Get ready to vote for State Representatives in District 11

State Representatives Mark Finchem and Vince Leach, Republicans, are joined by Democratic newcomer Corin Hammond in the race for two State House seats in District 11.

Here’s where the candidates stand on a few key issues.

POLITICS AND RELIGION

Finchem said the Bible is the source of law and a large part of his constituency agrees with him.

“I come from a Biblical world view. I don’t come from a secular world view,” he said. If someone comes from a different religious background? “It can launch a discussion,” Finchem said.

“I think a lot of people, whether they’re believers or not, subscribe to the idea that I am my brother’s keeper, and that doesn’t mean they’re kept by the government,” he said.

Hammond said she would keep her religion out of politics. She is running as a single-shot candidate, meaning she’s asking voters to vote only for her, keeping votes away from the other two candidates.

ABORTION

On Twitter in January and March, Leach posted: “Abortion doesn’t make you un-pregnant. It makes you the mother of a dead baby.” The messages came with a picture of a fetus and links to news about abortion.

He said his strong pro-life stance is guided by his faith.

“I believe that it is wrong to kill something that has already been created, and I think that it’s abhorrent, that the utensils used to pull those newly created babies out piece by piece is terrible, disgusting, and further to take those parts and sell them on the market is disgusting,” Leach said.

Hammond said, “Many Arizonans can appreciate that some issues aren’t completely right or wrong but somewhere in the middle, and many Arizonans can agree in life-threatening situations women should have the right to life, liberty and happiness without being poked, prodded and investigated by their legislators.”

She said people should have access to current and accurate reproductive health education, which helps build strong and healthy families. They should further have access to STD prevention, parent education programs, and access to quality reproductive medical support, she said.

RECREATIONAL MARIJUNA

Both Leach and Finchem are outspoken opponents of Proposition 205, which would allow any adult to use marijuana for any reason, including recreational, as well as grow their own plants.

Hammond said she’s “tired of Big Brother-style government,” believes in voter-enacted laws and will respect voters’ decision in November.

Leach said he understands voters’ rights but wants them to know it’s hard to change once it passes and hard to have oversight at the legislative level.

Finchem said it doesn’t make sense for the government to have spent “billions” on getting people to stop smoking cigarettes, only to tell them it’s OK to smoke marijuana. “That’s insanity,” he said.

“We have ample intoxicants in our society,” he said.

Finchem also is worried about the candies and other products containing marijuana that could be used by children, and about an increase in driving-while-intoxicated incidents that could result from more recreational use of marijuana.

STATE BUDGET

Finchem and Leach are sunny on the Arizona budget and economy.

Arizona at one time had a $3 billion deficit and now the state has some carryforward money, showing “Arizona is pointed in the right direction,” Leach said. Forecasted job growth is promising and new employers are coming to the Tucson area, he said.

Finchem said it’s key that business leaders know the Arizona tax structure is predictable and steady.

Hammond said Arizona relies too heavily on sales tax revenue, putting pressure on lower-income earners and the middle class.

The state should re-balance state revenue between income taxes, property taxes and sales taxes, she said.

She would like to increase teacher salaries and find ways to lower in-state university tuition.

The Arizona Legislature was designed as a gathering of citizen lawmakers – people from all walks of life who come together a few months each year to do the state’s business.

Its effectivness in the modern age of special interests and political power consolidation can be argued, but two candidates in Legislative District 11 offer compelling reasons why electing people with a wide variety of backgrounds makes sense.

The Star endorses Ralph Atchue for state Senate and Corin Hammond in the House. Both are running for their first term, and both are Democrats.

Atchue faces incumbent Republican Steve Smith.

Hammond is running against Vince Leach and Mark Finchem, both incumbent Republicans who have shown themselves to be overtly motivated by their personal religious and far-right-wing political positions.

The Arizona House needs fewer ideologues and more members who are motivated by a desire to solve problems for Arizona residents.

We believe Atchue and Hammond meet that criteria.

Atchue, who lives in Eloy, is an Air Force veteran who spent 33 years in the United States Postal Service, including as a postmaster.

He has negotiated labor contracts, representing, at different times in his career, the administration and the union. The ability to work with competing factions and improve life for all residents is sorely needed in the Arizona Legislature.

“Isn’t there a way we can find common ground and build on that?” he said. “I see myself as a facilitator.”

Atchue is worried that the Legislature is damaging Arizona’s national reputation.

“They’re making it much more difficult for working-class people,” Atchue said. He cited low funding for public education, a lack of accountability, use of private prisons and an ideology that demands tax cuts no matter what to underscore his point.

“Our state Legislature no longer has the voters’ best interest in mind,” he said.

Hammond lives in Marana and is a doctoral student in soil and water chemistry. She studies the reclamation of mine waste — an expertise she can put to good use in the Legislature.

Hammond identified public education and increasing teacher salaries as a primary focus. She laments that after voters narrowly passed Proposition 123 in May, people think that school funding problems are fixed because it allocates more state land trust money to K-12 schools for the next decade.

“Prop. 123 does not change that Arizona teachers are paid far lower wages” she said. “It does not fix the fact that schools are crumbling.”

Both Atchue and Hammond opposed Prop. 123.

School funding in Arizona is among the lowest in the nation and, Hammond said, “it’s hurting our state brand.”

It’s a compounding problem that can only be remedied when Arizona can “offer nationally competitive salaries for teachers, and reduce class size,” she said.

District 11 includes rural areas, which Hammond sees as ripe for, and in need of, economic development. “We should be developing our tech businesses and industry,” she said.

One of the things that most impressed us about Atchue and Hammond is how they answered the question, “How did you prepare for this race, and to serve?”

Both studied legislation, boned up on policy positions, the state budget and how the Legislature has kept gas tax money that should go to the cities and counties for road repair. They did their homework.

But Atchue said it best.

“What’s prepared us more than anything is talking to people,” he said. “I’ve knocked on over 6,000 doors. People want to talk about education, jobs, why can’t Tucson and other cities pass local ordinances?”

That last concern refers to the Republican majority’s passage of laws that keep cities and towns from passing their own ordinances that involve guns, which is specifically aimed at Tucson.

“There is no better source than the voters,” Atchue said.

Hammond said she’s spoken with thousands of voters, and agrees with Atchue that many people feel disenfranchised and aren’t engaged in the political process — an apathy both aim to change.

“People are surprised that somebody cared enough to come to the door,” Atchue said. “And that’s enough to have hope.”