PRESCOTT - Government costs and Republican values were at the heart of audience questions during a legislative candidate forum in Prescott on Friday.
The two candidates for Arizona's Legislative District 1 participated in the free public forum at Las Fuentes Resort Village. Outside of short opening and closing statements from the candidates, the event consisted entirely of questions from the audience.
Republican rancher Steve Pierce of Prescott is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Tom O'Halleran of Sedona for the seat.
Pierce has stated that he is more conservative than O'Halleran, and at least two people in Friday's audience also questioned O'Halleran's Republican values.
O'Halleran said he has voted for more than 20 tax cuts worth $2.7 billion, he supports school choice, and he votes 100 percent of the time in favor of National Rifle Association issues.
Pierce said the Arizona Legislature has put the state in debt for years to come, and the interest alone next year will add up to $220 million.
While he supports arts programs, this was a bad year to put $2 million into them, Pierce said. He also would have liked to see more employee cuts.
The state also should raise the income people need to qualify for state health care assistance, Pierce said.
The federal government is so intertwined with the state health care system that the feds spend $2 billion on state residents for every $1 billion the state spends, O'Halleran said. So state cuts bring on larger federal cuts, and therefore higher insurance costs for individual citizens who take on the increased cost burden, he said.
He said has worked to cut health care costs by making the state system more efficient. For example, he sponsored a bill this year to make the state pay hospitals in a more timely fashion as a way to reduce hospital and patient costs.
The Legislature cut nearly $550 million out of the state's base budget this year, and it has the fourth fewest employees per capita of any state, O'Halleran said.
Arizona's fast population growth is not paying for itself, O'Halleran added.
Pierce said he does support more state government spending for education, and it could come from better management of state trust lands since sales of such lands go towards schools and other benefactors.
He opposes setting aside trust lands for conservation without compensation, for example.
"If some group wants state lands, they should have to pay for it instead of stealing it from our children," Pierce said.
Pierce said he also supports tax incentives for affordable housing.
Part of the state's proceeds from unclaimed properties goes toward a housing trust fund that gets federal matching money, O'Halleran said. This year the Legislature had to cut about $15 million out of that approximately $100 million fund because of tax revenues shortfalls. "That's one of the hard decisions we have to make," he said.
In response to a question about how the Republican Party can improve, both candidates said the party needs work.
The party has not had strong national leadership in years, and few leaders live by Republican principles, Pierce said.
Pierce said he supports less government, lower taxes and more personal freedoms.
The Republican Party needs to solve problems instead of pushing them aside, O'Halleran said.
For example, the United States is borrowing money from China to send citizens economic stimulus checks instead of formulating a real capital development program, he said.
Contact the reporter at jdodder@prescottaz.com
Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Article comment by:
Andy in Cornville
Comments by non-Republicans are inconsequential to this article. There is a primary approaching and eligible Republican voters should think long and hard about their choices and then make an educated vote for the best candidate to represent them in the State Senate. O'Holleran has displayed through his undeniable voting record that he is willing to help drag the voters of SD-1 into the socialist world envisioned by our Governor. He has failed to stand up and fight for what we all know is right. Dump him and give Steve Pierce a chance; and thank them both for being willing to serve. TURNOVER IN THE LEGISLATURE IS A GOOD THING!!! Let's quit talking about it and make it happen.
Posted: Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Article comment by:
Rae Me
We need representatives who work with people of other views and parties. The immaturity of "my party is better than your party" is ruining our state and our nation. O'Halleran has my vote. I am an Independent.
Posted: Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Article comment by:
W. Lee Radu
If it wasn't so damaging to our Country and our Communities it would be laughable how Republicans that have been in complete control of our White House, our Senate our Congress and our State Legislature for 8 years NOW are recognizing the Finacial ruin impacting our community by them failing to actually be "Conservatives"!
Now they demonstrate pure, unadulterated audacity in asking us to "Trust Them" once again, professing to be dedicated to "Change" their consistant history of reckless behavior.
One Republican Candidate even claims to be "More Conservative" than the other one, we can only imagine what that means in the minds of these Candidates.
The Choice is clear; We should reward them for their past performance and Vote, None of the above.
Posted: Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Article comment by:
Ex Republican
With the people in a "nasty mood", I think Pierce has an up hill battle with his "slash-burn" motto. Also, as a "large rancher" desiring to develop his property he probably doesn't like O'Hollerans fighting for water preservation.O'Holleran could be weekened by his "crossing over" to approve the 2009 budget.
