Economic Development:
Economic development equals jobs; jobs equal family-sustaining wages and tax revenue that leads to more prosperity for our area and state. The effect continues to spiral upward with more consumers making purchases, the job pool for universities and colleges increasing, and education receiving more funding. Every citizen wins when economic development is healthy. That is one of my top priorities.

Attracting and keeping new businesses and industries is critical in creating stable economic growth, yet Alabama is losing its publically traded companies at an alarming rate…from 48 down to 19 in a little over a decade. We must make economic development for job creation a top priority and find smart solutions to creating an environment that attracts companies to our state.

Smoking Ban:
Government rules too much of our lives today. At what point do we say, "Stop!" I don't like smoke, and if a restaurant smells like smoke I won't go there; but, do we really need the government to dictate this for us? This is the same logic that has the government providing healthcare to everyone, welfare to many, and taxing the rest of us for it. I think it is time people start showing some personal responsibility in taking care of themselves. Let the customer and the owner make the decision about smoking in the restaurant-government has enough to deal with today.

Electronic Bingo:
I am personally against electronic bingo plus all other forms of gambling and the corruption it breeds. I also believe that voters should determine their own values and whether or not to change a law. For me...I cannot morally support electronic bingo or gambling and will vote against it.

County Commission Relations:
Those representing our District have been largely ineffective in solving our problems. I believe a stronger relationship between the County Commissioners and our State Legislators would be a step in the right direction toward finding resolutions to issues affecting our District and State.

For Jefferson and Shelby Counties to thrive, those we elect to represent us should work together on all levels to think beyond their individual desires to devise positive, productive solutions that affect the financial viability and quality of life of all of us.

Solving the Jefferson County Sewer Crisis:
Through JeffCoCan (www.jeffcocan.com), a citizens’ coalition, I have worked hard to help find a solution to the Jefferson County sewer crisis. Why? Because no one else has been willing to step forward to find a smart, positive solution and it’s not going away. I’ll have to admit that I’m tremendously frustrated, as many of you are.
This is one of the main reasons I’m running for the District 15 Senate seat.

Jefferson County will not be able to grow or even maintain new roads, hospitals, schools if our bond rating continues to slide downward and financing for these kinds of projects becomes impossible. Our legacy could be a huge debt and languishing county to pass on to our children.

Education:
Education is at the forefront of my agenda and support for our schools is a top priority.
Furthermore, it affects every single aspect of our ability to live well now and into the future. Therefore, it is tremendously important that we examine the educational needs of every school and work to keep them safe, competitive, and outstanding in every way possible. Our students deserve to be prepared for the next stage of their lives, and it’s our job to provide the tools they need.

Alabama is blessed with excellent universities and colleges. Shelby and Jefferson Counties are blessed with outstanding elementary, middle, and high schools. But, we can’t bask in the sunshine of educational success and take our eye off of the ball. The stakes are high. New technologies surface every day, and knowledge is increasing with old theories and models being replaced by new findings. Competition is strong all around us and the rest of the world is watching.

Campaign Finances:
Alabama definitely should ban PAC to PAC transfers. Such transfers promote hiding funds and make it difficult to discover who is actually contributing to candidates and their causes.
My opponent has been able to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years using such tricks, and the people deserve to know the true source of any contributions.

Taxes:
Raising taxes is counterproductive to a stable economy, and I stand firmly against it.
Alabamians already feel weighted down by a substantial tax burden. We need to look for efficiency in government and creative ways of managing our economy without increasing taxes.

Small businesses are an integral part of the fabric of our country. We should be finding ways to help them be even more profitable, to succeed even during tough economic times. Instead, we’re seeing many of them close their doors because of high taxes and high cost of health care.

Sales Tax on Food:
I support a reduction in government spending and removal of the sales tax on food.

Constitutional Reform:
In a state facing corruption at almost all level of government, a convention to re-write Alabama's Constitution at this time would be extremely difficult. The opportunity for a power grab to benefit cloaked special interests could poison our state for generations to come and jeopardize many individual rights now upheld in our state. There are major changes that need to be made, and I support amending or repealing specific sections of the Constitution. Plus, it definitely needs to be recompiled to make it more user friendly. This could be done by revisions that are made perfectly clear to voters and presented to them for approval.

Ethics and Values:
We have been forsaken by our leaders in Jefferson County. We are living with their poor decisions and are paying the price for their unethical behavior. Even now, our county cannot solve its pressing financial problem because our “leaders” have not made it a priority in the Alabama Legislature.

Where have all our real leaders gone? We need men and women with the courage to act on their own convictions; we need independent thinkers who place their principles and values above party politics; we need real leaders who are unafraid to be bold in doing what’s right…in other words, LEADING, instead of subscribing to the ethics of convenience or “payback.” “A man who doesn't stand for something will fall for anything.”

Abortion:
I am a Conservative Christian and oppose abortion. Simply put, I believe in the sanctity of life and that it should be protected. The Federal Government's mandate for publicly funded abortions is wrong and yet another intrusion upon our values. It's time we stand up for what we believe in and our rights as citizens and fight against the expanding offenses of government.

What are my values?
I believe... government must practice fiscal responsibility.
I believe... honest government begins with honest, ethical elected officials.
I believe... in equal rights, equal justice, equal opportunity, and equal responsibility for all, regardless of race, sex, age or disability.
I believe... each person’s dignity, freedom, and responsibility should be honored.
I believe... free enterprise and individual initiative are the best ways to promote economic opportunity, growth, and prosperity in Alabama.
I believe... conservative, traditional values are the foundation of a secure community.
I believe... that every child should receive a first-class education.
I believe... we should all feel a sense of duty. I certainly do. That simply means… “If you open the gate, close it. If you didn’t open it, close it anyway.” It means honoring obligations to others and balancing personal ambition and achievement with generosity and responsibility to your community. It means actions, not words; a willingness to do something larger than one’s self; respecting core values as absolutes without compromise; and “stepping up” to answer the call when it comes.

I believe... in the Code of the West and living it with heart, honor, optimism, and responsibility:

Live each day with courage
Take pride in your work
Always finish what you start
Do what has to be done
Be tough, but fair
When you make a promise, keep it
Talk less and say more
Remember that some things aren’t for sale
Know where to draw the line


Duty is a moral obligation that means you look out for your neighbors, community, and family…no matter what. It’s having an unwavering sense of honor and the courage to stand firm on hard issues.