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Ardinger challenges Nielsen for State Rep. District 22 Seat B
Pete Nielsen
GOP -- Incumbent
State revenues are expected to be down next year. What programs do you believe should have priority funding, and why? What programs do you believe should face major cuts, and why?
Education is the budget we always set first. I'm sure that will continue. Roads and bridges because we are behind in repairs and doing more construction.
Good roads and bridges help to maintain a good economy. I don't know at this point which budgets should receive major cuts. All budgets should be looked at carefully to increase efficiency.
What legislation do you hope to introduce during the next legislative session?
I'm preparing a resolution to reinforce the idea of energy independence. I'm introducing a bill to encourage nurses to become professors at the college level because our college instructors are aging out. This plan is to be financed mostly by the providers of the health industry. Doctors and hospitals need good nurses to provide the people with good health care. I will help draft bills to resolve our transportation problems.
What legislation do you think is needed to improve the state's economy?
We need legislation to help reduce the cost of energy, make taxes more understandable and fair to both public and business and help Health and Welfare and Corrections to be more efficient. Studies show that current increases in H&W and Corrections' budgets, if extended over the next twelve years, will result in Idaho's share of those budgets being larger than than our total education budget. This clearly is a bad trend. These budgets don't stimulate the economy while education does.
Rosemary Ardinger
Democrat -- challenger
State revenues are expected to be down next year. What programs do you believe should have priority funding, and why? What programs do you believe should face major cuts, and why?
We're facing uncertain times ahead, and now is not the time for new costly legislation for unproven programs.
If elected, I'll use my influence to shore up support for effective programs that protect our middle class, our working people.
Obviously, we must maintain our commitment to quality education and our Constitutional responsibilities with regard to K-12 education, which comprises the largest proportion of our state budget.
However, if this state is to truly grow economically, and if our economy is to truly diversify, we need to further invest in higher education as well, especially pro-technical education for our adults. This is an investment in a 21st century work force and a diverse economy.
Further, we also must honor our federal responsibilities in health care, and need to protect our current investment in roads and bridges. Economic growth is dependent on road access and safety and better transportation options. Many in District 22 make a 70- to 80-mile round trip to work everyday. We can enhance transit options without busting budgets.
Regarding cuts: In the lean times I think we can take a fiscally responsible approach and save tax dollars without gutting programs. For example, I believe we need to take a closer look at the Department of Corrections. We need to accelerate the Department of Corrections' ability to move non-dangerous offenders out of prisons and into other placements, treatments and other methods of restitution. This could result in an enormous potential savings for taxpayers, as costs could decline from $20,000+ per inmate per year to $4,000 per inmate per year.
What legislation do you hope to introduce during the next legislative session?
I'll advocate for a thoughtful, pragmatic approach as we balance our budget. My top priority will be to focus on concerns of our working families, and I will support legislation that helps families and boosts our economy--such as better options for safe and affordable day care for working families and single-parent households, and voluntary early childhood education.
I have not courted support from the special interests of big developers, medical insurers, and PACs as my opponent has, so I will not be pressured to vote for their interests alone. The majority of my campaign donations come from everyday folks like those reading this paper. I'll support legislation that further empowers County Commissioners and local governments to manage growth issues responsibly, legislation that stabilizes healthcare and makes it more affordable, that enhances our commitment to veterans' benefits, and that protects our investment in roads and bridges.
If it will take legislation to enhance broadband access in rural communities, then I will explore those options. Communication is essential, as it enhances our economy. Whatever we can do to improve our communications infrastructure is a worthwhile investment.
I also don't believe we truly realize the impact the switch from analog to digital television signals will have on many of our rural communities when it finally does occur early in 2009. Access to local channels for news and other vital information is essential. When the time for the switch comes, we cannot simply let our rural residents and those on fixed incomes lose access to television communications.
What legislation do you think is needed to improve the state's economy?
Currently, our economy is heavily based on high tech and agriculture. We need to diversify our economic base, think beyond high tech, and recognize the needs of small and medium businesses, such as the need for stabilized costs and affordable healthcare options for employees.
We need to grant local governments the ability to negotiate local option taxes that are agreeable to constituents in order to improve transit, for example, support infrastructural needs, and improve communications that will enhance the economy.
We need to explore on the state level how new growth pays its fair share for infrastructure. We need to pass legislation to untie the hands of problem solvers seeking solutions on the local level.
And we need to revitalize and support an active-functioning Department of Commerce that is focused on more than tourism to bolster our economy.