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Show Election Running for Utah State Representative from District 73 are Louise Excell and Tom Hatch. 1. Why are you running for Rep- resentative1? 2. What's good about Utah? 3. What particular strengths do you bring to this position? 4. What do you see as special challenges in rural Utah? 5. Write your thoughts on the current state of issues such as drug enforcement, child abuse and other crimes in Utah. 6. Specifically, what do you think about the proposed Kane County BLM monument roads agreement? 7. Do you support litigation with the federal government on RS 2477 roads? 8. Do you think that education is adequately funded in the state? Are you happy with the current system? 9. What can be done about rural economic development? 1 0. What petprograms or projects would you like to promote during your term? SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2000 just. Not only do we need to restructure our income tax system, but we need to look seriously at reducing or abolishing sales taxes on food. These are some of the issue Id like to work on as a representative from District 73. 2) There are many good things about Utah; thats why most of us are here. We have a beautiful, healthy environment in which to live, work and raise families; we have deep and strong cultural roots and fine values; we have great, hardworking people who know how to be good neighbors and who know the importance of integrity and respect for others. 3) I am honest and hardworking. I take the commitments I make very seriously. If I say I will do something, you can count on me to follow through, and if I fail. Ill take the responsibility. n I am a southern Utah, and I know and understand the culture, the history and the problems of southern Utah. I have worked in my local government as an elected officer and as a volunteer for the past twenty years, and I am committed to fighting for the values and traditional ways of life that fourth-generatio- we hold dear. I have learned that the best solutions come from building consensus among differing groups, and I will work to bring people of good faith and good will together to solve our common problems. 4) Rural Utah is amazingly diverse, and there is no all description of its chalof the solutions to the or lenges various problems. Each community in southern Utah seems to have its own unique issues. What seems to be constant wherever I go, however, is southern Utahns desire to hold on to their way of life and their cultural heritage. The world is changing fast, and rural Utahns dont want to see their traditional livelihoods in timber and agriculture to vanish. In addition, a major challenge in rural Utah is economic development, which Ill address more completely in response to a later one-size-f- Louise Excell I am running for several reasons. First, I believe in the system. Even with its flaws our democratic republic is the best form of government; however, it only works when citizens are willing to participate on at least two levels: 1) as a member of the electorate, and 2) as a representative of the electorate. 1) Another reason that Im running is because of my disappointment in the results of the most recent legislative session. Our current senators and representatives, with a controlling Republican majority, passed House Bill 320, known as the Questar Bill, which will eliminate the Committee on Consumer Services, the citizen consumers only input into decisions regarding public utilities rate increases. Now, individual consumers, small businesses and agriculture have no voice when utilities ask for rate hikes. I think this bill and others like it, are passed because we have a y system in Utah. I would like to be part of a loyal opposition that will keep the good ole boys" honest. Also, Utahs tax system is un one-part- its question. 5) Its hard to realize that crime, drug abuse and child abuse could become such huge issues in rural Utah, but the reality is that we are as vulnerable as any other area in the state or nation. This is due, in part, to the ready access to media that bring influences and trends right into our living rooms, and due to an excellent system of interstate and state highways that give criminals great mobility. Of course, the answer to locally grown crime and drug abuse starts in our homes and schools, where parents and role models must continue to instill moral and ethical values. If this first line ofdefense fails, there is little a society can do but protect itself with a harsh criminal justice and penal system that will suck the from our state. We cannot afford to spend our resources on prisons when there is so much to do. I believe that local communities and the state need to focus on laws that are fair, consistent and sufficiently tough to provide deterence, but when it comes right down to it, a good society is the product of individual commitment to moral values. 6) The agreement between Kane County and the BLM is a local issue, and I dont believe that the people of Kane County would want their representative, especially if that representative is not a resident ofKane County, to tell them what is right. Local issues should be handled locally, and state or federal officials should be involved only when they are formally requested to intervene by local governments. Having said that, let me add this: I have no reason to doubt the integrity and good will of the Kane County commissioners who approved the agreement. These individuals were duly elected and empowered by the people of Kane County, and if the majority of the voters feel otherwise, they have recourse in the voting booth. life-blo- od 7) It seems to me that Utahs move to litigate RS 2477 was premature. I am not convinced that best efforts were put for- ward to solve the issue without legal action, which is far too costly and far too lengthy. I would have favored serious negotiations with the BLM, a do a better job. 9) Southern Utahns dont want to settle for service jobs at mini- mum wage. In the next decade, our big challenge will be to create diversified local economies that balance the old and new opportunities. We need to get training and education for our young people so that they can build businesses and careers and support their families without giving up their way of life. That means that we need to fund education in rural areas, so that skills and technical training will be offered closer to home for our students and our adult population as out-of-scho- ol well. We need to get practical, hands-o- n training into Kane, Garfield, Wayne and Piute counties so our people can learn entrepeneurial skills like business start-u- p and financial management of small businesses. This is a bigjob, but it will be key to our prosperity in the future. 10) Several of my pet projects have come up in my responses to the earlier questions. In a nutshell, they are: economic development in District 73; education; tax reform; and solutions to the impacts of the federal presence in southern Utah. reflect the traditional family and honors the responsibility that parents should have for their children. I am concerned that too many federal and state government policies teach our youth that they dont need to worry about being responsible for themselves because government will always step in and save them from their own actions. This has to stop! Government cannot take the place of parents. We must honor and respect the traditional responsibility as well as the personal freedom and sanctity of the family unit. Government must not take away parental responsibility. I have been recognized by the Utah Taxpayers Association as a Friend of the Taxpayer " for voting 100 in favor of the taxpayer on 18 key issues during the 1999 legislative session. I am proud of the fact that I was recently one of only 15 legislators named as a " Defender of Free Enterprise by m the Utah Manufacturers Association. This organization evaluates legislators on voting records based on the following ideals: Less laws and regulations, not more. Less taxation and fees; not more. Less government; not more. More protection of individual freedom; not less. More multiple use of public-lands- ; not less. Environmental laws based on fact; not on public opinion. Tax end products; not capital investment. I feel that the proposed road agreement between Kane County and the Department of Interior could potentially have negative impacts on the pending litigation between the State of Utah and the Department of Interior. I fail to see the urgency in entering into this agreement at the present time. I do support litigation to resolve the issues surrounding RS2477. I feel that we have made great strides to improve public education in the State of Utah. We have increased funding to public education by 85 during the past eight years while student growth has increased only 4.7. I pledge to continue to represent these values and to bring awareness to the capitol of the unique challenges which face the citizens of rural Utah. I ask for your support when you go to the negotiation that should have come with the full support and participation of Utahs legislature, its congressional delegation and its governor. If that failed, then we could rattle the sabers. I dont think such an attempt was made, and Im afraid that Utah and its taxpayers will be the big losers. I Thomas Hatch believe that litigation should measure. The decisions that are being always be a 8) Our legislature failed to pro- made right now at the State vide a long-tersolution to Capital will affect your family Utahs education crisis. Even and my family for years to come. though it sounded like a great It is because of our children and deal of money was given to pub- grandchildren that I first delic education, the truth is that cided to run. I want them to classrooms are too crowded, too grow up in a state that has abunlacking in supplies and the dant opportunities. I want them teachers are underpaid and to grow up in communities that polls on election day. last-reso- rt m under-- trained. That 7 raise we heard about did not translate into an even 7 being distributed to each district, nor did it begin to provide adequate raises to teachers. On top of that, while public education got the lions share, higher education was sadly neglected. After a decade ofrecord economic prosperity in Utah, and a surplus in the budget of over $200 million this year, I think its dishonest to say that we cant |