Issue Position: Issues

Issue Position

The Economy and Jobs

We need more private sector jobs in Northeast Oregon. We need jobs for our young people, as well as for those climbing the ladder of opportunity.

We don't need more "jobs programs" before we have the foundation to attract businesses. Jobs programs may sound good, but they are costly, inefficient and don't offer businesses what they really need.

Most small businesses care more about the character of the potential employee than what government programs he or she has been run through.
Shrinking state government rather than expanding it through more tax funded programs is a key element in promoting job growth.

Bottom line: if we want to attract businesses in Oregon, let's make Oregon a long- term business friendly state.


To create jobs, we need businesses to:
1. Start
2. Expand
3. Relocate

So we have to ask the questions:
* How do we attract more businesses to Oregon?
* How do we retain the ones we currently have?
* What makes a difference in where a business decides to locate?

Businesses look for long-term attractive tax structure, limited regulation and a capable, hard-working workforce.

When the Oregon legislature votes for a tax break (grand bargain), for businesses in the fall special session 2013 and then the following February wants to take it away as was proposed this year by the Democrats, it leaves little room for confidence from the business community in our government.

Tactics like this are the antithesis of what business owners look for.

There are very few Nike's or Intel's that can leverage the state for 20 and 30 year tax plans.

Pitting education and the people against businesses, as was done in the battle of Measures 66 and 67, is also a statement that speaks loudly as to how our state views its job creators. Taxing business on gross sales during a difficult recession is pure stupidity.

When the State of Oregon comes out in the voters' pamphlet and prevaricates that most Oregon corporations only pay ten dollars a year in state income tax, when they have actually paid more than "their fair share", they insulted every business in Oregon that is a for-profit business. These corporations are actually started, owned and managed by real hard working people who have poured their heart and soul into their businesses. Phil Knight at Nike declared it "Assisted Suicide Two" for the state. These bills need to be repealed, but at this time are still in effect. We need a government that recognizes the importance and appreciates businesses for the economic value they bring to the state. Oregon should truly appreciate the value they bring and be friendly toward them.

The death tax kills us. What small or medium sized family business looks to move to a state that will add an additional inheritance tax to an existing obscene federal estate tax that penalizes the family when the business, ranch or farm is passed on to the next generation?

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article on the estate tax titled "States You Shouldn't Be Caught Dead In". Oregon was one of the top 15 worst states.

Federal land ownership, along with extreme environmental tactics, have hamstrung our timber industry. We need to continue to pursue this element of our economy as well as attract other types of business to our area.


Education

Good education is very important and the cornerstone of any free nation. Oregon doesn't stack up well against other states.

We're currently #40 out of 50 when compared with other states while four of the top ten ranked states spend less on education than Oregon does.

This is not a criticism on committed hard working teachers and administrators, but on the system itself.

I do believe adequate funding is necessary for public education. I don't believe the answer is simply throwing more of the people's money at a problem hoping that will solve it.

Oregon needs a good, well thought through, workable plan.

Early learning hubs and Common Core are not the answer. Any federally mandated program will contain bias from the ideology of the administration in charge. Education should be neutral from this bias.
Education should be under local control with parents and local school boards directing the children's education -- not the federal government.

If we're looking for the best return on investment for the taxpayer when it comes to public education, then we should mix some free market principles like competition, school choice, vouchers and education savings accounts into the equation in order to get the best product.

Vocational training for high school students with joint cooperation with local business would help to increase our declining graduation rates, as well as stimulate the student's interest in potential future occupations. Let's give our young people a vision for their future and introduce them to the world of private enterprise and the free market.

I also believe that teaching personal character, knowledge of the Constitution, and a solid, basic understanding of economics would be invaluable toward training our children to be greater contributors to society.

Starting the school day with the Pledge of Allegiance would be a good start to bringing back patriotism and instilling it in our children the blessings of this great nation.

We should be training our children how to think, not what to think, and teaching them that the choices they make today will affect them tomorrow.



Veterans

Our people in the military who currently protect us, as well as those who have previously served, should be highly regarded and well taken care of. Of all the people who deserve good health care, these men and women deserve to be first in line.

We need to fight the battle here to retain the freedoms that our troops fought to preserve!


Senior Citizens
The elderly should not be forgotten. Many on fixed incomes are affected by decisions in Salem. Any increase in the cost of living affects them. My wife and I as well as our children currently donate and serve at the Union County Senior Center and have for the last 10 years. Senior citizens are a valued and special part of our communities.

Social Issues

I am Pro-Family, Pro-Life, Pro-Business, Pro-Second Amendment, Pro-Constitution, Pro-American.
I believe in traditional family values and that marriage is between a man and a woman. That the nuclear family is foundational to a successful society and should be promoted and preserved.

I believe that parents are responsible for raising their children, not the state. We need to understand that every time the state votes in a new nanny law to further micro-manage us, we lose another bit of our freedom. Laws should govern, not constrict.

Wolves

Both federal and state Endangered Species Acts need to be reined in!

Destroying an entire industry, based on false information as was done with the spotted owl and its effect on timber, should make us rethink our process and laws.

Listing something as endangered should be based on a global or national concern, not local. These transplanted Canadian wolves are not endangered at all!

Are we so foolish that we can't learn from the damage done to our neighboring states?

Why self-inflict more economic loss on Oregon when we're trying to build up our economy?

Are we completely removed from any semblance of common sense?

If we must have wolves, keep them to an absolute minimum, collar them, spread them out so that all the damage is not in one area, and either terminate extras or export them to Multnomah County.

But, let people protect their private property!

PERS & Health Care

This is a perfect example of what Reagan meant when he said: "government isn't the solution to the problem, government is the problem!"
Government should do only what it is necessary! No more and no less!

This is why well thought through, conservative legislation is so important. Preventing future debacles like the PERS program and the new health care programs are imperative!

Jobs and a good economy will ease the pain from a multitude of bad government decisions. But how much better would it be to build a rainy day fund from good decisions rather than wasting the taxpayer's money on bad legislation.

PERS would be a conflict of interest for me as a legislator. If elected, I will not participate in it.

Land Use

Let Eastern Oregon Counties be a part of land use decisions, determining what planning works best in their geographical areas.
Excessive land use restrictions should not be dictated to us by Salem.

We should team up with Utah and Idaho, gradually taking back Federal lands or, at the very least, managing them. We need to create this balance.

The only thing that kept the Federal Government from closing our forest service roads in the Wallowa Whitman National Forest was people. The residents of this area getting involved and speaking out loudly against government overreach.

Our government is still of the people, by the people, for the people.

Oregon has a lot of issues, but I believe we all need to be an integral part of solving the difficult challenges facing us.

I'd like to bring some common sense business policy to the business of government and I would ask you for your vote and your support in the May 20th primary.

Thank you and God bless you!

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