVILLE -- Joseph Bollinger of Bella Vista is one of three candidates for the District 7 seat on the Benton County Quorum Court.
Bollinger is the Libertarian party candidate for justice of the peace from District 7. Joel Jones, the Republican incumbent, is seeking reelection. Matthew Kezhaya is running for the seat as a Democrat. The three will face each other on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.
Bollinger, 34, is making his first run for political office. He works as a systems analyst and has an associates degree in computer information systems from Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale.
Bollinger said he decided to run because of concerns over county government spending and a more general desire to protect individual civil liberties.
"I really think government works better when it's small," he said. "I also think there's always a better free-market way of doing things."
Bollinger pointed to the proposed county courts building as a spending problem. The county's estimated cost of the building recently increased from $25 million to $30 million. Bollinger said he thinks either price is too high.
"The 'Marble Palace' is what I call it," he said of the proposed new building. "I don't think we need to be looking at anything that costs that much. I think $10 million would be more than adequate. The old Post Office should be used for administrative offices and the old courthouse should be renovated and kept in use as a courthouse. If you do that then $10 million or $12 million is more than reasonable for whatever new space you need."
Justices of the peace are paid on a per meeting basis -- $230.51 for Quorum Court and Committee of the Whole meetings and $144.08 for other committees they are members of -- and serve two-year terms.
NW News on 03/07/2018