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We have asked each of the legislative candidates to submit their own editorial to be posted on Mesa Issues. Over the next few weeks, as people reply, we will post their responses. Here is the next in our new series "In their own words" with Legislative District 18 Senate Candidate Russell Pearce:
I'm Russell Pearce, and I would be honored to have your vote to represent District 18 in the Arizona State Senate. The State of Arizona is facing a potential additional $1 billion budget deficit this year and it may grow to $2 billion PLUS next year. I worked with fiscally conservative leaders to fight this overspending budget and make the cuts that were necessary, only to have a handful of legislators’ side with the Governor to pass the budget that is alread
y $300 million short.
The economy is in a downturn, and the last thing that our citizens want is more taxes and increased spending. This Governor with the help of the Democrats and a handful of Republicans have grown the budget an average of 14.3% for the last four years, while inflation plus population has been about 6%. If we would have passed a Taxpayer Bill of Rights in 2004, we would have a surplus today and would have returned over $4 billion to the taxpayers.
I pledge to work with leaders to make sure the state lives within its means and I will fight the Governor's $250 million property tax increase that is supposed to go into effect next year. When it comes to fiscal responsibility, my opponent promotes increases to the sales tax, the gasoline tax, and the property tax. Despite his claims to the contrary, increases are increases. He can say what he wants about being conservative, but the simple fact is that the voters of District 18 cannot afford his brand of fiscal responsibility.
As a national leader in the effort to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration, I authored Proposition 200 to prevent voter and welfare fraud and have fought to eliminate sanctuary policies. I authored meaningful worksite enforcement laws to stop the hiring of illegal aliens. My opponent wants to leave immigration in the hands of the Federal Government which has a proven track record of doing nothing and ignoring the state’s responsibility to our citizens and taxpayers who bear the burden of failed enforcement. He also opposes the employer sanctions laws which are working to deter businesses from hiring illegal immigrants which is having tremendous success in reducing illegal immigration and its negative effects.
I pledge to continue to preserve faith, family, and freedom at the Arizona Legislature. I have voted 100% pro-life and am endorsed by Arizona Right to Life. I support the traditional marriage amendment (Prop 102) and choice in our schools. When it comes to my opponent and family issues, the details matter. While he wants to reduce abortions, he remains firm on abortion on demand. While he supports traditional marriage for himself, he supports civil unions for same sex couples. While he supports more money for education, he doesn't think that parents should have a choice in the education of their children.
I'm a real conservative and a voice for constitutional and limited government: Rated #1 by the Goldwater Institute, one of 7 legislators nationally honored with the "Hero of the Taxpayer" Award, "Champion of the Taxpayer" by the Federation of Arizona Taxpayers, 6-time winner "Friend of the Family" award, and "The Top Supporter of Republican principles" by the PAChyderm Coalition. I am endorsed by the NRA and Law Enforcement, including AZCops, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, and over 3000 border patrol officers in Arizona.
y $300 million short.The economy is in a downturn, and the last thing that our citizens want is more taxes and increased spending. This Governor with the help of the Democrats and a handful of Republicans have grown the budget an average of 14.3% for the last four years, while inflation plus population has been about 6%. If we would have passed a Taxpayer Bill of Rights in 2004, we would have a surplus today and would have returned over $4 billion to the taxpayers.
I pledge to work with leaders to make sure the state lives within its means and I will fight the Governor's $250 million property tax increase that is supposed to go into effect next year. When it comes to fiscal responsibility, my opponent promotes increases to the sales tax, the gasoline tax, and the property tax. Despite his claims to the contrary, increases are increases. He can say what he wants about being conservative, but the simple fact is that the voters of District 18 cannot afford his brand of fiscal responsibility.
As a national leader in the effort to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration, I authored Proposition 200 to prevent voter and welfare fraud and have fought to eliminate sanctuary policies. I authored meaningful worksite enforcement laws to stop the hiring of illegal aliens. My opponent wants to leave immigration in the hands of the Federal Government which has a proven track record of doing nothing and ignoring the state’s responsibility to our citizens and taxpayers who bear the burden of failed enforcement. He also opposes the employer sanctions laws which are working to deter businesses from hiring illegal immigrants which is having tremendous success in reducing illegal immigration and its negative effects.
I pledge to continue to preserve faith, family, and freedom at the Arizona Legislature. I have voted 100% pro-life and am endorsed by Arizona Right to Life. I support the traditional marriage amendment (Prop 102) and choice in our schools. When it comes to my opponent and family issues, the details matter. While he wants to reduce abortions, he remains firm on abortion on demand. While he supports traditional marriage for himself, he supports civil unions for same sex couples. While he supports more money for education, he doesn't think that parents should have a choice in the education of their children.
