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Questions
The League of Women Voters has made every effort to present accurately the candidates' responses as they were submitted.
1. If elected, what two things do you hope to accomplish as a member of the House of Representative for the people of Utah?
I want to assure we are providing the highest level of services to our citizens at the absolute best value for each tax dollar spent. We can do this by eliminating under used programs and diverting that funding to key issues such as education, health care, transportation and environmental issues.
2. How would you address the following issues? (Please answer each question in 200 words or less.)
-Adequate funding for education, including funding for disadvantaged populations such as non-English-speakers and prison inmates
I agree that the funding for all education is not adequate for the standards we should be setting for ourselves. But it is evident that the citizens don't want a tax increase. We have to streamline the management aspect of education and assure the money is getting spent on technology that will help our children learn more, even quicker. The same goes for prison inmates, they can learn more, quicker if their minds are actively engaged in learning.
- Energy resource development and clean air
I would like to put our natural gas resources to better use in personal vehicles. Natural gas vehicles will help clean up the air and is much more cost effective. I also feel there are great opportunities for wind farms in several areas of the state and would like to see more federal land opened for energy development.
- Water development and conservation
More public awareness campaigns similar to "slow the flow" will help with the conservation issue. It is hard to tell people to conserve, when large open spaces are still watered by local municipalities and when we see rivers and streams draining into the Great Salt Lake and
Utah
Lake
where the water isn't put to it's highest and best use.
- Better communication between elected officials and their constituents
This really falls to the elected officials and their constituents. I personally have already had talks with our local newspaper to begin a series of articles during the legislative session to keep the citizens informed and aware of decisions that will effect them. I think a series of town hall type meetings, to be held around the state would prove beneficial also.
3. If the State had a revenue surplus of $100 million, how would you allocate the money? (Response should include $______________ for ________________________________.
$75 million would go to raising graduation standards in the high schools, and preparing those students for college education and/or life skills training.
$25 million would go towards making our foster care programs more effective and bringing the funding up to date.
Utah
's foster children actually need more love, and more attention, and we need to find the families able to provide that. This answer was provided as a "wish list", if an additional $100 million were to fall from the sky into the state budget.
Opponents:
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