Pat Flickner

Pat Flickner

Flickner, Pat (Democrat)

Phone: (623) 203-4713

Email: pat4az@gmail.com

Website: www.pat4az.com

4324 W. Piute Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308

Age: 52 (9/21/57 , Compton, CA).

Arizona since: 1997.

Occupation: Marital: Married (Jeff Schmidt, book seller ).

Children: 4.

Religious preference: Non-denominational.

Education: B.S., computer information systems, DeVry University, 2006; St. Joseph’s; Academy, 1975,

Political experience: Precinct committee person since 2008; campaign manager for Leigh Strickman for Supervisor in 2008.

Memberships have included: Member, District 6 Democrats; member, Phoenix Art Museum and the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Interests: Family, books, movies, horses, computers, animals, motorcycles, art.

Issues:

Political influence: Don MacDonald. He was the chair of the Fountain Hills Democrats for quite awhile and has challenged me to think for myself rather than blindly follow any party line. He has been my friend and colleague for nearly 10 years and is now one of my biggest fans.

Budget recommendations: If you want to increase revenue, you create jobs. To create jobs, you need to get money flowing to the small business owners, who create the largest percentage of jobs. Since the banks are being very tight-fisted with “their” money, we create our own state bank as they did in North Dakota (where unemployment is, I believe, the lowest in the country) and start lending money to people. We may have to borrow the money ourselves to move things along until things turn around, but they will turn around in one year’s time if we do this one small thing. It’s simple, but not necessarily easy.

Other concerns: Jobs and education. Both are extremely important to keep Arizona viable. (Jobs creation I already mentioned above). We keep talking about tax incentives to get businesses to move to Arizona, but all the incentives in the world are no match for educated kids that can be easily trained because they don’t have to be taught the basics. Currently, we are investing in things but not in the people of Arizona, where the expenditures would make a difference.

Fiscal philosophy: I believe in spending where it is needed, even when it is not easy to do so. But it is important to invest in quality, which means that at times, you spend a little more to get a lot more. For instance, spending for arts and music in education has proven to improve children’s ability to comprehend abstract principles such as math. Team sports, such as soccer, provides lifetime training in how to cooperate and work together toward a common goal. After school programs provide needed support for many children who may not have a good place to go at the end of school and keeps them out of gangs and ultimately, jail. Things such as after school programs and mentorship programs such as Youth at Risk cost us pennies as opposed to the penal system, which costs us over $1 million per person. But you don’t spend on unnecessary things like a special ballot when you could just listen to the people and enact a sales tax or creating a few dollars by selling our capital building to get short-term benefit but long-term hardship (that our current Legislature will never see).

Background & experience: I have no training as a politician; I develop web applications for American Express and am the webmaster for the Solet Initiative. That said, I have a profound caring and concern for my neighbors, regardless of their political affiliation. I have been through very hard times and come out the other side stronger. I consider myself very fortunate that I still have a job through several rounds of layoffs. I am able to contribute to my family, friends, and neighbors and I believe I can make the difference for Arizonans.

Prop. 100 sales tax: I favor the temporary sales tax increase. That the Legislature was too cowardly to enact this needed tax just irks me. So we as taxpayers had to pay for a special ballot to get done what the Legislature would not do itself. It would have saved time and considerable funds which they like to say we don’t have.

Pro-life/pro-choice: Abortion is legal and I have no intention of overturning federal law. I want to see the number of abortions further reduced; I believe that the way we do so is to improve education rather than thwarting education by insisting that hormonally challenged teenagers just need to learn how to say “no.” Teaching children the consequences of actions is far more effective and far less attractive than saying don’t do it, which has the opposite effect.

One last thing: I raised two of my four children in Arizona. When I arrived in 1997, I felt I came home and have had no desire to be anywhere else. I love Arizona; it is the only place I’ve ever been that you can drive for 15 minutes and the landscape completely changes. I love my neighborhood; I have watched children grow up here and have children of their own. I have a commitment to Arizona to see it be the amazing state I know it can be.

Campaign Finance: public