Republican – Legislative District 10 Senate

Phone: (520) 307-5331

Address: 577 N Arizona Estates Loop , Tucson, AZ 85748

Age: 61. (03/06/53, Longview, WA).

Arizona since: 2011

Occupation: Retired, U.S. Air Force Officer (Lieutenant Colonel); retired executive, Lockheed Martin Corporation; professor, China Foreign Affairs University, 2012-13; foreign studies professor, Guangdong University, 2011-12; legislative affairs, U.S. Africa Command Chief, 2009-11; chief of staff, Senator Robert F. Bennett (Utah), 2004-09; legislative affairs director, Lockheed Martin Corp, 1991-2004; military legislative assistant, Sen. Phil Gramm (Texas), 1989-91.

Marital: Married

Children: 3; 10 grandchildren

Education: M.A., national security affairs (Middle East area studies), Naval Postgraduate School, 1984; M.A., international relations, Troy State University (Germany Campus), 1982; B.A., international relations, BYU, 1978.

Political experience: Ivan Zubow for County Supervisor, Santa Clara County, CA, 1978

Interests: Family vacations, sports (especially baseball), reading (history, historical fiction, biographies), hiking, travel.

Two biggest issues: The top two issues, working within the constraints of a truly balanced budget, are so intertwined that is difficult to separate them. Job creation: The state Legislature can help create jobs by making it easier for businesses to get started, by streamlining and minimizing tax burdens on businesses, and by improving infrastructure to facilitate the movement of goods to the marketplace and employees to the workplace. Education: To improve the state’s education system, I would promote directing a greater proportion of funding to the classroom and less to administration, making it easier for experienced workers and retired professionals to become teachers, and focusing our education on helping students prepare to enter the workforce, trade schools, community colleges, or universities.

Budget priorities: The primary job of the state Legislature is to produce a balanced budget for the governor to sign. In order to achieve that goal, the legislature must: 1. Ensure the state’s taxes are fair, balanced, and broad; that they do not unfairly burden families; and that businesses enjoy a competitive environment in which to operate. I would encourage and help lead a broad review of the state’s tax system to look for simplification and efficiencies. 2. Ensure that the state budget is truly balanced by removing gimmicks and unrealistic features, such as, overly optimistic growth figures, unrealistic interest projections and internal transfers, such as, HURF. 3. Ensure a balance among the top state programs: education, health care, and corrections. For example, I would look for innovative approaches to our corrections system that could yield savings, which in turn could provide additional funding for other state priorities.

Fiscal philosophy: I am fiscally conservative, which to me means that I believe in being a wise steward of public funds. I believe in small, limited government, low taxes and strict accountability. I believe the state budget should be balanced without resorting to using gimmicks, sweeping funds, or creative accounting to get there. The state Legislature should set priorities for state spending that cover the basic state obligations of education, health care, and corrections. I favor taking a detailed, broad view of the state tax code and working with a group of like-minded legislators to find ways to simplify the tax code, eliminate loopholes, and make it more efficient.

Common Core: I support the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. During my 25 years in the Air Force, my 13 years at Lockheed Martin Corporation, and six years in the U.S. Senate, I have found that setting high standards and measuring progress toward achieving them is vital. I believe our students should aim for excellence by working to meet high standards. Going hand in hand with high standards are tools to measure how each student is progressing, and how each school and school district is doing to help students meet or exceed the standards. In 2010, Arizona decided to adopt these standards and I believe we owe it to our children to move forward in implementing them. Our students will be better served, our businesses will have a deeper employment pool from which to draw, and our schools will become more adept at training students.

Gifts to elected officials: Elected officials should be held to the highest standard of conduct. As those who represent the people, their behavior should be above reproach. I believe that gifts should be limited by dollar value and a strict reporting system must be in place to enable all Arizona citizens to view which elected officials have received gifts, from whom, and for what amount. At the same time, I believe that elected officials must do a certain amount of travel both within the state and sometimes outside in order to best serve the public good. In these cases, costs associated with this travel must be reported promptly, completely and publicly.

Transparency in government: I firmly believe that the people actually form the government and that elected officials serve at their behest. In that regard, government meetings should be open for the public to attend in person, to watch or listen to live, or to review recorded (written, audio, and video) accounts of all meetings. This includes providing sufficient notice before meetings are held that would enable the public to attend. Bills should be published and made available to the public before they are considered by committees, by the full House or Senate, and before being sent to the governor for final action. I also believe there are rare circumstances where executive sessions need to be held to conduct business of a sensitive nature. In these cases, care must be taken that this action indeed remains rare and is only used to address necessary issues.

Pro-life / pro-choice: I believe in the sanctity of human life and that all actions we take regarding human life should be done with the utmost care. I believe that when a woman consults with her husband, parents, doctor, and clergyman, most issues related to abortion can be resolved. Generally, government should not be a directing force in the lives of its citizens and in the case of abortion, the matter is best left to be resolved by the woman and those closest to her.

Public policy advice: My 85 year-old mother has been my inspiration when it comes to public policy and political issues. She introduced me to the political process when I was very young, and I have turned to her for advice and counsel ever since. Having endured the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, and the decades since, she gives me advice that is even, reasoned, practical, balanced, and logical.

Morrison, Mark

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