Bill Shumway

Bill Shumway

Shumway, Bill (Democrat)

Phone: (928) 587-6979

Email: bnshumway@cableone.net

Website: www.shumwayforarizona.com

109 W. Mahoney St., Winslow, AZ 86047

Age: 59 (8/15/50, Winslow, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Locomotive engineer, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, 40 years (retiring September, 2010); manager, Safety and Rules Old Arizona Division, 1999-00.

Marital: Married (Nelda, accounts payable).

Children: 3.

Religious preference: Did not respond.

Education: BNSF Management training for accident/incident investigation and resolution; BNSF Signs and Symptoms substance abuse training; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainman treasurers training; attended ASU, political science; high school diploma, Winslow H.S., 1968.

Political experience: Navajo County chair, Democratic Party; precinct committeeman; member, Democratic Party state committee; legislative boards, United Transportation Union and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen.

Memberships have included: President, Winslow High School Booster Club; Winslow Elks Club; Little Colorado River Democrats; Navajo County Democratic Committee; Winslow Memorial Hospital Association.

Interests: Photography, fishing, golf, RV camping, baseball, barbequing, cooking, woodworking, bicycling, exercise, reading, spending time with family.

Issues:

Political influence: My father, Boyd Shumway.

Budget recommendations: Prison population nationwide is decreasing, Arizona is building more prisons. The cost of holding one prisoner has been reported to be $56 per day. This trend is no longer sustainable and it is time to take another look at cost reduction and to reduce the recidivism rate. Re-open our State Parks. The value of revenue received from tourism was underestimated. Arizona needs to be marked as a destination and closing the parks sends a negative message. Restore our investment in education. Beyond insuring a well-educated population, education will provide investment incentives for the entire state. We must provide a balanced and educated work force to our business partners. Education is an essential long-range plan to improve our economy.

Other concerns: Education reform, from kindergarten through continuing adult education. Take another look at our proposition process. While I feel it is an important element of our democracy, often it does not accomplish what was intended. I would suggest a “sunset clause” would allow us to revisit, after a time, a proposition-based law to measure its efficiency and sustainability. Propositions should include a funding plan for viability at its inception. Development of a sustainable “rainy day fund” that projects beyond the next growth cycle and through the next economic downturn. Arizona will have to keep tightening its belt until we “save” enough to build a fund that will help us through the next financial crisis. To accomplish this, we will need to be very specific about when and how this fund will be utilized and how to sustain it.

Fiscal philosophy: Do not propose it if you can’t also determine a way to pay for it. Arizona should discontinue its shortsighted practice of treating growth as an industry. Mining, farming, tourism, technology, alternative energy and ranching are examples of industry. While growth has proven an asset for job creation it is not always sustainable in the long-term. Education investment for business incentive should be elevated to a top priority. Arizona’s current reputation and standing in expenditures per student (50 out of 50) is proving to be a strong disincentive for potential startup businesses. Our past abandonment of science and industry investment was short-sighted and only contributed to our economic predicament. Jobs creation is dependent on education. Arizona needs to develop a “fair share” revenue plan that is sustainable and will allow the state, counties and municipalities to interact in a positive and supportive way. Unfortunately the competition for revenue funds has an adversarial rather than cooperative result.

Background & experience: I have been following Arizona politics for many years now. I have witnessed a repetition in the same economic strategies over and over again. I have learned, taught and participated in problem solving techniques that have a proven track record for success. My retirement from the railroad has afforded me the opportunity to throw my hat in the ring.

Prop. 100 sales tax: I do favor the tax increase with some reservation. If the money is used effectively to accomplish education funding and law enforcement support then it will prove to be a smart strategy. Having said that, we are in the economic situation today based on shortsighted legislation and poor planning. If this money is allowed to be diverted away from the voters’ wishes it will be a failure. My hope is to have the opportunity to help provide a change in direction in policy that provides a more sustainable and affordable strategy. We should prepare so this economic predicament never occurs again.

Pro-life/pro-choice: I take a traditional conservative or even, dare I say, Libertarian view on abortion. I am old enough to remember this issue before Roe v Wade. History since the beginning of time shows us women have, for many reasons, sought to end pregnancies. While I am opposed to abortion for birth control or for convenience, I do not believe we will be successful in trying to legislate morality. Abortion procedures should be kept safe, rare and legal. Government should not extend its reach into our personal lives.

One last thing: I believe in using common sense in seeking common ground. My priorities are simply stated as education reform, stable economics and restoration of civility. I feel they are closely related. If partisanship continues to prevail then we will have to expect similar results. Education and economic reform are not possible if we don’t all sit down and contribute toward finding reasonable solutions. I am determined to seek “trans partisan” solutions from our state government. Civility must be an ingredient in building an Arizona we can all be proud of.

Campaign Finance: public.