Shawn Keough

1. I’m inspired to run for elected office and for re-election because I believe in public service and stepping into the political arena in order to try to resolve issues in our state government that once resolved are helpful to our citizens and to our communities.

2. I believe others do have qualifications to hold this office but that I bring an understanding that most citizens expect a level of government and expect that government is accountable to the citizens. My experience in business management and raising a family here is helpful as is my seniority in the State Senate. Because of my seniority I’m co-chair of the state budget committee and involved in leadership decisions. This position is beneficial to our area.

3. Lack of jobs, maintenance of our state roads, and, the need for more funding for our K-12 public schools. Our unemployment rate is higher than the state’s forcing people to leave to find good paying jobs. We need to continue to step up the maintenance and construction of projects on our state roads for commerce and safety. The state needs to increase the amount of funding for our public K-12 schools as it is the state’s responsibility and every dollar that comes from Boise reduces the need for the local school district to ask for property owners to tax themselves at higher rates.

4. I will continue to work to provide economic development tools that support businesses to add jobs. I’ll continue to advocate for and secure funding for our state road projects as I have been doing. I’ll continue to work to secure more funding for our K-12 public schools.

5. If I am re-elected I would like to continue to work on bettering our schools – K-12, professional technical, and our colleges and universities – fixing our state roads and supporting businesses to grow and add jobs.

6. Yes, I support HJR 5. The State Constitution gives the authority to write laws to the citizen’s elected legislature. Rules that are written by state agencies have the same force and effect as law and as such should always be subject to legislative review. Putting this existing and lawful process into the Constitution insures the people’s right to have laws and rules written by their elected legislators is not taken away easily.

7. No, I do not think the state adequately funds K-12 education. As long as school districts are forced to try to pass ‘supplemental levies’ to cover the basic costs of the schools than the state is not sending adequate funding.

8. Despite the increased gas taxes and registration fees that I voted for we continue to have a backlog of millions of dollars of maintenance on our existing road and bridge system. Although we are doing better we are still far behind.

9. For the state to ‘take over’ federal lands the State Constitution must be changed plus Congress must pass a law allowing it. Meanwhile millions of acres need thinning to lessen the risk of catastrophic wildfire. A more productive use of taxpayers’ money and time is to expedite use of the ‘Good Neighbor Authority’ where the State is already starting work on federal lands and we are doing it today! We need to use this tool and others like it to do more now!

10. Should Idaho repeal its health insurance exchange? Why or why not? No. Repeal of the state exchange will let the feds come in and control our insurance marketplace. The feds are doing that in the other states that did not set up their own exchanges. It is a fact! Our exchange operates cheaper and better than the feds plus Idahoans can pick up the phone and get help in state when needed. As long as ‘Obamacare’ is the law then operating the exchange the way it is today – by Idahoans – is the best way to go. If things change in D.C., then we can go from there.

11. Yes. This private property will now have public access while still in forest management which in turn creates jobs instead of being carved up for development. The money for the easement comes from royalties from offshore drilling that are specifically for conservation projects like this.

12. In my fall race, I think that the actual issues facing our state that I’ve outlined above are not being addressed during this campaign season.

13. Lack of good paying jobs with benefits and workforce and middle class housing.

14. The criticism directed at me during this fall campaign has been regarding issues that are federal issues not state issues. My response is that I read each bill at the state level and focus on whether it makes any substantive difference on the issue that is governed at the federal level or is a waste of the state legislature’s time and the taxpayers’ money with no resolution to the issue.

15. While there is positive job growth occurring, we need more jobs to get unemployed people to work and to provide opportunities for our children’s’ futures. One tool that I helped to create and will work to expand is the Tax Reimbursement Incentive (TRI) that allows Idaho businesses tax credits up to 30% on income, payroll, and sales taxes up to 15 years if job creation and salaries benchmarks are met. The TRI helped local companies to stay and grow jobs here.

16. What experience do you bring to this position and how will that help our community? My background in business management coupled with my service in the state senate and resulting seniority provides me the skills and the position needed to be of positive influence in our State Capitol for our area. I’ve proven that I can help people, help businesses, secure funding for roads and schools and move our other issues forward towards positive solutions.