ISSUES

I support public education, our teachers and our children.  I will fight for education and core classes in science, mathematics and technology. I understand that a strong educational system in Arizona is vital to our economic recovery. Business and industry will come to our state when we get serious about education in Arizona.

My opponent slashed education by 1.2 billion dollars and vows more cuts if elected to the senate. By doing so, he increased class size, eliminated teachers, cut core programs; hurt our children and our economic recovery in Arizona.

Jobs

I will actively pursue bringing jobs back to Arizona.  I will work to bring good paying, stable secure jobs in the growth industries including solar and technology to our state.  I will examine every aspect of Arizona’s tax burdens

on businesses and individuals; improve Arizona’s business tax competitiveness; and make Arizona’s tax burdens on businesses, individuals and families more fair, equitable and competitive.

My opponent did nothing to create jobs and in fact, cuts jobs in Arizona during a time when middle class families are suffering and need more jobs. His ideas are bad for Arizona and resulted in more harm to our economy.

Budget

I will work to balance the budget by reviewing our expenditures line by line, eliminating waste, update our tax code and revenue structure.  I support reviewing our tax credits and exemptions and eliminating those that are not working in Arizona. We can solve our budget problems without raising taxes by prioritizing our spending, putting education and job creation first.

My opponent failed us by not doing the hard work necessary to review our spending habits, cut what we can live without, and prioritize spending. Instead, he chose to raise taxes, shift the responsibility to the voters to protect education. He cut 1.2 billion from education and vows to make further cuts if elected. It is wrong to balance the budget on the backs of our children and education.

Border

Coming from a prosecutor’s office, I will sponsor legislation immediately that will target the criminal element associated with illegal border crossings. I will support our men and women in law enforcement.  When we ask law enforcement to do more to make our neighborhoods safer, I will have their backs and make sure they have what they need to do the job, now.  I will demand that our Congressional delegation to get serious about securing our border and supporting Arizona.

My opponent cut public safety funding while simultaneously asking them to do more. As a result, we lost officers on the street and sub-stations in our community were closed.  His action did not secure the border, make our neighborhoods safer, or address the criminal element crossing our border.

Education:

http://azleg.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=13&clip_id=6761

http://www.arizonaeducationnetwork.com/2010/02/there-they-go-again-house-ways-and-means-committee-triples-private-school-tax-credits/

After a series of meaningful questions by Rep Chabin on why we do not limit the income for those wanting a tax credit for private school tuition - since millionaires can get the tax credits which originally were meant for underprivileged children - the house rejected setting income limits on who can apply for these tax credits

http://www.arizonaeducationnetwork.com/2010/03/house-rejects-income-limits-on-private-school-tax-credit-program/

Here is that discussion regarding STO's in Arizona

http://azleg.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=16&clip_id=6252
Discussion on STO's in Arizona

Further, the individual who is responsible at Department of Revenue for getting STO reports indicated that she has no idea how many STO's are out there, if they are all reporting, if they are reporting accurately, if they are violating the 90/10 rule (10% of money donated to be used administratively), and that there was no requirement in statute to limit recipients based on economic need, or to stop targeted donations whereby it was prearranged who would be benefiting from the tax credit. In other words, your tax dollars can legally go to rich families to pay to put their children through private school while your school district funding is cut and cut hard.

At a time when we can not afford it, this legislative body moved on several bills to further decrease our revenue stream, cutting funding for education, public safety and made no real effort to create jobs in Arizona or support the middle class families in our district.