Ethan Orr

Republican
Candidate for Arizona House in Legislative District 9
Phone: (520) 241-8788
Email: info@ethanforhouse.com
Website: www.ethanforhouse.com
Twitter: @EthanforHouse
420 E Deone Ln, Tucson, AZ 85704.

Age: 38. (03/25/74, Tucson, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Executive director, Linkages of Arizona, since 2004; empowerment zone administrator, city of Tucson, 2001-2004; city council aide ward II, city of Tucson 2000; director of economic and community development, city of South Tucson, 1996-2000; adjunct assistant professor, UofA, since 2003.

Marital: Married (Kristen, speech language pathologist).

Children: 3.

Religious preference: Christian.

Education: M.P.A., UofA, 2000; B.A., history, UofA, 1997.

Political experience: Chair, City of Tucson Budget Advisory Committee; Joint Legislative Commission on Homelessness; Governor’s Rehabilitation Advisory Council.

Memberships: Bd member/treasurer, Greater Tucson Leadership Council; Boy Scouts of America, Catalina Council, Executive Committee; bd of directors, Mulcahy YMCA; Pima Assn of Governments, Population Planning Committee; Fred G Acosta Job Corps, Advisory Council; bd of directors, Vision for Tucson; bd of directors, Jobs for Life; La Frontera Housing Bd.

Interests: Rock climbing, mountain biking, and spending time with my family.

Political influence: Heiko Oberman – He taught me how to identify the principles that shape political events through an understanding of history. Jim Click – He taught me how to motivate people and produce results [and] how to turn theory into reality.

Job creation measures: Support educational programs that work and will help build a workforce that can attract and grow strong companies in Arizona. This includes looking at the funding formulas and logistical needs to encourage dual enrollments between high schools and community colleges and supporting the joint technological educational districts. Understand industry specific needs especially in areas of competitive strength for Arizona, including creating a non-fly area for drone development in aerospace and working to raise the threshold for the business personal property tax to support logistics and capital-intensive manufacturing.

Top Issues: Economic development: this includes supporting existing companies through workforce training, tax code modification, and simply listening to and addressing their concerns. Also, we need to have a frank discussion about why companies do and do not come to Arizona and make ourselves more attractive to business relocation. This includes marketing Phoenix and Tucson as one region and ensuring that we have site ready facilities in the industries that we are targeting..

Education: every industry needs a well-trained workforce and a good education offers economic hope to every individual. It is a key component to reducing criminal recidivism and poverty.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: At this point I oppose it. The current budget is balanced and we have a framework for the next several years that will help us keep it that way. However, I want to see what revenue and economic growth looks like in 2012 and the recommendations of the Governor’s Sales Tax Task Force before making a final decision.

Illegal immigration: We need to tie our economy more closely with Sonora though trade, tourism and using programs such as the foreign trade zones to develop a competitive manufacturing base. This will create jobs in both regions and reduce the economic pressures for illegal immigration.

Background & experience: In my community I have created solutions and partnerships that actually worked and produced real results for the people I serve. My entire career has been focused on creating pragmatic solutions that bring together diverse and often competing groups. In order to do this I have to study the complexities of the problem and see the systems we are impacting at both a micro and macro level.

Pro-life / pro-choice: I oppose abortion, and I believe that most people in Arizona would like there to be less abortions next year than there are this year. I believe that requires both sides to work together to support women who are in a vulnerable situation by providing more options in terms of pre-natal care, adoption and counseling.

One last thing: As a third generation Arizonan, I believe that we can and should be the greatest state in the union. I want to have a part in getting us there and will work with leaders from every part of our community in order to make that happen.

Campaign finance: private.