John Weil

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Weil, John (Democrat)

Phone: (928) 246-6524

Email: jweil001@aol.com

2269 S. Sky View Way, Yuma, AZ 85365

Age: 57 (11/27/52, Mount Caramel, IL).

Arizona since: 1976.

Occupation: Recreational vehicle park management and development; practiced law in Yuma since 1980, Weil and Weil; Marine Corps, 1976-80.

Marital: Married (Cristyn).

Religious preference: Methodist.

Education: J.D., Southern Illinois University, 1976; B.A., Southern Illinois University, 1973.

Political experience: Precinct committeeman; appointed to Legislative Military Affairs Committee.

Memberships have included: Chair, Yuma County Chamber of Commerce; president, Humane Society of Yuma County; Child and Family Services Board; past exalted ruler, Elks Lodge #476; American Legion, Disabled American Veterans; Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Interests: Hiking and writing.

Issues:

Political influence: John F. Kennedy. I think he set a positive tone of public service, and I now have an opportunity to participate in the Legislature as a public servant, which is why I’m running for office.

Budget recommendations: We need an economic recovery bill for the state, and I’m disappointed efforts to do that last session were unsuccessful. We’ve overextended our regulatory issues and need a common-sense approach to government regulations to attract businesses from outside our state. Science and solar development are natural industries for Arizona, and they need to be developed and pursued. We need to create jobs. I think we’ve cut about as much as we can, except on unnecessary government regulations.

Other concerns: Job creation and education. I think we’ve cut education budget so low that we’re the lowest per-capita spending state in the nation, and part of attracting jobs is to have a decent educational system because new businesses won’t locate in Arizona if the perception is we have a poor education system. We need to restore reasonable funding to education.

Fiscal philosophy: I think it’s very conservative. I think government should have priorities and those should be the traditional functions of state government: public safety and public education. I don’t think the government should be spending money on other areas. We’re spending money on ideological agendas that result in hundreds of dollars in education, and the legislation hasn’t focused on what’s important in Arizona – jobs and the economy.

Background & experience: I’ve been an attorney in Arizona for 30 years. I’ve been in business reorganization, finance and bankruptcy law. I think the state is bankrupt, and I think the concepts and approaches to reinvigorating a business would be applicable to the Legislature. I also develop recreational vehicle parks, and I see a lot of government regulation that pose a low risk and impose a large cost on businesses. We have a lot of regulations that have no common sense.

Proposition 100 sales tax: I was in favor of it because I think we have to fund public education and public safety. We won’t attract businesses to Arizona until we have an adequately funded educational system, so it was necessary for that reason.

Pro-life/pro-choice: I would say that I’m conservative and neutral. I would be loath to make any changes in existing law, and we have to operate within the framework of federal law and Supreme Court decisions. I’m sensitive to both sides on that issue. I’m not advocating change, but I’m open to discuss on particular points.

One last thing: I believe strongly in individual rights and freedoms and equal protection under the law, and I’m very sensitive to the rights of Hispanics and people of color, and we have to be very protective of those rights.

Campaign Finance: public.