Proven record of finding commonsense solutions

Carine Werner

Photo submitted by Carine Werner

As Election Day Approaches

To allow candidates the right to respond to criticisms about their candidacy before Election Day, the last day Independent Newsmedia will publish new election-related letters in our weekly print editions is Oct. 21, and the last day they will publish online is Oct. 27. Candidates may submit a 150-word reply addressing criticisms only and should email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org along with their name, address, contact number and the headline of the letter they’re addressing.

OPINION — I ran for the state Senate to invest in law enforcement, protect our water and invest in our schools. My opponent and his out-of-state allies have said a lot of crazy things about me and my record. Despite their negative rhetoric, I’ve worked with both parties to make tangible, lasting improvements for our community, and I believe it is important to highlight some of our biggest accomplishments, including passing 21 bipartisan bills in my first two years at the Capitol!

Public safety is the cornerstone of a strong community – it’s what make Paradise Valley so desirable. I worked with Mayor Stanton and the police chief to deliver critical funding that ensures our police officers have the resources to protect our neighborhoods. 

As chair of the Senate Health Committee, I worked to strengthen public health initiatives, enhance safety for our students, and increase penalties for drug dealers.

We achieved a balanced state budget without compromising services that families and seniors rely upon. I led the charge to expose Medicaid fraud and worked to pass historic tax cuts to put money back in your pocket – eliminating taxes on overtime and tips, while providing tax relief for small businesses and seniors. 

We invested significant resources to protect our water, taking steps to conserve and augment our supply, so we are positioned for the future.

The political rhetoric is very loud right now – in fact, I’m on the receiving end of a lot of it. Despite the noise, I have worked to cut through the party politics to work with both sides to find commonsense solutions to the challenges facing our state. I am committed to serving our community with integrity and I will always uphold my commitment to building stronger, safer and healthier communities.

Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.