Issues and Positions

Life is sacred. While many have debated on where it begins, and even on how it should perhaps end, the bottom line is that every life matters. Personally, I believe that life begins at conception. I am a pro-life candidate in opposition to abortion. I also believe that there is an equal challenge in our society today to protect life at its natural end. As such, I do not agree with doctor-assisted suicide.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I am a gun owner, and have always been around guns. I have three sons, two daughters, eight grandsons, and three granddaughters, and my children have all been taught how to shoot a gun. I look forward to the day when my children can pass the same heritage along to my grandchildren. As societal conflicts, both domestically and internationally continue to escalate, I cannot imagine an America where our fundamental constitutional rights, like the right to keep and bear Arms, should not be fiercely protected.

Please see my post regarding trespassing on private property and the law that was passed during the 2018 Legislative Session

Two-thirds of the land in the State of Idaho is public land. I believe there is no constitutional basis for the Federal Government to maintain control of these lands, and the high cost of BLM and Forest Service management of public lands is due in part to regulatory red tape. These establishment departments are ineffective by the time the regulations are complied with. Decisions are made on the other side of the country, resources are wasted or consumed in bureaucracy, and often there is no money available to be returned to the states.

There is a huge difference between the way the State manages public land in comparison to the Federal Government.

Those who are closest to the land will always be in a better position to care for and manage it. State Land Trusts are cost-effective and return more revenue to the states. While federally managed public land will customarily net $.73 per dollar spent, state land trusts net on average $14 per dollar spent.

Land trusts are accountable to the people of their state, while federal departments do not have that level of accountability.

With both constitutionality and cost-effectiveness considered, it makes no sense to leave public land under federal control.

Our children are our future, the future of our state, and the future of our country. It is time to support our working teachers by advocating that “No Strings Attached” education block grant funds go directly to local school districts. I am committed to preserving local schools with local control.

Every child deserves the opportunity for a good education. A solid education will help ensure that every child has the opportunity to become all that they choose to be. Local school districts should be required to maintain high “academic” standards for students. Taxpayer dollars should not be spent on mandated administrative functions, but on improving classroom instruction.

Though not many like to take tests, testing is necessary and the only way to know if our teachers and students are being successful in their instruction. Locally-selected, random testing options will prevent teaching for improved scores and will help ensure instead that instruction is for the gaining of knowledge.

When serving on the school board, little could make me more frustrated than the amount of time that had to be spent making sure funds were spent in compliance with federal mandates. I could not justify, but could clearly see, the amount of control that federal agencies had in deciding what was best for our local schools. I will continue to work with the Idaho State Department of Education with a goal of returning full local control to our community schools.

Working together we can improve our education system and the impact it makes on the children of Idaho.