Issues
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Property Rights
Both the US and State Constitutions provide protections for property rights. This is because the right of a citizen to own private property is fundamental to a free society. Citizens have the right to be safe and secure in their own property and be free from government interference and unreasonable restrictions. Yet, politicians in Olympia often try to diminish these rights. Brad Benton will stand resolute in the face of those that threaten personal property rights. He will staunchly fight to protect our constitutional rights, always, especially those relating to private property and the 2nd Amendment.
Taxes
In Brad’s own words: “I will never vote for a tax increase, under any circumstances, period!” Brad believes that the government (state, local, and federal) already takes enough of our hard-earned money as it is. Insanely high property taxes increase the cost of housing, not only making home ownership more challenging, but also contributing to increasing homelessness. Senior citizens and those on fixed incomes will be driven from their homes if property taxes continue to increase. The government doesn’t need more tax revenue; it needs to better manage the money they already collect from us. In Olympia, Brad will work to reduce spending so that we can actually cut taxes and put a permanent cap on property taxes. We as private citizens have to live within our means and our government should be held to the same standard. Brad Benton will fight to hold our government accountable to us.
Education
Parents have a right to know what their children are being taught in schools. There must be transparency in the curriculum and methods used to teach in our public schools. Brad does not support teaching Critical Race Theory or any other philosophy that teaches our children they have an advantage/disadvantage in life because of race. America is a country that was founded on the belief that all people are created equal and the promise that it is the land of opportunity for all. He is also disgusted that schools across the country are trying to teach sex education to children as young as kindergarten age. He will stand firm in the face of those who would try to corrupt children through our public school system.
I-5 Columbia River Crossing
A decade ago the people of Southwest Washington spoke and made it known that they did not support a new Columbia River Crossing that included extending light rail into Vancouver. Recently there have been renewed efforts to defy the will of the people and bring light rail to our side of the river. Brad staunchly opposes the extension of light rail. Parking and traffic are so terrible in Portland that when he worked there he was forced to ride the MAX on a daily basis. He knows firsthand that bringing light rail to Vancouver would create a one-way super highway for Portland’s out of control homeless problem. He supports infrastructure options that include a new I-5 bridge, with expanded lanes, and he thinks we must focus on an additional river crossing, but under no circumstances will he support any option that includes the addition of outdated light rail. Additionally, he will not support any plan that includes any form of tolling. These ridiculous tolls would add to the millions in Oregon State taxes already paid by Clark County residents. Any form of tolling will disproportionately penalize citizens of Southwest Washington who work in Oregon.
Law Enforcement
Although the initiative passed by the legislature this year will provide some relief, we still have an obligation to do more to help law enforcement. Brad is a proud supporter of the law enforcement community and law enforcement professionals, and he will stand tall and proud on their issues in Olympia. We cannot allow the state legislature to pass laws that limit the ability of law enforcement professionals to effectively and safely perform their duties. This is the only way they can effectively protect us, the people. We must support those in law enforcement, while still holding individuals accountable for the manner in which they perform their duties. The solution will never be to “defund the police”. The solution begins with adequately funding law enforcement so that they can perform their duties while ensuring that those in leadership positions promote and implement a culture of responsibility and accountability to the communities they serve.