House District 23: Jim Thompson Candidate Questionnaire

8/8/2019 House District 23: Jim Thompson Candidate Questionnaire

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Statesman Journal mini-questionnaire for Nov. 2, 2010, General Election

Thank you for responding to this questionnaire, which is for use by Statesman Journal

Editorial Board members in evaluating candidates for potential endorsements. Your

answers also will be shared with reporters, may be published in the print newspaper and

will be posted on StatesmanJournal.com.

Deadline: Please return the questionnaire by 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 13. Earlier is even

better. E-mail it to: [email protected].

Questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Dick Hughes, 503-399-6727,

[email protected], or Editorial Assistant Nancy Harrington, 503-589-

6944, [email protected].

Name: Jim Thompson

House/Senate District Number: HD 23

Party affiliation: Republican (Independent - dual nomination)

Age: 63

(We want to be accurate. So if you have a birthday between now and the election, please

indicate when your birthday is so that we can get your age right.)

City/town of residence: Dallas, OR

Number of years you have lived in the district: Since 1965

Are you a full-time resident of the district? Yes

Family (name of spouse/partner, number and ages of children if at home, number of

grown children): Wife Helga 42 years married Two grown children, 3

grandchildren

Current employer/job: Private consultant in Asthma and Allergy, Legislator

Employment, military and volunteer history: Bayer Corporation, 26 years, retired.

Smith Fine Arts Series Board of Directors, Various economic development positions in

Monmouth/Independence and Polk County. Monmouth/Independence Kids

Incorporated, Central High School soccer coach
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Civic/religious/other local involvement: Trinity Lutheran Church, Dallas

Please list all public offices to which youve been elected, and when:

Monmouth City Council, 1980s

Polk County Fire District #1 (First Board Chair)

Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when:

State Representative, HD 23 2004

Other political and government experience:

How the public can reach your campaign (remember that this information will be public):

Mail address: 3380 Mistletoe Road, Dallas, OR 97338

E-mail address: [email protected]

Web site URL: www.jimforhouse.com

Phone: 503-623-2764 Cell: 503-508-0919

Fax: 503-623-2764

How much will your general election campaign cost? (Please be specific about yourcampaign budget, not as much as we can raise.) Budgeted at $45,000

Who are your top campaign contributors/lenders? (Please list at least the current top five

and their total dollar amounts.)

Oregon Healthcare Assn. $2500

Nike $2000

Oregon Med. Assn. $1500

Oregon Loggers $1500

Pacific Source $1500

Who are your key political advisers? (Please identify at least your top three.)

Rick Thomas

Jonathan Thompson


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Key endorsements youve received:

Oregon Seed Council

Oregon Farm Bureau Federation

Oregon Small Business Association

AG-PAC

Oregon AFSCME Council 75Associated Oregon Industries

Oregon Nurses Association

Oregon Forest Industries Council

Oregon State Police Officers

Oregon Family Farm Assn.

Assoc. of Oregon Loggers

For each of the following questions, please limit your answer to about 75 words.

1. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, been disciplined by a professional licensing

board/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, or been sued personally or professionally? If so, please give the details.

No

3. Describe this legislative district:Very rural district running from Willamina/Sheridan down the west side of the

Valley to Harrisburg and east to the Stayton city limits but not including Albany,

Corvallis, and Philomath. Very much a farming and timber districtDallas is the

largest city.

4. What specific steps will you take to make government more open and accessible to the

public?

I will continue to support efforts to televise as much Legislative business as possible

including committee meetings and floor sessions. People should be able to see what theirelected leaders are doing in the Capitol.

5. Why should people vote for you? What separates you from your opponent(s)?

I have a record of working across party lines for my district and sponsoring bills that

create jobs. I know nothing about my opponent.


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6. What specific steps would you advocate to improve Oregons economy and create

jobs?

Putting our natural resources back in the forefront to create renewable energy and family

wage jobs. I have sponsored bi-partisan legislation to turn forest biomass into greenpower. The bill will create jobs for loggers, truck drivers and mill workers.

7. What changes, if any, would you advocate in the tax provisions created by Measures

66/67?

I would repeal 66 and 67 because they have failed having some of the highest

marginal income tax rates in the country is not a good way to attract family wage jobs to

Oregon.

8. What specific revenue changes, if any, would you advocate to balance the 2011-13

budget?

Control state spending and live within our means. We will have more general fund

revenue in the upcoming biennium that we do in the current budget. We have no

business asking struggling Oregon families to send more money to Salem.

9. What specific spending reductions, if any, would you advocate to balance the 2011-13

budget?

Across the board reductions in middle management positions while protecting the line

employees that directly serve the public.

10. Which of Gov. Ted Kulongoskis resetting government proposals do you support?

They are all worthy of study and should be considered by the legislature. The Governor

correctly states that 3 of every 4 general fund dollars go to employee compensation. We

must engage state workers in any solution but we cannot balance this budget without

changes to the states compensation structure or the number of employees.

11. What changes, if any, would you advocate in the structure, scope or role of state

government?

Focus on core functions of government and emphasize efficiencies. In recent years we

have expanded government to the point that it is no longer sustainable. We must take a

hard look at new agencies like the Oregon Health Authority and we must have a tough


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conversation about whether or not we can afford to keep growing government.

12. What changes, if any, do you favor making in state employee compensation? Why?

Employee compensation seems to be relatively in line but we need to reduce the numberof middle management employees. Employees should be focused on serving the public

not pushing paper.

13. Do you support the education-reform proposals of the Chalkboard Project?

They are worthy of study. I oppose increased state mandates on local school districts and

we should make sure our education dollars are getting to the classroom where they do the

most good for our children.

14. What social issues, if any, should the 2011 Legislature address?

The 2011 legislature needs to focus on control of state spending and putting Oregonians

back to work.

15. How should the Legislature and state government respond to illegal immigration?

This is still a federal issue requiring action by the federal government.

16. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected? How? (Up to

75 words for each issue.)

A. Jobs we must get our manufacturing and natural resource industries moving again.

B. State spending we must live within our means. We cannot expect strong employers

to be built in a place with an unstable state fiscal picture.

C. Controlling the growth of government lawmakers continue to add programs but

rarely go back to see if older programs are still effective. It is long past time for a topto bottom review of our state agencies.

17. What do you see as other important issues?

Until we get Oregons economy back on track that should be the only major issue we deal


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with.

18. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that you

want to disclose before it comes up in the campaign? No

As a legislative candidate, your positions on statewide ballot measures on relevant to

voters. Please indicate whether you support or oppose each of the measures.

Measure 70: Veterans loans YesX No

Measure 71: Annual legislative sessions Yes NoX

Measure 72: State bonding authority Yes NoX

Measure 73: Sentencing YesX No

Measure 74: Medical marijuana Yes NoX

Measure 75: Multnomah County casino Yes NoX

Measure 76: Lottery funding for parks, habitat Yes NoX

Thank you for completing this questionnaire and returning it by 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 13 by e-mail to

[email protected]

Documents

House District 23: Jim Thompson Candidate Questionnaire