District 18 news

As I mentioned yesterday, we have offered each of the candidates an opportunity to submit an opinion as part of our new "In Their Own Words" which kicked off Yesterday with Steve Court. I have received interest from Nativio, Pearce and Ash as well. Still no word back from Pursley.

Also, I received the following release from District 18 Republican Party Chairman Matt Tolman:

Nativio, Pursley Wrong Picks for Fiscal Responsibility
Democrat House and Senate Candidates for Legislative District 18 favor tax increases and increased spending

MESA - The Arizona State budget already faces a $350 million shortfall in the current fiscal year. It is predicted that the budget will be between $500 million to $1 billion short by the end of this year with a deficit of $2 Billion for next.

“In these tough economic times, tax increases and increased spending are not the answer,” said Matt Tolman, District 18 Republican Party Chairman, “We must support candidates who are going to represent real fiscal responsibility in the legislature.”

Democrat Senate Candidate Judah Nativio is a strong proponent of the Governor’s failed TIME initiative which would have raised sales taxes by 18%. According to his Project Vote Smart survey, he is also in favor of increasing the gasoline tax and the income tax.

Democrat House Candidate Tammy Pursley is supported by the same people that pushed through the Governor’s fiscally irresponsible budget and failed state ballot initiatives. She was also associated with ACORN, the group that was looking for handouts in the government bailout bill.

The most recent State Budget that was approved by every Democrat while opposed by almost every Republican, includes hundreds of photo radar cameras, fund sweeps, and uses the Arizona Lottery to fund a billion dollars in construction at State Universities.

“Quite simply, District 18 cannot afford Nativio and Pursley. We need people to fight the Governor and her budget tricks and financing gimmicks,” said Tolman “Not people who are going to work hand in hand with her to make the $2 billion budget shortfall we face even greater.”

Tolman continued, “There are three fiscally responsible candidates running to represent District 18. Russell Pearce, running for the Senate seat, has served as Appropriations Chairman and is a winner of numerous taxpayer awards. Cecil Ash and Steve Court have professional small business experience and are looking to apply their skills as representatives in the House.”

Each of the three Republican candidates brings a unique skill set to the delegation. Rep. Russell Pearce has a proved track record of leadership when dealing with budget issues. Cecil Ash has worked as a practicing attorney and business owner and Steve Court worked for over 20 years in accounting and finance in addition to owning a family business.

“The state must live within its means. Just like a family, the state should not be spending more than it’s taking in,” said Tolman, “There should be no new entitlement programs. Existing programs and services should be reviewed to determine whether they continue to be necessary. This is the kind of leadership we can count on from Ash, Court, and Pearce.”

Tolman concluded, “As our District 18 Representatives, we can trust Ash, Court, and Pearce’s commitment to protect your hard earned tax dollars and fight against the reckless spending and fiscal irresponsibility that have to often become commonplace at the legislature.”

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With the current state of the economy, the bailout news, and the market fluctuations, this is certainly a good time to question who is best on fiscal responsibility. It will be interesting to see how they respond.