Democrat – Legislative District 29 Senate

Phone: (602) 653-0437

Address: 8807 W Highland Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85037

Age: 37. (05/16/77, Phoenix, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth

Occupation: Attorney, Law Office of Martin J. Quezada, PLLC, since 2010; judicial law clerk, AZ Court of Appeals, 2007-08; research analyst, AZ House of Representatives, 2001-05.

Marital: Single

Education: J.D., ASU, 2008; B.S., administration of justice, ASU, 2001; A.A., general studies, Glendale Community College, 1998; Centennial H.S. (Peoria), 1995.

Political experience: Pendergast Elementary School District Governing Bd since 2010; precinct committeeman.

Legis exp: House since March 5, 2012. Appointed to replace Richard Miranda.

Interests: Reading, sports, law, family.

Two biggest issues: Re-investment and strengthening of our public education system is the fundamental issue facing our future. We need to re-prioritize our efforts to strengthen our schools and invest in our children’s and our state’s future. We must also eliminate any barriers to our voting process and allow the maximum participation possible in our elections system.

Budget priorities: ESA (empowerment scholarship accounts) monies are not being used as they should and there is little oversight over the effectiveness of these programs. We must immediately enact accountability measures to ensure these programs are benefiting children or they must be eliminated.

Fiscal philosophy: Fiscal restraint with wise investment.

Common Core: Our old standards were simply not working. Professionals in the field overwhelmingly support the new standards as they create a deeper understanding of material and a more complex way of thinking that will make our students more competitive in the future. However, we MUST invest in the standards to provide the proper professional development and resources to be able to implement the curricula adopted by local districts and the assessment.

Gifts to elected officials: Gifts in general are completely unnecessary and erode public trust. I support a complete ban. Since those efforts have been unsuccessful in the past, I would also support stricter limits, greater notification and greater transparency of any “gifts” given to lawmakers. I also support the creation of an independent investigative body to determine if wrongdoing has taken place with the authority to implement penalties for violations of both lawmakers and lobbyists. Several other states have such “ethics commissions.”

Transparency in government: Government should be as transparent as possible about all actions we undertake as members of the Legislature, from the bill-making process, to our campaign funding process.

Pro-life / pro-choice: Pro-choice. I don’t believe the government should interfere with critically important and life-changing decisions that should be made by a woman and her doctor.

Public policy advice: Several past and current legislators, friends, advisors, mentors.

Quezada, Martin

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