Values

Education
I am committed to improve the quality of Utah's education system. The future of our state depends upon providing all of our children with the highest quality education possible. The Legislature must take a leadership role in making long-term plans for education. The allocation of adequate resources to provide for class size reduction, textbooks, classroom supplies, teacher salaries, and a comfortable, safe environment to learn and grow is essential to have success.

We need to mentor new teachers, reward high-performing teachers, reinvigorate professional development programs, and retrain or replace low-performing teachers. Schools should be encouraged to facilitate communication through an ombudsperson program for parents to voice questions and concerns.

I support a “Public School Choice Initiative” that offers parents, and their students, alternatives that best suit their educational needs and interests. This initiative should include support for charter schools with strong accountability and funding safeguards as well as information sharing to improve all public schools.  I also support school choice within and between school districts. I oppose tuition tax credits and vouchers for private education.

Recruitment of special education teachers must also be a top priority, including appropriate mentoring and incentives. Families of children with disabilities need help to educate their children so they can reach their full potential and live fulfilling, productive, and contributing lives. We must enable schools to meet the special education needs of children to learn and grow.

The federal “No Child Left Behind” law has imposed burdensome, unnecessary, and un-funded mandates on our schools. Education dollars should go to classrooms and teachers, not needless bureaucracy and red tape. I will fight aggressively to negate the bad aspects of the “No Child Left Behind” law and restore local decision-making for our schools. Standardized tests are important assessment tools but they should not disrupt the educational process. Teachers need class time to work with students on developing critical thinking skills. We should implement assessments that are more flexible and comprehensive and that help teachers, parents, and students.

More funding for education is not the sole answer to our education challenges, but with the student growth we face and the quality improvements we need, we will require additional resources.

A strong economy is critical to generate revenues to fund education, and education is critical for economic growth. They go hand in hand, and I am totally committed to both. We should look at increasing funds with partnerships between public education and the business community, school trust lands, securing our fair share of federal funding for programs and for our lost taxes from federal lands, closing tax loopholes, collecting taxes owed, and reviewing our tax structure to accomplish more efficiency and fairness. I support the bipartisan 2004 Jones-Mascaro bill, which would provide about $88 million in additional funds to Utah public education.

Economic Development
The state's economic development is important in providing the jobs and tax base that are necessary for a growing Utah population. I'm committed to attracting and supporting businesses that will bring Utah higher paying, quality jobs and provide stable, healthy and fair working environments. In addition to bringing quality jobs, businesses must be held accountable for the tax breaks they receive and be encouraged to reinvest their profits in making Utah an even better place to live.

I believe that some of the funds the state receives from tourism should be reinvested to promote Utah as a destination for conferences, conventions and tourism. Utah is the most beautiful and diverse state in the USA. We need to let the world know that they are welcome to come and see all that Utah has to offer.

I do not support any government agency outsourcing jobs to other countries.

I am committed to addressing the high cost of health insurance, long-term health insurance and prescription drugs.

No child in Utah should go without proper healthcare. The CHIPS program should be continued and expanded to insure that no child gets left without healthcare.

In Utah, the fastest growing segment of the population is 85 years and older, with 65 and older second. I will support genuine Medicare reform providing all seniors with quality care.

Tax Reform
I believe we need a comprehensive review and analysis of the current state tax code.

I support the bipartisan 2004 Jones-Mascaro bill, which would:

Sales tax is one of the most regressive taxes in our nation. It hurts our citizens, especially our seniors on fixed incomes and our less affluent households.

I support the eventual elimination of the sales tax on staple food items (like those covered by the food stamp program). This cut could be phased in over a period of four to five years to allow for adaptation and adjustment. With the seventh highest tax burden in the nation, Utah must find effective ways to reduce the burden on hard working families.

Legislative Ethics
I would strongly support legislation clarifying that little, if any, of the State's legislative business would be conducted behind closed doors.  The people's business should be visible to the people .  I support legislation to provide for additional restrictions on gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers—no Legislator should be opposed to the $15 limit recently shot down by the 2004 Legislature. I also support a ban on fund raising 30 days before the legislative session, during the legislative session, or 30 days after the legislative session.

Public Safety
I believe that law enforcement should be given the tools with which to combat crime and that sensible, reasonable firearms laws are an important element of overall public safety. In that regard, Utah institutions of higher learning—both private and public—should have the authority to decide how best to provide for the safety of their students, faculty and staff. That must include the ability to prevent concealed firearms from campuses, classrooms and dormitories.