Karen Fann, LD1 candidate

(August 11 2010 Sedona AZ)–Karen Fann said that she is running for State Representative in Legislative District One (LD1) because, “We have serious problems in Arizona and need experienced people in the State government who can balance budgets, create jobs, work in municipal government and come up with sound decisions.”

Fann has been a small business owner for twenty-five years and presently owns Arizona Highway Specialists in Chino Valley, Arizona. She has held several public offices including a seat on the Prescott City Council and Chino Valley Mayor, chaired the Upper Verde Valley River Watershed Protection Coalition and Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization, and served on the Northern Council of Government. She is also a past-president of the Yavapai County Contractors Association and served on the Governor’s Commission on Non-Traditional Employment for Women.

Serving on the Governor’s Rural Water Legislative Study Committee gave Fann expertise in water issues, she says, as well as a commitment to protecting the Upper Verde and ensuring good water for all of Arizona. Fann believes that she may have the most detailed knowledge of infrastructure (as a Highway Safety Specialist) of any candidate in the region. Fann indicates a determination to use knowledge of the infrastructure to ensure that every “precious dollar is used to create jobs at this time, instead of handing it out on silly projects, like washing machine subsidies.”

On issues specific to the Verde Valley, Fann says the lighting issue on Highway 89 is not an unusual situation because dark skies are important to most of the local communities as is safety. She would like to see the various groups come together and explore the issue to find an entirely new compromise, rather than falling into an “either or” paradigm. For instance, Fann says that modern lighting has “shielding” to prevent light pollution and can be applied in limited areas. She is quick to point out that with the current budget crisis “necessity is the first question to be answered. Projects that aren’t essential should not even be considered.”

In response to a question about the ailing State parks system, Fann refers to the Arizona $2 billion State budget deficit: “We must create new solutions. While it would be nice to turn the State Parks back to the counties and cities, most Arizona municipal governments are also facing difficult budgets, and they simply cannot afford to take on the expense of the parks.”

Fann suggests that it is time to think outside the box. “We need to look at what volunteers can do, we need to look at partnerships, the State needs to work with non-profit environmental and recreational groups that may be able to help with the financial burden.”  Thinking in a new way is one way to re-open the parks, she says while also noting that Arizona has funds budgeted for state lands; funds not specifically designated for parks but for related activities. When and if the funds budgeted for state lands become available, Fann contends that it might be possible to fund the parks “because parks are vital to tourism and local economies.”

As a big supporter of SB1070, Karen believes that illegal immigration is a huge problem because direct and indirect costs are estimated to be as much as $3 billion for Arizona alone, a cost figure that includes government assistance, incarceration and education. She believes the border should be secured, allowing the direct and indirect costs to be “put back in the hands of taxpayers.”

“It’s time to think outside of the box,” Fann said. “We must pull up our bootstraps, put on our thinking caps and be positive. It’s time to get an action plan and get through these next few tough years. We will be better for it. We will face challenges and come up with good ideas and be stronger for it at the end of the day.”

This candidate interview is third in our series of “Primary 2010: Know Your Candidates.” After the August 24 Primary, sedonaeye.com will feature in-depth coverage of all candidates in our 2010 series called “Election Central.” This article is by sedonaeye.com Staff writer, Joni Dahlstrom.  JoniD@eSedona.net.     c2010 Sedona Times Publishing and sedonaeye.com