I'm a real conservative and a voice for constitutional and limited government: Rated #1 by the Goldwater Institute, one of 7 legislators nationally honored with the "Hero of the Taxpayer" Award, "Champion of the Taxpayer" by the Federation of Arizona Taxpayers, 6-time winner "Friend of the Family" award, and "The Top Supporter of Republican principles" by the PAChyderm Coalition. I am endorsed by the NRA and Law Enforcement, including AZCops, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, and over 3000 border patrol officers in Arizona.
There is a very real difference between the two parties and their plans for our state. If you want a government that is smaller and more responsive, if you want lower taxes, traditional family values, safer streets and an improved education system, then I ask for your vote. For more information, please visit http://www.russellpearce.com/.
1 comment:
Mr. Pearce did not invent the tax payers's bill of rights. Colorado did, here is some more information on it since it is Mr. Pearce's only idea to solve the budget issue. The difference is he proposes a bill and not an amendment to the states constitution. On the other issues he states, please see my post and please contact me if you have any questions as many did when this smear campaign started by him and his friend, Matt Tolmann, chair of district 18 republicans and continued through Randy Pullman, the GOP chair of this state. All concise and architected press statements that lead right up to Mr. Pearce's remarks on my values and morals in this statement. With the allegations in the primary and his history with the state's motor vehicle division, he should be more cautious when attacking a persons family values.
What is TABOR?
TABOR is a state tax and expenditure limit that includes the following elements: it is a constitutional amendment; it restricts revenue or expenditure growth to the sum of inflation plus population change; and it requires voter approval to override the revenue or spending limits. In Colorado, where the so-called “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” or TABOR was adopted in 1992, public services have deteriorated significantly. For example, between 1992 and 2001, Colorado declined from 35th to 49th in the nation in K-12 spending as a share of personal income. Colorado now ranks 48th in higher education funding as a share of personal income— down from 35th in 1992. Between 1991 and 2004 — a period in which the percentage of children who are uninsured declined nationally — the proportion of low-income children who lack health insurance in Colorado doubled. Colorado now ranks last in the nation on this measure. In addition, between 1992 and 2002, Colorado declined from 23rd to 48th in the nation in access to prenatal care, a sign of funding shortages in local health clinics.
Allowing revenue or expenditures to grow with population and inflation may sound reasonable, but it falls far short of being able to fund the ongoing cost of government. In an era in which health care costs are growing far faster than inflation and populations are aging, limiting the rate of spending growth to inflation plus population growth forces annual reductions in the level of government services.
TABOR shrinks the scope of what government can accomplish and creates conditions that each year pit programs and services against each other for survival. And once such limits are embedded in a state constitution, they usually cannot be removed or modified. They undermine existing services for children, youth, and families and make any new initiatives virtually impossible to undertake.
In Colorado- the only state with a TABOR, voters decided in November 2005 to suspend their TABOR amendment for five years so that the state could begin restoring cuts in public services and avoid making even more drastic cuts. Yet organizations dedicated to shrinking government — such as Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform, Americans for Limited Government, the CATO Institute, and Americans for Prosperity Foundation, among others — are still pushing for the adoption of TABORs in other states. In 2005, TABOR proposals were introduced in about half of the states -- none passed. In 2006, TABOR legislation and ballot initiatives were pushed aggressively in at least a dozen states. In five of these states, signatures were turned in for initiatives, but the initiatives were thrown out by the courts. In three states, TABOR initiatives did make the ballot, but were soundly defeated.
citation:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
820 1st Street, NE, #510
Washington, DC 20002
Ph: 202-408-1080
Fax: 202-408-1056
center@cbpp.org
Is this really what Arizona needs?
I am committed to solve the budget crisis without tax hikes. I have stated all over my website, mailers and literature pieces that I am committed to securing the border, I have committed to reducing abortions in this state, I have committed myself to a traditional marriage. My family values are second to none. I have committed to lowering the sales tax and corporate tax. The gas tax was taken from my project vote smart political courage test which I was the only one out of 6 candidates running in district 18 did. I do not know where he pulled the property tax increase from?
I am offering real solutions and not 8 more years of promises. The economy is in trouble ladies and gentlemen; good, bad or indifferent, Mr. Pearce was at the helm of the appropriations committee, and needs to answer for it and stop playing the blame game. He is not debating me (other then what was required), he does not answer calls from this community (many have contacted me and complained), he has only attended one forum (attended a MCC forum) out of countless ones offered to candidates. Mr. Ash can confirm since he does show up.
Do you think he will be more informative or responsive if elected?
Again, I call him out for a debate until then I will comment publicly on blogs, websites and any media format so I can to speak the truth, correct his fallacies and bring new ideas and solutions to our problems. I have to assume that American democracy means more to me then to him. We are charged to question our leaders, we are suppose to debate, we are suppose to lay out what we will do and equally charged to remove people from office if they are not doing their job or upholding their oaths. District 18 and Arizona deserves more.
Judah Nativio
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