Be a Full-time Commissioner
I commit to working full-time as County Commissioner, and holding no other jobs.
Full-time work is needed for a 3-member commission in a county growing as fast as Iron County. Committee meetings are better managed when the public's representatives are present and participating. Most committees were designed to have a Commission Liason, and we need commissioners who can help those committees be successful and serve the public as intended.
A Commission member who is full-time will put the County's needs above other jobs, and will be most loyal to the citizens of the County. This specialization, loyalty, and trust are what we need in a Commissioner.
Ensure Principles Govern
The proper role of government is to protect our God-given rights
We the people were intended to be free, by right, and we have an obligation to protect and preserve that right.
We have a right to property. With that right is included the right to use that property and "reap what we "sow". Nothing should prevent us from profiting from our labor, and taxation should be constantly reduced and moved into voluntary and fee-for-service structures.
We have a right to defend our lives, families, property, conscience, and efforts from any threat. Firearms are an efficient means of defense, and our right "to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed". The US Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" and its protection of this basic human right is something we are wise to preserve.
The family is the organizational unit of society. The saying goes that "the government closest to the people governs best"; the family, and the individual is the closest that gets. Government should respect individual and family choices to the maximum extent possible that also preserves the rights of others in society.
Due process is critical for a rule-of-law, civilized, society. An often overlooked pillar of due-process is that laws need to be clear enough to be understood by all those governed by such laws; and they need to be applied evenly, so as to avoid arbitrary exercise of government power (interesting case Musser v. Utah -1948). Our laws need to be drastically reduced and simplified.
The primary responsibility for meeting basic human needs rests with the individual, family, and voluntary charitable organizations. It is each of our duties, individually, to support charitable causes whenever possible. Government has no proper role in usurping this duty.
Civilized society must reject and fight against the initiation of violence, fraud, and corruption. A free people are wise to hold their government, and elected officials, to an even higher standard than they do their neighbor. We should each hold ourselves to the highest standards; to think, act, and govern ourselves.
I choose to live by faith in principles, not speculation or chance. I choose to create more value than I consume. I choose to pursue freedom, prosperity, happiness, and peace. I am committed to the fundamental principles enshrined by America's Founding Fathers in the Declaration and the Constitution.
I will stand up for freedom, no matter what the cost.
Make Infrustructure a Priority
Communities thrive or die on the alter of infrastructure. The county commission has many burdens, but chief among them is ensuring the community has the infrastructure it needs to survive.
Water is directly connected both to growth, and long-term sustainability of our community. The recent doughts have showed us that our valley's water capabilities didn't perform as well as expected by local and state water experts forcasted over the last 80 years; and now newer water rights are being threatened with invalidation.
The system we use for water rights is a long-standing property-rights issue that is clearly defined and protects those with established rights to water. To protect our community's future, we need to work together to find ways to make better use of the water that flows into our valley, and develop new water infrastructure so our kids and grandkids can also plan for a future here in this wonderful community.
Roads are our economic lifeblood. The small-town feel that we enjoy is perhaps felt most by getting around without being stuck in traffic. Our government officials are wise to spend the time and energy needed to forecast county growth and preempt that growth with roads and traffic connections. I will work to proactively ensure that traffic flows smoothly on major thoroughfares, and not spill over commuter traffic into residential neighborhoods.
Drainage is often overlooked. While water is revered as "a blessing" in desert communities, it can seem like a curse when we haven't made adequate preparations for above-average precipitation and/or infrastructure failure. This part of infrastructure needs thoughtfullness, vision, and cooperation. I pledge to find new ways to use unexpected floods to recharge our aquifers, instead of overcharging our credit cards.
