CD1 debate finds common ground, elicits program details

That is, until the topic of Social Security came up. A woman in the audience interrupted Tobin by shouting, “Answer the question!” Someone else yelled at the heckler to “shut up!”

So Tobin, a Republican, addressed his answer directly to the woman. “No, you don’t cut Social Security,” he told her. Instead, he said, promoting a growing economy with people working and paying into the system would protect it.

Kirkpatrick, a Democrat, said she is fighting for Social Security. She supports raising the cap on contributions and tying it to a specialized consumer price index. She is opposed to raising the age for Social Security benefits.

In the 90-minute debate at Mountain View High School in Marana, Tobin played up the unpopularity of the president and mentioned Obama in many of his answers. Kirkpatrick implied several times that Tobin doesn’t understand the district and again pointed out that he doesn’t live in the district.

The candidates did find some common ground. They both support airstrikes on Islamic State militants and think Congress should vote on escalating the fight. They both oppose cutting the A-10 fighter jet program.

They both support flight restrictions and increased screening as part of an anti-Ebola plan. And both support a balanced-budget amendment.

Here’s what the candidates had to say on a few policy issues.

On taxes

Neither candidate would pledge never to raise taxes.

Tobin said he backed a temporary sales tax to support public education and public safety during the recession.

Kirkpatrick said she would oppose any bill that would raise taxes for the middle class. “However, I do think that millionaires and billionaires should pay their fair share, and I do think we should close tax loopholes for companies that are outsourcing jobs to foreign countries.”

On education

Tobin said the U.S. Department of Education should put its money into block grants, which it could send to state superintendents, who could then distribute the money to schools. “Let’s clear up all the bureaucracy,” he said.

He also supports vocational education school districts, known as JTEDs.

Kirkpatrick said the large amount of public lands in the district mean there isn’t enough tax revenue from private property. “That is why federal dollars for Head Start, Impact Aid, Secure Rural Schools and Payment In Lieu of Taxes are so critical,” she said. Sequestration hurt those critical education programs, she said.

State and federal leaders have to work together on funding the education system, she said. She also supports more federal research funding for Arizona universities.

On highways

The candidates were asked about the federal government’s role in funding highway projects in Arizona, such as the widening of Interstate 10 and building Interstate 11, and how to pay for such projects.

Kirkpatrick serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which is working on a major highways bill, and she is a member of the I-11 caucus. “We all know the highway trust fund is about to go broke and we’ve got to figure this out,” she said. For every $1 we spend on transportation, we get a $2 return, she said.

Tobin said, “Arizona is not getting it’s fair share of transportation dollars. … At the same time as you’re saying we’re going to pass I-11, we’re leaving holes in bridges and we leave our roads in disrepair.”

Tobin supports special taxing districts in which service fees could be charged to help fund roads and overpasses.