Gene Scharer

Democrat
Candidate for U.S. House in Congressional District 8
Phone: (623) 521-6719
Email: genescharer@gmail.com
Twitter: @GeneScharer
20678 W White Rock Rd, Buckeye, AZ 85396.
Age: 65. (02/14/47, Mt. Clemens, MI).

Arizona since: 1986.

Occupation: Retired teacher, Glendale Union H.S. District, 1993-2009.

Marital: Married (Homemaker).

Children: 2.

Religious preference: Christian.

Education: B.A., social studies, Univ of Michigan, 1969.

Political experience: Helped with Steve Owens campaign in 1998; Democratic nominee, CD3, 2000; Democratic candidate for CD2, 2004 and 2006.

Memberships: AZ Education Assn, 1993-2009; Teamsters Union Local 486, 1977-1986; U.S. Army Field Artillery, 1971-1972; Michigan Education Assn, 1969-1971 and 1973-1977.

Interests: Exploring Arizona’s back country in my Jeep Wrangler, bass fishing, and building and riding my propeller-driven “aerocycle.”

Political influence: My father was a part-time Washington lobbyist for the Michigan Association of School Superintendents and in this capacity he testified before House and Senate committees and helped draft and promote various successful pieces of education legislation. Because of my father’s involvement, I learned from a young age to pay attention to the workings of our government and the issues of the day.

Top priority: I have selected as my campaign slogan “Restoring the American Dream” and to do this we must first make income taxes and Social Security taxes fair and equitable by following the “Buffett Rule.” The present tax code places too much of the tax burden on the shoulders of the middle class and is responsible for the growing gap between rich and poor.

Respected opponent: The late U.S. Rep. Bob Stump. I believe Bob Stump was an honest, cordial gentleman, and a true fiscal conservative. As a former farmer he knew how to be frugal with his own resources and always tried to be careful not to waste the taxpayer’s money. I also respect his service to our country in the U.S. Navy during WWII. When I challenged him in the 2000 election, my biggest complaint was that as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee he didn’t vehemently demand adequate funding for Veterans’ health care.

Job creation measures: Domestic spending to repair our aging schools, highways, bridges, pipelines and power grids. Tax incentives and favorable regulations to encourage the building of large solar power plants and the installation of residential rooftop solar panels on new and existing homes.

Illegal immigration: We need comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders and allows those who are here illegally, but have no criminal record, to pay a fine and wait longer for permanent residency status than those who didn’t violate our immigration laws. (This amnesty plan is actually the one put forth by John McCain, Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe in 2000). Immigration reform must simultaneously address uniformly enforcing our immigration laws in the workplace and securing our borders, and I favor using the National Guard to secure the border.

Federal deficit: I would advocate for fair and equitable income and Social Security taxes. Income tax rates should follow the “Buffett Rule” so that investment income is taxed the same as earned income. Also, the cap on Social Security/Medicare taxes should be raised from its current $106,800 to about $250,000 or perhaps removed entirely. In either case, the rate should be reduced so that it is less burdensome on lower income people, particularly the self-employed.

President Obama’s qualifications: No.