Creating Jobs

The most important issue we face as a nation is strengthening our economy and creating jobs. Whether it was running Southern Arizona’s first trauma center, or helping run one of the world’s leading health and wellness companies, I’ve learned a few things about building a business and creating jobs. Too few politicians in Washington have ever had to create a budget and stick to it, make payroll or deal with unpredictable economic forces.  The only job career politicians seem to care about is their own.

Arizonans have always been resourceful, innovative and, above all, hard working. I remain confident in their ingenuity. I want to help unleash the creative forces and talents right here at home by incentivizing bottom-up growth that will empower small businesses, create sustainable economic growth and more middle-class jobs.

Rebuilding the Middle Class

The biggest victim of the recent recession and 2008 financial crisis has been our middle class. The foreclosure crisis, evaporating retirement savings accounts, cuts to government services and unemployment all disproportionately hurt working families. This has been a devastating blow to far too many hard working Americans.

In Washington, extreme ideology and hyper partisanship cause some to push for tax increases on working families, while protecting tax cuts for corporations and special interests – that’s not only wrong, it’s unconscionable.

We need to rebuild our engine of economic opportunity not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because America is at its strongest when it is powered by a vibrant middle class.  A vibrant middle class provides an infrastructure of opportunity for all Americans: good paying jobs, educational advancement and above all else, hope and economic security for future generations.

Fostering Economic Growth

We went through an incredible period of growth early in the last decade – but unfortunately much of it was fueled by a housing bubble that sucked in too many jobs tied to the faulty premise that housing prices would always rise.

We need to strengthen and restore our housing and construction industries by resolving the foreclosure crisis and helping homeowners who remain underwater. But just as importantly, we need to build sustainable growth sectors in Arizona – ensuring that future investments are geared toward creating jobs for the long term, not just paper profits for speculators to flip.

We need to refocus on technology and alternative energy. Right now, there is a $2.3 trillion global clean energy market emerging -- one that can help reduce our energy dependency and create jobs right here in Arizona, where we have plenty of solar resources.  We should do everything we can to harness solar, wind, and other forms of clean energy.  Arizona has shown consistent growth in these sectors in recent decades, but we need to do more. With our natural advantages, we should be the solar capital of the world – in terms of energy production, as well as innovation and manufacturing, of solar technology while decreasing our dependence on Middle East oil.

Reinvesting in Education

Having a skilled and educated workforce is key to building a strong and sustainable economy. With our world-class university system, Arizona is well positioned to compete globally but we have a long way to go before Arizona’s high schools are producing enough graduates to have the kind of 21^st century workforce we need.

Arizona’s education system routinely ranks near the bottom of the nation. That’s unforgivable, and we need to fix it. In recent years, the political extremists who control Arizona’s legislature have cut more than $1 billion from our schools and they fail to see that their actions will have crippling economic consequences for our future. We need to ensure that our students are prepared to lead the world in innovation, research, and technology. It’s time we reset our priorities and ensure that education remains at the top. That starts with protecting and reinvesting in our public schools. 

Rich's Priorities: