Juan Mendez

Democrat
Candidate for Arizona House in Legislative District 26
Phone: (480) 389-5826
Email: mendez.johnny@gmail.com
Website: www.mendezforaz.com
Twitter: @mendezforaz
1123 W Elna Rae St, Tempe, AZ 85281.

Age: 27. (05/18/85, Phoenix, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Community voice mail manager, Community Information and Referral, since 2009; information and referral specialist, Community Information and Referral, 2008-2009; political coordinator, Int’l Assn of Bridge & Structural Iron Workers Local 75, 2008; instructor, Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley, 2007-2008.

Marital: Single.

Religious preference: Did not respond..

Education: B.A., political science (minor in justice & social inquiry), ASU, 2008; A.A., general studies, classical studies, certificate of int’l studies, Phoenix College, 2006; Tolleson Union High School, 2003.

Political experience: Elected state committeeman, AZ Democratic Party, since 2007; elected precinct committeeman, LD17, since 2006. Through my work with the Dist 17 Democrat organization, I have helped with most campaigns in my district: Ed Ableser for State House and Senate; David Schapira for State House, Senate and Congress; Ben Arredondo for State House; Harry Mitchell for Congress; Corey Woods, Mark Mitchell, Joel Navarro, and Kolby Granville for Tempe City Council.

Memberships: Member, City of Phoenix, Human Services Advisory Committee; graduate, Tempe Leadership; volunteer, Valley of the Sun United Way’s Project Connect Event, since 2008.

Interests: My interests are promoting all levels of public education and human services, and ending hunger and homelessness in Maricopa County. My hobbies include camping, hiking, rock climbing, biking, and drawing.

Political influence: My entire community has influenced my political development. From my educational community there are professors like Eddie Genna who fostered the critical thinking skills I use today, and faculty like Kelly Loucy who opened my world to education outside of the classroom. Without their influence, I would not be equipped to explore and apply myself in my community politically. Without the influence of my community, I would not know about the responsibility we all share to foster the growth of all of those around us.

Job creation measures: To encourage job creation, I will cultivate an environment that attracts jobs. Businesses need a healthy educated workforce that will not be an undue burden to their solvency. As a state, we can rise to occasion to help businesses by funding and promoting education and health care. This will not only provide businesses with the employees they need but also the communities for their employees to raise their families. By funding education and health care, we improve the health and productivity of our workforce, the health of the bottom line for employers and ultimately the health of our state’s economy.

Top Issues: Aside from revenue concerns, the two issues I will concentrate on as a legislator are public education and health care. The state of our public education is failing our students in such a way that it must be on purpose. There is no excuse other than poor leadership when our fifth graders cannot read. AHCCCS and KidsCare are not in place to only make sure people in transition or our children have health care, they also ensure a healthy workforce and in turn a functioning economy.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: I favor funding quality education and jobs. Rather than feeling powerless over the cuts that have punished our children with much larger class sizes, lack of basics like textbooks and the loss of counselors, librarians, music and arts or P.E., I will be picking up where our Legislature has failed us and will be supporting the extension of the temporary sales tax increase.

Illegal immigration: Our Legislature is currently addressing undocumented immigration in a way that threatens the public safety of everyone, including our citizens. Our current approach to undocumented immigration diverts attention from the structural and economic causes of undocumented immigration and keeps us trapped in a vicious circle of blaming. Our actions become nothing more than misplaced efforts and resources while we are sentencing countless people to death. If anything is to be done at the state level to address undocumented immigration, it should be to make sure hate and fear don’t destroy our communities. I understand immigration to be a federal issue.

Background & experience: My individual success was dependent on supporting sustaining public infrastructure. Funding for our public education and universities and funding for AHCCCS and KidsCare made my life possible. Countless people and programs are responsible for the opportunities that have allowed me to be successful at life. I work to serve others the way others have served me, and I know so many other people’s lives are dependent on the leadership of our state. I am prepared to do my part to make sure the supportive and sustaining public infrastructure that allowed for my success is there for everyone.

Pro-life / pro-choice: Regarding a woman’s right to privacy and control of her own body, I am pro-choice. I would like to see those who oppose a woman’s right to choose take a stand to actually prevent abortions. We need to make sure our youth are appropriately educated and afforded the correct preventative measures to make sure abortions never have to happen. I will work to make sure an abortion never has to happen but it is not my place to take away a woman’s right to privacy and control of her own body.

One last thing: I am a first generation American and the oldest of four. We were born in rural Wittmann, AZ into poverty, and we lived in poverty all over metro Phoenix. My family went through domestic violence and divorce. Though I was sustained in poverty through the compassion of our government, my family didn’t transition into safety until our community invested in my family. We were given opportunities and granted access to resources. The biggest barrier holding us back was not a lack of hard work but the lack of availability in the resources and information that allowed us to transition out of poverty.

Campaign finance: public.