Consumer protection 

Her district in southern Arizona covers a lot of ground, and so does the representative from Tucson who’s been in office since 2001. As Rep. Marian McClure, R-30 — a 4-term Republican — prepares for her final year, she discusses with Arizona Capitol Times the bills she’s run, the issues she feels most passionate about, and what she plans to do after leaving the House in 2008.
How did you get involved in public service?
I was the president of the Arizona Federation of Republican Women, and I traveled all over the state speaking to groups of Republicans. I started hearing, “We need people like you in Phoenix, people with common sense and the courage to stand up for what is right, and to, more or less, stop some of the crazy stuff. OK. About that same time, I became single after 33 years, and I decided, “Well, why not?”
Of all the issues you’ve worked on since joining the House in 2001 — and I know they’re mostly related to
consumer protection and private property laws — what would you say is the one that has made the most impact on your constituency, and why?
I’m proud this year of getting the bill [passed that involves] delinquent fines. They were collecting delinquent fines from, you know, traffic tickets, parking tickets, things through the courts. [The courts] were going back 20 years…In many places, people were able to prove that they had paid those fines. And yet the courts had no records of it. So this year, I did a bill that said [the courts] had to do certain things within a three-year period of time…So they cannot go back, unless they do certain things. But they have to start the process within three years, or they just have to forgive the fines…I think [this bill] gives the citizens of Arizona a certain amount of protection from government.
Arizona legalized payday lending in 2000, before you came to office. Though your advocacy efforts to fight this type of “predatory lending” haven’t created the change you hoped for, you still won an integrity award for your work on it in 2005. Then, this year you unsuccessfully pushed for reforms. From your perspective what hasn’t the Legislature seen that you do?
Actually, I would have the vote in both houses to make something meaningful happen; however, what the lenders want is a little bit of window dressing and to remove the “Sunset Provision.”
And what is that?
When they created the law in the year 2000 that created payday loans, I guess they were not real sure about the program. So they put a “Sunset Provision.” It means it’s reviewed, and if the Legislature agrees to extend it, then it would be extended. Now, since I have not been able to get [the law repealed], I have decided to do a citizen’s initiative that is just now getting off the ground.
How effective do you think this next step — to put a Stop Payday Loans initiative on the 2008 General Election ballot — will be?
I think if it gets to the ballot, it will pass.
What attracts you to this issue so much?
Well, my whole background was in consumer credit. OK. I worked for Sears Roebuck & Co. In fact, I was in charge of about 40 employees in D.C., in their credit department for complaints and collections and all of that. But I understand credit, and I believe that when you see something that is so egregious, you cannot just walk away from it. I mean, you just cannot walk away from it. And that’s the reason, and I hope I’m not turning into a fanatic.
Sometimes it takes that, though, don’t you think?
Sometimes, I guess, if the cause is just.
[One of my constituents] took out five $500 loans. She has been paying, she says, and I have every reason to believe her, that she’s been paying for two years on those loans. $840 a month in interest. She cannot afford to pay anything toward the principle because she has a family and is a single parent…It’s not that I’m against credit, because I’m not…Payday loans are inherently defective, and maybe that’s why I’m on this mission. It’s something I seriously believe we cannot afford.
District 30 includes eastern Tucson, Tanque Verde area, Green Valley and Sierra Vista. What are some of the more important issues in your region you’ve seen effectively resolved?
Resolved? We’ve got things we’re working on in my district right now. They’re trying to open a new copper mine. My constituents, for various reasons, do not want that mine to go into being. Primarily, it’s the water issues…and where the mine is going to be located is along a scenic highway. And so that’s another reason my district does not want the mine…it’s pristine land, most of it is federal, and it’s in the forest area that the government is supposed to be protecting.
After education and immigration reform, what other statewide issue do you think is too important to continue unresolved and why?
I think that we must address some of the health care issues and the high cost of health care. And I’m really not sure how to go about doing that…There is no black and white answer.
Of each committee you serve on, would you tell me which issue you’d like to see resolved?
As chair of Public Institutions & Retirement?
We are working to make the state retirement system a little more sound. It’s not fully funded, and we are working to get it fully funded…We have made progress, and there will be bills introduced next year.
As vice-chair of Transportation?
We are meeting in the Blue Ribbon Transportation Committee to try to come up with a real plan for the future, which would include various things…For one thing, we probably need four lanes to and from Phoenix on the I-10…We need to come up with ways to move people in a rapid system…but I don’t see Westerners willing to give up their automobiles…I do not know what we can do to entice people to get out of their cars and to use public transportation, but we are exploring those options.
As a member of Counties, Municipalities & Military Affairs?
I have no idea what they will look at next year.
What does your life look like after you leave the House? Is the rumor true that you’ll run for the Corporation Commission or other office, perhaps?
If I decide to run for another office, it will be for the Corporation Commission, but I’m just seriously exploring that possibility right now.
Why that particular office?
I think I’m a natural fit.
Do you know when you’ll have an answer?
I will have an answer, one way or another, on January the 15th.
If you just stayed at home, what would you do?
Let’s see, I’d get a life. I could probably play duplicate bridge again…teach personal finance to kids…and help with the adult literacy program…maybe even go back to studying Italian.