Issue Position: Jobs

Job Creation requires a "Business Magnet" and with that a predictable environment. Sometimes that means making your product attractive to the buyer. We are constantly selling the idea of building new businesses in Arizona. Entrepreneurs outside of Arizona like what they see and are coming here, with the jobs they create. So too it is when "selling" your space to a potential occupant. A venture must be profitable or we have nothing to offer a business, a JOB CREATOR. This is a simple concept that many want to vilify. But it is an undeniable fact that profits drive employment growth.

Arizona now ranks 13th best state to do business in according to the CEO Opinion Poll1 but this is simply not enough. Arizona currently ranks at #35 of the worst states for unemployment.2 Perception is reality for the business leader who is looking for a place to move to or start a business at. Radio commercials are not enough; regulatory restraint is critical. Statutes and regulations must have reasonable sunset requirements.

Arizona currently ranks in the Top-10 States for Women Owned Businesses.3 And, we don't even make the Top-10 cut for Hispanic Business friendlieness.4 We need to grow this area by empowering individuals and reducing the bureaucratic burden that holds innovation and private sector expansion back.

Arizona cities like Tucson, Sierra Vista and Flagstaff are consistently rank highly for tourism and retirement. With 10,000 baby-boomers retiring each day business placement for arriving new residents is a crucial component to growth. We are failing to leverage a major human capital resource.

Moving toward a greater degree of Fiscal Responsibility is crucial for protecting our fragile local economies and state sovereignty. Living within our means is the path to prosperity. As we've seen with the poor management of Arizona budget's in late 1990's and early 2000's, betting on future income is far too risky. As a student of history and avid observer of cause and effect, I've become a fan of individuals like President Calvin Coolidge. Contrary to the belief of some long time government elites, we cannot spend our way to prosperity. I view a credit rating much different than many; it's really a debt rating.

1 http://chiefexecutive.net/best-worst-states-for-business-2012

2 http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2013/04/04/arizona-among-top-10-states-for.html

3 http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2013/04/04/arizona-among-top-10-states-for.html

4 http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/10/10/nv_fl_tx_among_top_10.htm

The use of credit must be reduced and the constant, ever increasing "scope creep" of government at every level must be reversed. Tax payers, especially those on a fixed income, cannot continue to see their household budget negatively affected through taxation, inflation and expansion of unfunded liability programs, while government at all levels grows at an unnecessary and unrestrained rate. Smaller government is more effective and more efficient government. It worked well for over 200 years.

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