Scott Prior

Democrat
Candidate for Arizona Senate in Legislative District 16
Phone: (602) 653-8206
Email: scott.prior@priorforazsenate.org
Website: www.priorforazsenate.org
Twitter: @Priorforsenate
855 E Pima Ave, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.
(Mail: PO Box 6813, Apache Junction, AZ 85178)

Age: 45. (10/28/66, Coos Bay, OR).

Arizona since: 1997.

Occupation: Facility engineer, QuantumClean, since 2009; plating technician, Trompeter-Semflex, 2003-2009; project manager, Pentagon Technologies, 1995-2003.

Marital: Married (Cara, engineering technician).

Religious preference: Non-denominational.

Education: B.S., theatre, West Texas State University, 1990; Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch High School (valedictorian), 1986.

Political experience: None.

Memberships: None.

Interests: Bowling, hiking, fishing, camping, reading, movies.

Political influence: The most influential person in my political development is Bernie Sanders (I-VT). His desire and unswerving dedication to serve the people of Vermont and the U.S. has given me the passion I need to run for Senate.

Job creation measures: The first thing we should do to encourage jobs creation in Arizona is to stop giving free tax breaks to large businesses. Tax breaks should be given based on keeping jobs in Arizona not given to companies that have a history of sending business (manufacturing and telcomm) overseas. The second thing I support is to stop funneling money to private prisons and use that money to concentrate on state infrastructure and renewable energy.

Top Issues: The two main issues that I would concentrate on is unemployment and education. We need to focus on job creation and economic strength in Arizona, not passing more laws on social/moral issues. Education has been in need of revitalization, and using taxpayer money to try to enable privatization of education that has limited oversight instead of fixing public education is not the route to take.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: I am in favor of extending the temporary sales tax increase, but I believe that the money should be used to fix education and infrastructure. I don’t believe that our Legislature should be able to divert those funds collected by the temporary sales tax increase to areas other than education and job creation.

Illegal immigration: Undocumented immigrants are a symptom of a larger problem, which is that our border is not secure. Drugs, guns and undocumented workers are all part of that problem. Targeting undocumented immigrants by ALEC model legislation like SB 1070 only creates racial profiling, racism, and tensions between all people in communities all over the state. We need to work with the federal government to address the border security issue and concentrate less on trying to ’round up’ undocumented workers.

Background & experience: As a member of the Texas Boys State in my senior year in high school, I learned a great deal of how government is supposed to work. As a facilities technician, it is my responsibility to make things work, and when they aren’t working, find ways to fix it. This is a quality that I would like to bring to the state Capitol. Legislation needs to be logically analyzed and put together for the benefit of the state of Arizona and its citizens.

Pro-life / pro-choice: Abortion is currently legal in the U.S. Because of that fact, I believe that creating legislation to limit or prevent a legal medical procedure based on personal moral or religious beliefs is an attack on basic rights. All health care, including a women’s right to choose, is something that needs to be between the doctor and the patient and should not be interfered with by legislators. The same legislators that are pushing to limit or restrict abortion are also working to restrict access to birth control, which is the best way to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

One last thing: I am a member of the working class. I’ve never considered myself a politician, but in times like today, where legislators are spending so much energy creating legislation that promotes their moral and religious beliefs, I felt it necessary to try to be a part of fixing the problems in our great state. Laws on birth control, abortion, gun laws, and repelling invasion from the United Nations has done nothing to help with the economic strength, unemployment levels, or better education. It is time that all working people in Arizona stand up and work to truly fix these issues in our state.

Campaign finance: public.