Senate District 10: Jackie Pierce Candidate Questionnaire
Senate District 10: Jackie Pierce Candidate Questionnaire
Thank you for responding to this questionnaire, which is for use by Statesman Journal
Editorial Board members in evaluating candidates for potential endorsements. Your
answers also will be shared with reporters, may be published in the print newspaper and
will be posted on StatesmanJournal.com.
Age: 65
Volunteer Work: American Red Cross, Salem Multicultural Center World Beat Festival
Friends of Bush Gardens, Oregonians for Water, Parks and Wildlife,
Volunteered for Chuck Bennett’s Campaign
Please list all public offices to which you’ve been elected, and when:
Precinct Committee Person 134 Polk County Democrats 2004 - present
Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when: None
How the public can reach your campaign (remember that this information will be public):
Phone: 503-362-5524
Who are your key political advisers? I currently have a professional campaign manager;
Christopher Proudfoot.
For each of the following questions, please limit your answer to about 75 words.
1. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, been disciplined by a professional licensing
board/organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give the
details. No
2. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your taxes or other major
accounts, or been sued personally or professionally? If so, please give the details. No
5. Why should people vote for you? What separates you from your opponent(s)?
I am not a career politician. Plus, as a social worker I have been a very strong,
outspoken advocate for hundreds of people. The mentally ill, developmentally disabled,
the elderly, low income minority groups, adolescents with drug and alcohol problems,
and Navy personal and their families. I would continue to be a very strong, outspoken
advocate for the constituents that I represent. I would continue to be an available and
outspoken advocate for the constituents that I represent.
6. What specific steps would you advocate to improve Oregon’s economy and create
jobs? Utilize the Federal stimulus funds to create jobs in rebuilding our infrastructure
such as bridges, roads, public buildings, and schools in environmentally friendly ways.
Seek and encourage incentives for small business, agriculture, green jobs and innovative
industries.
7. What changes, if any, would you advocate in the tax provisions created by Measures
66/67? I would not make any decisions that contradicted the opinions of the Oregon
Voters. The voters of Senate District 10 supported Measure 66/67 as I recall.
8. What specific revenue changes, if any, would you advocate to balance the 2011-2013
budget? Again I would have to talk to the experts on the Oregon State Budget before I
would even think about making any changes. I would also hold meetings with the all the
people in my districts to get information and feedback on how to balance the budget. I do
know that we need to look at other revenue sources that are reliable and on-going. We
need to fix the system and not continue to put band-aids on it.
9. What specific spending reductions, if any, would you advocate to balance the 2011-
2013 budgets? Before advocating for any program changes or fiscal reduction, I would
take the time to educate myself about the needs, mandates and impact on any
recommendation that I would support. We must be fiscally responsible in the allocation
of tax-payers money while looking for new ways to raise our revenue.
10. Which of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s “resetting government” proposals do you support?
11. What changes, if any, would you advocate in the structure, scope or role of state
government? Again I would look to the experts for guidance and input from citizens to
assess their needs and hopes while reviewing the mandates, policies and effectiveness of
the system. Before I would actively advocate for a change in the scope or role of the
state, I would develop an alternative course of action by which success can be achieve.
12. What changes, if any, do you favor making in state employee compensation? Why?
None, it is not fair to balance the budget on the backs of state, city or county
employees. In a lot of cases they make far less then their counterparts in private
industries. If state employees had to start paying part of their premiums for health care
insurance or retirement they would bring home fewer wages. This means they would
have far less money to spend in the community which in turn would reduce revenue for
community businesses.
14. What “social issues,” if any, should the 2011 Legislature address? Social issues that
need addressing are; Joblessness, foreclosure on homes to reduce homelessness, hunger,
healthcare, and safety.
15. How should the Legislature and state government respond to illegal immigration?
This is a federal issue and needs to get dealt with on that level. But if we had to deal
with this issue in our state government then we need to look at business that hire illegal
immigrants and charge them for breaking the law.
16. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected? How? (Up to
75 words for each issue.) 1. I believe that having a strong and vibrant labor force is the
backbone of America, and I will work tirelessly to achieve that. We need to put Oregon
back to work. 2. I believe that we need a reliable and consistent source of funding for
our schools to make sure that our children and grandchildren get the best education
possible in order for them to compete in the world market. 3. I believe that our
environment needs to have clean air, water and land in order or us to survive.
17. What do you see as other important issues? 1. Maintaining and strengthening
Oregon’s Land Use planning. 2. Balancing Oregon’s environmental issues with growth
and development in the state. 3. Becoming a state of excellence in all that we do.
18. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that you
want to disclose before it comes up in the campaign? Not that I am aware of