My Economic Philosophy

Discipline and Accountability equals Success

In an ideal world, government at the local, state and national level should form a symbiotic relationship where each institution plays a role in the success of the other for the betterment of the community.  The government sets the conditions for businesses to thrive, the revenue generated from the goods and services produced by businesses enriches the lives of its inhabitants which in turn makes the community stronger, more inhabitable, and more enjoyable.

My philosophy on economic success is rooted in good, old-fashioned financial discipline: don’t buy what you can’t afford (live below your means), save something for a rainy day, understand your priorities, invest in the future, and pay your bills on time.  These are the same sound economic principles that many Americans use to balance their household budgets.  These are the same principles that I will use to ensure District 32 does its part of setting the conditions for economic success in our community.  Every tax dollar spent is precious and should be treated as such.  I know that government finances can be much more complicated than that and I understand the complexities, but at its foundation is solid financial discipline.

If elected I will use the business acumen I have developed in managing multi-billion dollar contracts to prioritize investments in our community.  Each community project will be awarded to the businesses that provide the greatest value for District 32. In my professional life, I have formally studied and employed various business best practices used to score and assess similar projects to determine which has the greatest return on investment and which will have the most significant impact for the community. 

I will work to ensure unbiased, clear-eyed decision making is used in the management of taxpayer dollars.  I will ensure discretion, transparency, and accountability are at the foundation of District 32 business practices. These tenants represent the blocking and tackling of financial success, basic, but undeniable.  These are fundamentals the U.S. has used to become the world’s leading economy, and to rebuild the world following two world wars. These are the principles I have taught my children and that we as a community must teach to all of our children.  Economically responsible children become economically responsible adults. Like any skills, economic discipline must be practiced to become habitual.  Once you see the success yielded by financial discipline, the fruits of your sacrifice become reinforcing habits.    

I have developed an economic philosophy that recognizes the importance and interconnectedness of Education and the Economy; I call it E2C2 — Education, Economy, Country, and Community — and I look forward to sharing my vision on the economy with you in the near future.