AZ LD 7: House Candidate Statement Kristin Burroughs

Here is the first of the LD7, LD8, and Cave Creek Unified governing board candidate statements that we received. We invited all candidates to post a free form statement on education and their campaign. All statements are unedited and feel free to comment below.

House LD7: Kristin Burroughs

Phone: (480) 329-1411
Email: kristin@burroughs2010.com
Website: http://burroughs2010.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Republican-Candidate-for-LD-7-AZ-House-of-Representatives-Kristen-Burroughs/222591429371
Twitter: @hermeneutics
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The late House Speaker Tip O'Neill once said, "All politics is local."



This is no longer true. In 2010, the tentacles of the federal government reach deeply into the crevices of our daily lives, even into our local schools. We’re less dependent on local government and increasingly subject to the state and federal.

Today, “Most politics isn’t local.”

But it should be. We need to pull our government closer to home. Unless we can re-vision how we can be governed, we’ll never be able to right-size. And unless we can choose how we should be governed, we’ll never be able to persuade others of our vision of good governing.

As you know, I’m passionate about tax-reform and eager to work closely with current House leadership on all issues of taxation. Much of our taxes, particularly property taxes, go to schools. Everyone agrees that providing a good education for the next generation is vital for success as a state.

But, conservatives and liberals have a huge disagreement as to how we should provide a good education.

My liberal opponents, both Democrat and Republican, who are in the pockets of the teacher’s union, want to grab more of your family’s money and dump it into the education system without making sure we’re getting value for the money.

I won’t do that. Education is vital – but so is your family’s economic welfare in these tough times.

I believe we can improve education without raising your taxes through the roof. In fact, I believe we can improve education while lowering your taxes.

Here’s how. First, lets cut some of the endless layers of education bureaucrats.

Think outside the box. Why do we have all these educrats? Do we even need a school board in the 21st century? Do we need administrators? If so, why do most charter schools do so much better than public schools without layers of bureaucracy and boards? If your answer is that charter schools don’t have to provide X or Y, then maybe the typical public school shouldn’t have to provide this either.

Perhaps we can channel at-risk and special students into state-run, smaller schools, while letting the rest have a charter-like experience.

Why can’t parents vote on the curriculum? If parents don’t want “Everyday Math,” for example, should the educrats have the power to foist it on them?

The choice is clear. You can get what you think is best for your kids without tax increases, or fill the union’s pockets with more and more of your money and let them decide your children’s educational fate.

Remember, union-backed candidates have never seen a tax hike they don’t like.

If they win, you lose. Your family loses.

If I win, you win.

That’s it. That’s the choice you make in this election, pure and simple.