Elections 2014 Just another Arizona Capitol Times Election Coverage site
Democrat – Legislative District 16 Senate
Phone: (602) 653-8206
Email: scott.prior@priorforazsenate.org
Website: www.priorforazsenate.org
Facebook: Scott Prior
Twitter: @Priorforsenate
Address: 855 E Pima Ave , Apache Junction, AZ 85119
Age: 47. (10/28/66, Coos Bay, OR).
Arizona since: 1997
Occupation: Facilities specialist, Quantumclean, since 2009; electroplating technician, Emerson Network Power, 2003-09.
Marital: Married
Education: B.S, theater, WTSU, 1990; Boys Ranch H.S., valedictorian, 1986.
Political experience: Candidate for AZ Senate, LD16, 2012; state committeeman, 2012; precinct committeeman, 2012.
Interests: Motorcycle riding, hiking, camping, flying, reading, movies.
Two biggest issues: Economy and education. I would work to help raise the minimum wage so that people in Arizona would be able to make a living wage. I would focus on repairing the state’s infrastructure and focus on clean energy, which will create jobs all over the state. I would stop diverting taxpayer money to for-profit schools and strengthen the state’s public schools. I would focus on making legislation that would require private and charter schools to have the same fiscal accountability as public schools, the same hiring requirements for teachers as public schools, and the same curriculum as the public schools.
Budget priorities: We need to focus on fixing education, repairing the state infrastructure, and increasing employment opportunities in Arizona. We need to work on public assistance, as our economy has remained relatively flat for the past few years. We need to stop spending taxpayer money on for-profit privatization, as that is more expensive to taxpayers. We need to only give tax breaks to corporations that bring jobs into Arizona, and not for sending jobs away from Arizona. We need to focus on clean energy, which can be used to sell to other states at a lower cost. We need to stop subsidizing corporations, and start focusing on people.
Fiscal philosophy: My fiscal philosophy is that government should spend taxpayer money wisely and not frivolously. Too much money is spent on “pet projects” while things that desperately need to be attended to are bypassed. We need to focus on the programs that will help people, and reduce the spending on the for-profit industry. Taxpayer money should not be given to for-profit industries without requiring complete transparency in its usage.
Common Core: Did not respond.
Gifts to elected officials: I don’t believe that elected officials should be allowed to accept any gifts whatsoever. Elected officials are supposed to serve the people, not corporations, or special interests. I would like to ban all gifts, and would support legislation to do so.
Transparency in government: I believe that every piece of legislation should be announced to the public, and that each district should have an open house discussion with their elected officials. Elected officials are supposed to serve the people, which means they need to communicate with ALL of their constituents, not just the members of their political party.
Pro-life / pro-choice: I am a pro-choice candidate. I believe that a woman’s choice, as guaranteed by Roe vs. Wade should be between a woman and her doctor and should not be infringed upon by government, special interests, or other entities. If we as a people spent as much energy trying to prevent abortion by providing easy access to proper age-appropriate sex education and contraception, then the numbers of abortions would be reduced.
Public policy advice: I would turn to the experts in whatever public policy issue was relevant. If I have a question on clean energy policy, then I would of course talk directly to the clean energy industry and scientists in the field of study. I think most politicians are no longer getting facts to make decisions, but using flawed and incorrect opinion instead.
