Douglas Coleman

Republican
Candidate for Arizona House in Legislative District 16
Phone: (480) 982-7226
Email: colemandouglas@yahoo.com
Website: www.douglascoleman.org
1474 S Royal Palm Rd, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.

Age: 55. (12/20/56, Phoenix, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth..

Occupation: Educator (business, accounting, law), Apache Junction Unified School District, since 1983; camp director, Camp Geronimo, Grand Canyon Council, Boy Scouts of America, staff since 1982.

Marital: Married (Roxanne, bookkeeper).

Children: 6.

Religious preference: LDS.

Political experience: Apache Junction, city councilman, 2008-2012 and 1991-1995; mayor, Apache Junction, 1995-2007.

Memberships: District vice chair, Superstition District; Grand Canyon Council; Boy Scouts of America.

Interests: Scouting, amateur radio operator (KI7LP), marathoner, Duncan YoYo champion.

Political influence: I have been a student of the life of Abraham Lincoln. I believe he demonstrated incredible leadership and management skills that have only recently been formally identified and studied.

Job creation measures: I believe we need to consider re-implementing some of the economic development tools that we have lost or eliminated, such as tax increment financing. I would support tax reform that would make our taxes more transparent, more fair, and hopefully lower rates at the same time.

Top Issues: Equipping our state with economic development tools that will make us more competitive with other states as far as bringing business and jobs into our state, and education, working to get resources into the classroom that directly benefit our students.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: I favor extending the sales tax, as I believe the economy will not have sufficiently recovered by then to be able to balance the budget without making detrimental cuts to our state programs, such as freeway construction and maintenance and education.

Illegal immigration: I support the principles outlined in the Utah Compact: federal solutions with comprehensive immigration reform, support of law enforcement in dealing with all those who are here illegally who commit crimes, and consideration of families and the human element in dealing with people who are here illegally. While I support securing our border, I do not believe that the problem will be solved through enforcement only.

Background & experience: I believe there are only 10 representatives currently who have experience at the municipal level of government and understand the effects of the state Legislature’s actions on local government. Also, as a classroom teacher of business for 31 years, I have a somewhat unique perspective on our state educational system and the important role education plays in training our future workforce.

Pro-life / pro-choice: I am pro-life.

One last thing: As an educator, I have also been a student, and I realize that I don’t always have the right answers. I will be willing to look at any ideas that will help Arizona be a stronger, more competitive state. I am also an Eagle Scout.

Campaign finance: public.