Issue Position: PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH

Issue Position

I want to kick open the door of opportunity in our district. This means limiting regulations to those that are reasonable and fair, not capricious and political. It means I will oppose laws and regulations that pursue political agendas at the expense of Oregon families and jobs.

Cap and Trade -- or better labeled Cap and Tax -- is the poster-child for misguided proposals that put our stable economy at risk. This taxing scheme harms our poorest citizens, our families and our businesses with a regressive $1.4 billion new tax they cannot afford. Cap and trade programs are intended by design to increase the price of energy, and this plan is no exception. Cap and Tax will not fix climate change, but it will create a wild spending spree to advance fringe groups and extreme ideology.

Politicians are handing down what amounts to a civil penalty on a hand-picked list carbon emitters--to be borne entirely by Oregon's economy. This unnecessary new regulatory environment and new taxes will not change the weather, but will instead continue Salem's misguided focus on global reputation over local impacts. Cap and Tax stretches family budgets to fund an extreme, partisan agenda. We must steward Oregon's unrivaled land, air and water without sacrificing jobs or putting our economy at risk.

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