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Please make a contribution! Go to www.paineforcongress.org for info.We must win this race and beat Shadegg! We are not targeted so we have little help.It is up to the regular Arizonans.Lets show the DCCC that we are serious about getting rid of Shadegg. Make you vote and your efforts count with a donation today!
Herb Paine on the right road
Aug. 17, 2006 12:00 AM
Two well-informed, personable candidates want to be the Democrat who runs for Congress in an uphill battle against a Republican incumbent in the north Valley.
Phoenix business consultant Herb Paine and Don Chilton, a civil engineer from Cave Creek, have done an impressive job of getting up to speed on the issues. Both have plenty of energy - a necessity for going up against U.S. Rep. John Shadegg, who has held office in District 3 for 12 years.
It's a tough choice between this pair of qualified candidates, but Paine has the edge.
One of Paine's top priorities is transportation, an issue that resonates in a district that has seen rapid growth and heavy congestion. Paine is particularly focused on getting more federal funds to widen Interstate 17, where tie-ups affect not only the north Valley but also a large part of Arizona.
He also supports expanded public transit, an increasingly important option for air quality, traffic relief and an aging population.
Energizing the regional economy is another major issue for Paine. He calls for public-private partnerships to stimulate job creation in areas that are important to Arizona's future, including biotechnology and sources of alternative energy.
Chilton, 56, calls for better regulation of credit cards, certainly a concern in an era of high consumer debt. Water is another major issue for him, and he has the advantage of extensive experience in that field.
Paine, 60, brings broad experience and impressive business skills to his candidacy.
His credentials include a master's degree in international studies, service in the U.S. Army and a stint as executive director of the United Way of California.
Paine takes a common-sense stance on immigration. He recognizes the dual importance of strengthening border security while creating an effective guest-worker program to meet the needs of the American economy in a period of low unemployment. He offers an intriguing proposal for clearance centers, operated in Mexico and other countries through public-private partnerships, that would check credentials and issues documents before workers ever left home.
On the volatile issue of the Iraq war, Paine calls for the United States to establish an exit strategy and a timetable for the safe withdrawal of troops. At the same time, he says, America has a moral obligation to help rebuild Iraq, and we should engage the international community and the United Nations to help with security and reconstruction.
Paine runs a consulting business that deals with organizations on the verge of insolvency, helping them get back on track. With today's federal deficits, that's a handy background in Congress. And a handy set of skills for attempting an upset victory in November.
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