Nancy Barto

Republican
Candidate for Arizona Senate in Legislative District 15
Phone: (602) 569-4742
Email: nancybarto@cox.net
Twitter: @NancyBarto
3631 E Rockwood Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85050.

Age: 53. (07/22/58, Chicago, IL).

Arizona since: 1962.

Occupation: Legislator; homemaker.

Marital: Married (Joe).

Children: 3 and 2 grandchildren.

Religious preference: Christian.

Education: ASU and ASU West: studied vocal performance and elementary education; Arcadia High School.

Political experience: District chairman; family policy advocate.

Legis exp: Senate since 2011; House 2006-2010 (appointed to House in 2006 to replace David Burnell Smith).

Memberships: Bd of Interdisciplinary Health Policy Institute at NAU; Project 127 (supporting foster and adoptive parents); Maricopa County Justice Commission for the Seriously Mentally Ill; Tobacco Revenue Use, Spending & Tracking Commission.

Interests: Hiking, travel and music.

Political influence: My Dad. Rarely did a dinner conversation occur when there wasn’t some discussion about the political happenings in the world, and his views on free enterprise and the threat of socialism.

Job creation measures: First, continued efforts to lower business property taxes and personal income taxes. Second, eliminate capital gains taxes to encourage investment.

Top Issues: Promoting health care and insurance reforms that lower costs and increase consumer options, including health care cost transparency, tort reform, innovative alternatives to Medicaid and insurance options offering fewer mandates. Second, policies protecting and strengthening families.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: No, I oppose extending the sales tax increase for two main reasons: Arizona’s sales taxes are near the highest in the country. Plus, the tax is regressive, hurting those most in need and who can least afford it. Second, the Legislature planned ahead for the sales tax’s expiration in several important ways: by encouraging a better business environment through business tax reform, reducing regulations and by putting $450 million in the rainy day fund rather than unwisely committing all current one-time revenues to ongoing general fund spending we cannot afford.

Illegal immigration: If the main provisions of SB 1070 are upheld, Arizona local law enforcement will have the necessary tools at their disposal to deal with criminal activity stemming from illegal immigration, allowing officers appropriate authority and discretion when reasonable suspicion exists that a person is in the state illegally. But the fact remains that the border is still largely unsecured and more cooperation from the federal government will be crucial to stem the tide of illegal activity, especially when the economy recovers fully. Continuing to press for more resources at the border is key, as well as adequate enforcement funding.

Background & experience: Raising a family prepares one for many ways to serve the community, having spent many years volunteering in our childrens’ schools and activities. I also served as chairman of District 7 before being appointed to the Legislature – providing ample opportunity to become familiar with a host of issues of concern to the state, big and small. Family life is like that. There are both the mundane and the big issues to address. Some issues take one session to fix while others are a long-term project.

Pro-life / pro-choice: All human life deserves protection in law. I believe our Constitution supports the right to life for every human being from conception to natural death.

One last thing: My husband and I have lived in Arizona most of our lives. We raised our children here and now are watching our grandchildren grow up here. Our concern for their future is what motivates us to be involved at this level because we recognize that laws intricately impact our lives. We believe the laws in Arizona should support the Constitution – allowing citizens to exercise their right to live their lives and run their businesses as free of government interference as the Constitution prescribes. We are far from this ideal, but I hope to help move us closer to the goal.

Campaign finance: private.