Arizona Capitol Times Election Coverage Just another Arizona Capitol Times Election Coverage site
Republican
Candidate for Arizona House in Legislative District 6
Phone: (928) 965-5009
Email: barton4az@gmail.com
Website: www.barton4az.com
Twitter: @Barton4Az
712b Bobb Street, Payson, AZ 85541.
Age: Did not provide. (11/22, Safford, AZ).
Arizona since: Birth.
Occupation: Retired; municipal accounting & materials management, City of Safford.
Marital: Married (Bruce, E3 Development Group).
Children: 2; 6 grandchildren.
Religious preference: Apostolic Christian.
Education: Accounting, Eastern Arizona College.
Political experience: Graduate, Western Legislative Academy; AZ director, Women in Government; Region III director, AZ Federation of Republican Women; 2009 graduate, Dodie Londen Excellence in Public Service Series; 2008 delegate to the AZ State Republican Convention; precinct committeewoman; president, Graham County Republican Women; legislative chairwoman, Graham County Republican Woman; secretary, People for the West, Graham County Chapter; secretary, Legislative District 8 (Cochise & Graham Counties).
Legis exp: House since 2011.
Memberships: Nat’l Council of State Legislators, Heartland Institute, American Legislative Exchange Council, AZ Citizens Defense League, AZ Federation of Republican Women.
Interests: Energy, natural resources & water issues, cooking, cruise vacations.
Political influence: There isn’t a single individual, rather a mosaic of characters and individuals who have contributed to my continuing evolution as a political professional.
Job creation measures: The role of the government is not to create jobs, rather to facilitate a business environment in which job creation may flourish. To that end, we should consider reducing the burden of unnecessary regulations on business and ensure a well-educated and prepared workforce inventory.
Top Issues: Building a strong state economy coupled with the conservation of our quality of life in Arizona.
Prop 100 sales tax extension: Let it expire. The voters approved a “temporary” tax increase. Since before this century began there have been several “temporary” sales tax increases in Arizona. Each increase had three things in common: it was sold as temporary, it never went away, and it was for education. I think it’s time we ensure that temporary means temporary and find other ways of reforming our educational systems in Arizona.
Illegal immigration: Nothing [needs to be done to address illegal immigration]. The economy combined with employer sanctions and E-verify have addressed the issue. Immigration policy is the responsibility of the federal government. If the Supreme Court upholds SB1070, then Arizona is prepared to simply enforce federal immigration laws. This is no different from our state enforcing other federal laws, which we do every day. Our major concern should be border security in this era of terrorism and criminal gang activity.
Background & experience: Being a “citizen legislator,” I don’t believe has any one set of criteria or educational requirements. What is required are good listening skills, being able to focus in on the issue and good old-fashioned common sense.
Pro-life / pro-choice: I believe life begins at conception and that public funds should not be used for personal and private decisions.
One last thing: I believe that a government that is closer to the people is a government more responsive and responsible to the people. I believe in a smaller and more limited federal government, and that the states should exert responsibility over those powers not specifically enumerated to the federal government by the Constitution of the United State
Campaign finance: private.
