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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 state representative for the people of Utah?
To represent all people not just special interest groups. To insure that our children and families are top priority with a guarantee of clean air & water, quality healthy care for all, a safe overall environment along with quality educational opportunities for all.
2. How would you address the following issues?
- Adequate funding for education, including funding for disadvantaged populations such as non-English-speakers and prison inmates
The challenge of government is serving the greatest number of individuals with limited resources. Education has to be a top priority in any society and the distribution of educational opportunities must be divided equally among the population and especially reaching out to traditionally underrepresented groups. Funding for prison inmates should come well after K-12 populations and the concentration for non-English speakers should be placed on competency in language skills first and foremost to allow the individual to be mainstreamed back into the existing and currently funded public education system.
- Energy resource development and clean air
We need to look into alternative forms of energy that are conducive to clean air. We need to look into solar energy and wind generation to produce clean electric energy that can be used by homes and vehicles alike and shared with members of community on a grid with incentives for non-peak usage. We must become less dependent on oil and coal generated energy that causes damage to our air quality and comes from nonrenewable sources. Government needs to provide incentives to corporations to produce local clean energy with wind, hydroelectric and solar sources.
- Water development and conservation
Utah is among the driest states in the nation. Conservation is the key to water consumption for a growing population in Utah. Underground aquifers should be identified and maximized. State capture of rainwater for gray water needs. The state needs to make a concentrated effort to encourage conservation through ordinance and incentives that are similar to California and Nevada, which boast less than 200 gallons of water used per person per day compared to over 300 gallons per person per day in Southern Uta alone.
- Better communication between elected officials and their constituents
Elected officials need to return to the representative form of government and stop making deals with other politicians in order to pass their bills. The elected officials in Utah need to go back to the people in the form of town hall meetings, local surveys and representative polling to truly be in touch with what the public desires on each issue. Electronic communication is a very quick and effective means for the public to communicate with elected officials and should be encouraged in Utah. Minority opinions need to be heard and fully addressed before any vote.
3. If the State had a revenue surplus of $100 million, how would you allocate the money?
50 million invested in low-risk interest bearing account to provide state-run health care programs/clinics/insurance for uninsured residents;
25 million invested in low-risk interest bearing account to create fund balance with annual interest on account used to fund equally distributed annual cash bonus to each Utah teacher's salary;
5 million invested to form an interest bearing account with funds from interest on balance to be used annally for special project grants for local communities;
5 million invested in low-risk interest bearing account for grants to fund scientists/educators/health care experts to develop clean air/water solutions in Utah;
5 million invested in low-risk interest bearing account to offer tax incentives and grants for corporations to fund clean renewable energy programs
5 million invested in low-risk interest bearing account To fund higher education
5 million to fund conservation programs to educate Utah residents about clean air programs, energy conservation and water conservation programs
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