Name: Mary Lou Taylor
Party: Republican
Running for: State House, District 26
Previous experience: Ten years on Tempe Union High School District Governing Board, small business owner
State Press: Why have you decided to run for office?
Mary Lou Taylor: I am already an elected official. I serve on the Tempe Union High School Governing Board and I have since the year 2002. So, this year, I decided that since there are two empty seats in our new district it's a good opportunity for me to do something that I've been thinking about doing for a while. I guess I've kind of just gotten tired myself of griping and complaining about what's going on down at the Capitol building and decided that I shouldn't gripe if I'm not going to do anything about it.
SP: What are some of those issues that you've found yourself complaining about?
MLT: I have complained because I did not think that we were being represented in this district as well as we should be represented.
SP: You'd end up representing a lot of ASU for district 26. One thing that is really important to students is keeping college affordable – what do you think the legislature could do for that?
MLT: Well, of course the Board of Regents sets the tuition costs and the recommendations, but I do think that your tuition is too high. Not only at ASU but at the junior colleges; it's creeping up there too. We could just encourage legislation that would keep the tuition low – lower.
SP: Another issue we've seen often is that of guns on campus. How would you vote if that came up again?
MLT: I would vote no. Defintiely I would vote no. I believe in the second amendment and I believe people should be able to carry guns, but the college campus is just not the place for guns.
SP: We've also seen a lot of bills dealing with reproductive issues. What's your stance on that?
MLT: I don't think it's any of the government's business. I think that the government should stay out of people's personal lives. The government is supposed to defend and protect us at our borders and everything else, but I can't find anything in the Constitution that says they need to meddle in whether a woman can take birth control pills or not.
SP: There has been a lot of talk the past several weeks regarding SB 1070. What do you think needs to be done regarding immigration?
MLT: Well, my stance on immigration is kind of what I just said a moment ago. It's the job of the federal government. That is what they're supposed to do and they are the ones who are supposed to protect our borders. They have not been doing a very good job of it and so we need to send people up there to Washington who will see to it that our federal government does what it's supposed to do and enforces its own laws.
SP: What do you think some of the biggest issues facing LD26 are?
MLT: Well, the economy is a big issue. When our small businesses are overtaxed and over-regulated, we don't get as much out of it as we should. We have to create more jobs by helping our small businesses. And of course education always comes up. I'm on the school board and I'm concerned about education and I think we have to see to it that every child gets the best education that we can give them. I know funds have been cut, but we just have to do better and work smarter.
SP: What are some of the biggest challenges you see facing you both throughout the rest of the campaign and in office if you are elected?
MLT: Right now, the biggest challenge I have is that I am the only person in my four-man race who is raising my own money for the campaign. So that's a challenge for me right now, getting the money together to run a very good campaign. As with everybody else, once you get elected time becomes very important, so managing time will be difficult.
