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Statesman Journal mini-questionnaire for 2012 General Election Thank you for responding to this questionnaire, which is for use by Statesman Journal EditorialBoard members in evaluating candidates for potential endorsements in the Nov. 6 GeneralElection. Your answers also will be shared with reporters and may be published in the printnewspaper and on StatesmanJournal.com.If you completed our questionnaire for the primary season, you’ll notice that some requestedinformation is similar. We ask you to provide it again in case any of your previous data oranswers have changed. (If you can’t find a copy of your previous answers, let us know and we’llgladly send one.)Please answer each question and return this questionnaire to the Editorial Board via email as anattached Word document. The board’s email address:
[email protected] Deadline for submitting your questionnaire: 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, or earlier. Questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Dick Hughes, 503-399-6727,
[email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your name: Kim ThatcherAge: 47 (birthday Oct 30th) (If your age will change before the Nov. 6 election, please indicate your birthday. We want to make sure we useaccurate ages in editorials and news coverage. ) Political party (if this is a partisan office): Republican Position you are seeking (name of position, district number): Oregon House of RepresentativesDistrict 25 I plan to attend the editorial board meeting scheduled for: Wednesday Sept 26th 4 pm Number of years living in the area you seek to represent: 25 Do you affirm that you are a full-time resident of that area? Yes City/town of residence: Keizer Family (name of spouse/partner, number and ages of children if at home, number of grown children): Karl Thatcher (husband), 4 children: Maret 26, Kelsey 23, Kristen 21, KJ 11, still at home. Education: Oregon City High School Graduate, Portland State University, Brigham YoungUniversity various academic course work, Instrument-rated pilot Current occupation and employer: Owner of two small businesses; KT Contracting, a highwaycontracting company, the other is Highway Specialties, an equipment rentals/sales business Military service: none (but many family members with military background) Employment history: Business Owner, Entrepreneur, Construction Laborer, EquipmentOperator, Construction Projects Manager, Sales, Accounting, Computer Lab Technician,Software Developer, Construction Projects Manager, Equipment Operator, Bank Teller, RetailSales, Homemaker. Community involvement/volunteer history: Founder, Oregon Contractors Association; Volunteer Test Proctor, Oregon Concrete & Aggregate Producers Assoc.; National Federation of Independent Businesses, Keizer Chamber of Commerce, Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Women inConstruction Salem Chapter, SMART – Start Making a Reader Today volunteer, BarbaraRoberts High School Mentor Program, Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes, Haven House for Battered Women, Arthritis Foundation, John Wayne Cancer Society, Keizer Young Life,Cub/Boy Scouts of America, Soroptimist Club of Keizer, Church volunteer positions: Pianist;Family & Adoption Services; Primary Teacher; Sunday School Teacher; Nursery Teacher, Assistant Librarian; Cabin Mom for Girls Camp. Please list all public offices to which you’ve been elected, and when: State Representative 2004 Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when: none Other prior political and government experience: none How much your general election campaign will cost: $15-20,000 estimated Key endorsements you have received: National Federation of Independent Business/Oregon, Associated Oregon Industries, Stand for Children Oregon, Taxpayer Association of Oregon,Oregon Farm Bureau Federation, Oregonians for Food & Shelter, Oregon Cattle PAC, Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance PAC, Oregon Chiefs of Police Association, Sheriffs of Oregon, OregonFirearms Federation, National Rifle Association-Political Victory Fund, Oregon Right to Life PAC How the public can reach your campaign (remember that this information may be published): Mail address: P.O. Box 9111, Salem, OR 97305 E-mail address:
[email protected] Web site URL: www.kimthatcher.com Phone: 503.932.1291 Fax: Please limit your response to each of the following questions to about 75 words but be specific. 1. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, been disciplined by a professional licensingboard/organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give the details. No 2. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your taxes or other major accounts, orbeen sued personally or professionally? If so, please give the details. A labor union sued KT Contracting in 2006 after their audit indicated incorrect calculation of benefits. KT bought another company, K-M Traffic Services three years earlier and later discovered the benefits had been miscalculated prior to KT’s ownership and after we tookcontrol. Even though we were not at fault for the problems before we purchased K-M we agreedto cover the all the costs involved in an out-of-court settlement. 3. Why should people vote for you? What separates you from your opponent(s)? I’ve tried to build a reputation as a watchdog for taxpayers and an advocate for smallbusinesses. I’ve pushed several government accountability measures, from additional auditingto the Oregon Transparency website, so we spend scare state resources as wisely as possible. As a small business owner I know how unnecessary government regulations and taxation canhurt job growth in the private sector and I’ve worked on changes at the Capitol to improve our business climate. 4. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected? How? (75 words for eachissue) A. Making Oregon a friendlier place to do business by putting out a four-sided welcomemat of sane regulations, expanded economic freedom, reasonable taxation, andprioritized, controlled government spending. I have sponsored many bills related to thisincluding a law which requires state agencies to consider private sector costs of administrative rules. I’m also proposing a business ombudsman to help companiesnavigate problems with state programs and agencies.B. Making better use of the limited funds in state government by ensuring we are prioritizingspending, doing so with transparency and in the most efficient way possible. As Co-Chair of the Audits and I.T. Committee an in my role on the legislature’s budgetcommittee I have pushed for more accountability with better auditing laws, legislation toprioritize the state budget, and enhancing the Oregon Transparency Website which Ialso spearheaded. C. Enhancing the integrity of Oregon’s elections process. I’ve been working hard to make asimple change in state law to require anyone registering to vote for the first time inOregon to meet the same identification requirements as in federal law. There is norequirement for ID in current Oregon law for a person to register to vote in local or stateelections. We can copy federal ID rules and make state law consistent. 5. What do you see as other important issues? In general, the rising cost of PERS, reducing the cost of state subsidized health care,changes to help all student succeed in school, maintaining tough penalties for violentoffenders and funding for our public safety system. My other priorities include sensibleimmigration reform, supporting gun rights, more transparency in government servicesand accountability for economic development tax incentives. 6. How would you describe your political style — or for judicial candidates, your judicialtemperament? Trying to take a common sense approach to issues. Looking at how a change in statepolicy impacts the average family or business. I try to learn how differing sides see anissue, the pros and cons, before making a decision. I have worked with severalmembers from the other party on important issues and don’t always vote the same wayas others Republicans at the Capitol. 7. If you are an incumbent, what have you achieved during your current term? If you are not anincumbent, how have you prepared yourself for this position? During this last two years I have drafted and gotten passed significant legislation toprotect the privacy of Concealed Handgun License Holders, increase penalties for firsttime drunk driving offenders, enhance audits of school district spending (WESD), requirebetter transparency for economic development tax breaks and public meeting notices,initiate a business ombudsman program, and worked on several other key issues. 8. What is the largest budget you have handled, and in what capacity? $59 billion all funds 2011-13 biennial budget for the State of Oregon as a member of theJoint Ways and Means Committee 9. What is the largest number of employees you’ve supervised, and in what capacity? 150 as the owner or KT Contracting and Highway Specialties 10. Who is your role model for this office — the person/people you would most like to emulate? I don’t really have one role model. I’m sure there are many people over the years I lookto as providing guidance. I really admired the leadership provided by Lynn Snodgrass
