Eric Meyer

Meyer, Eric (Democrat)

Phone: (480) 607-0660

Email: emeyer2008@gmail.com

7765 N. Foothill Drive South, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

Age: 48 (8/12/61, Syracuse, NY).

Arizona since: 1968.

Occupation: Former director of Providence Hospital Emergency Department (Portland, OR); board member, Scottsdale School District Governing Board since 2004.

Marital: Married (Sarah Snell, physician).

Children: 2.

Education: M.D., UofA Medical School, 1988; B.A., economics, University of Southern California, 1983.

Political experience: Scottsdale School District governing board; AZ House since 2009.

Memberships have included: Children’s Museum of Phoenix Board of Directors; Scottsdale Unified School District All-City Athlete Banquet Board; previous PTO president for Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center; previous legislative liaison for the Scottsdale Parent Council; previous member, Scottsdale Unified School District Budget Committee.

Interests: Bicycling, sailing, reading.

Issues:

Political influence: No single person has been the most influential. I turn to different people for political advice depending on the subject that I am interested in learning about. I know many people with varied backgrounds, such as educators, business leaders, and health care professionals with whom I can discuss important issues. Getting advice from different political points of view is very important in my decision-making process.

Budget recommendations: Suspend certain tax credits and let those dollars flow in to the general fund. Close tax loopholes and fund the Department of Revenue so that they have the ability to collect the taxes owed to the state. Increase efficiency and decrease waste. I also serve on the Scottsdale School Board, where we successfully implemented cost-cutting measures. For instance, the district worked to reduce energy consumption by millions of kilowatt hours, closed a school and has gone paperless where possible. These measures have easily saved the district over a million dollars each year, and I hope to achieve similar successes next term at the Legislature.

Other concerns: As a school board member in Scottsdale and a school advocate with young children of my own, I believe education must be our single highest priority. I have witnessed, first hand, much of the damage that the Legislature has brought upon our public schools. Job creation is my second highest priority. I will be a voice at the Capitol seeking to bring some real-life experience and common sense to the dialogue.

Fiscal philosophy: I am a fiscal conservative. I favor decreasing taxes as much as possible, but those decisions must be based on a long-term plan and in the context of a current budget year. The long term plan should adequately fund education and ensure the health and safety of Arizona’s citizens. Waste in the public system needs to be eliminated.

Background & experience: The vast majority of what we do as legislators relates to the economy, education and health care. I have an undergraduate degree in economics and a medical degree. I have practiced emergency medicine and been director of a large emergency department. I am in my sixth year of service on the Scottsdale School Board. Each of these different life experiences has given me a knowledge base that guides me in making decisions as a legislator.

Proposition 100 sales tax: I voted yes on Prop. 100. The governor and the majority party have voted for the largest cuts to public education in the history of the state three times in the last two years. I voted, at the state level, against those cuts of nearly one billion dollars to public education. The magnitude of these cutbacks will continue to effect class size, programs and services in schools across the state. Passing Prop. 100 will restore a small portion of the deep cuts to public education in the short term.

Pro-life/pro-choice: Fifty percent of pregnancies are unplanned. Our focus should be on preventing unwanted pregnancies. This would lead to a reduction in abortions. Ultimately every individual woman should have a right to choose her reproductive path. We should not impose our values on others through legislation, but should instead provide education and real options to choose from.

One last thing: I’m honored to serve the constituents of District 11 and will continue to work every day to make Arizona a better place to work, live, and raise a family.

Campaign Finance: private.