PUBLIC SAFETY #1

Public safety is the first duty of government. Our government was formed to establish the Rule of Law, to protect our personal freedoms, to ensure our physical safety and to protect our homes and property. Protecting the innocent and the vulnerable among us is foundational to civilized life.  As County Attorney I will enforce our laws, hold those who break the law accountable, and remove from society those who prey on the innocent.

DEFEND THE 2ND AMENDMENT

The Second Amendment right to bear arms is the right that guarantees all the other rights granted a free people under the Constitution. The Supreme Court has determined that the right to bear arms is a personal right that is fundamental to self-defense and cannot be unreasonably infringed by the government. As County Attorney, I am committed to protecting the Second Amendment rights of our citizens. I will oppose any unconstitutional efforts under the guise of so-called Red Flag laws to limit the rights of law abiding citizens to own and possess firearms or to curtail those rights without due process of law.

STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

A nation is defined by its borders. A nation without borders is not a nation. America is often referred to as a nation of immigrants. But our  first settlers — the founding stock of  the historic American nation — came here legally. Those who are here legally now are either the descendants of those who immigrated legally or those who have followed our nation’s generous immigration laws.

The out of control illegal immigration we have witnessed in recent years is inconsistent with the Rule of Law and undermines the orderly and effective process of assimilation necessary to preserve our national unity. In Arizona, illegal immigration and smuggling across our southern border has imposed unacceptably high costs to our schools, our health care system, our criminal justice system, and to our overall quality of life. As County Attorney, I will take all lawful measures to identify and detain those who are present in Yavapai County illegally and to promptly turn them over to federal authorities for repatriation to their home countries.

PROTECT TAXPAYERS

Every elected official should be concerned about the cost of government to the taxpayers they serve.  As a fiscal conservative, I believe the government is the servant of the people and not the other way around. Unfortunately, many elected officials who like to call themselves conservatives at election time, quickly forget their promise to hold the line on taxes once they get in office.

As a private citizen, I’ve led the fight against government spending that would raise taxes and grow the government. In the state legislature, I fought for lower taxes and lower spending. As  County Attorney, my first act will be to freeze the budget of the County Attorney’s office and then work to cut costs. Smarter charging policies and expanding treatment and diversion programs will reduce over incarceration and save money throughout our county government.

RESPECT AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

Criminal Justice Reform is the civil rights issue of our time.  Everyone agrees that those who break the law and violate the rights of others need to be held accountable. But throwing people in jail is not always the best answer. It costs a lot of money to lock someone up. At the county level,  every jail bed costs taxpayers over $40,000 a year. That comes to nearly $110 a day to house an inmate in the county jail.

When it comes to dangerous predators, we have no choice.  But many people are in jail for low level, non-violent offences. When the County Attorney makes the decision to seek detention, it sets in motion a series of highly negative consequences. Jobs are lost, rents and car payments are missed, families are separated and child support payments go unpaid. Our purpose in dealing with first offenders and low level,  non-violent offenders should be to correct their behavior and  deter future misconduct. That can often be done without incarceration. Jail should be the last resort. It is far more beneficial to both the offender and the community if  the focus of our criminal justice system is on rehabilitation and restitution instead of punishment for the sake of punishment.

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