Scott Wilson Takes a Stand on the Issues

SCOTT WILSON

1. Why are you offering yourself for service in the Legislature?

I have a willingness to serve our community that is a result of my family upbringing. My father and my brother have served our parish, and I have represented the people of Metro Council District 4 for the past four years. It was my intention to serve a second four-year term to which I was elected without opposition last fall. But when the House District 65 seat became vacant, I decided to offer my experience for the voters’ consideration.

2. a. What special qualifications do you possess which would allow you to make a major contribution to the people of District 65 through your service in the State Legislature?

In short, I am most qualified for this position because of my experience.  First, I have owned and operated a business for the past 15 years. I know what it means to make a payroll, pay taxes and fees and provide great customer service. Decisions that I make on behalf of the voters will be made through that lens.  Second, I have experience in the public sector as a member of the East Baton Rouge Metro Council. I have been in the trenches on a daily basis – providing constituent services, casting votes, and making tough decisions in the best interest of our communities.  Third, and most important to me, I am a dad. My children’s future is of greatest concern to me. That same concern applies to the children and grandchildren of each person I represent. I have a record of protecting their current and future interests – public safety, public budgets, and public projects – that sets me apart from the competition in this race.

b. If you currently hold public office, what have you accomplished and what policies, legislation, public works, or other actions have been the hallmark of your service?

I made the motion and voted (motion passed) to remove a key slush fund from Mayor Holden’s control and return those monies to the budget. I did this because I believe public monies should be allocated and spent in the open and not behind the cloak of secret contracts and personal service agreements.  I have worked closely with our state and local leaders to bring Phase 1 of the Central Thruway to completion. We are very close to seeing this become a reality. When opened, the new road will provide a key new artery from Central to I-12 and help spur economic growth along the route.  I have been an outspoken critic of the DBE contract process in City-Parish government. I believe that contracts should be awarded on merit and qualifications, not by limiting factors such as race or gender. The contracts process should be fair and free from bias.  I worked closely with then Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Walker to allocate monies to kick-start the BRAVE anti-crime initiative in the parish. When Mayor Holden refused to act, we stepped forward to provide the seed money necessary to get the project moving. Early indications are that this pilot program is working well and showing important results.  And I took a strong stand against the “One Baton Rouge” initiative as I am a supporter of traditional family values.

3. a. Four years from now, what of statewide significance would you hope to have accomplished as a member of the State Legislature?

The greater Baton Rouge region, or Capital Area, is the economic engine for Louisiana. As such, we need, and deserve, first-class infrastructure to keep the wheels of progress moving for Louisiana. That’s why I would like to see a comprehensive traffic management plan developed and implemented that addresses the long-term needs of the Capital Area. At a minimum, the Capital Regional Planning Commission; the Capital Region Legislative Delegation; the cities of Baker, Baton Rouge, Central, and Zachary; each of our Chambers of Commerce; and, the LA DOTD should all be a part of this planning and implementation process.

b. With respect to House District 65, what legislation, appropriations, or public works projects would you hope to enact or have completed during the next four years?  Please be specific.

By working with LA DOTD and City-Parish government, I want to bring the entire Central Thruway to completion.

c. With respect to East Baton Rouge Parish, what legislation, appropriations, or public works projects would you hope to enact or have completed during the next four years.  Please be specific.

I will support, and sponsor if necessary, crime prevention districts that help our neighborhoods provide better protection for their areas. I will also do whatever I can to encourage the Green Light Plan to be finished with all promised projects completed.

d. Do you support or oppose the proposed Baton Rouge Loop?  Why or why not?

I have not, and will not, support a loop or by-pass that negatively impacts my constituents. There are other concepts that I could support for moving traffic through and around Baton Rouge such as adding a multi-purpose lane to I-12, implementing alternate lane usage on Florida Blvd. and the proposed “Westbank Expressway” option.

e. Do you support or oppose the sale of state-owned or locally-owned facilities such as the Port of New Orleans to foreign governments such as China or to foreign corporations?

Oppose.

4. In your opinion, what is the purpose of and what are the limits of civil government?

I believe government derives its limited powers from the consent of the governed. I also believe that government should only provide services the citizens cannot reasonably provide on their own.

5. Can you identify up to five laws, five agencies, and/or five taxes or fees that you would support repealing or reducing?

Boll Weevil Eradication Board (yes, we still have this).  Catfish Promotion and Research Board (inactive group, needs to come off our books).  The Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare).  Louisiana TIMED Program (repeal 4 cent gas tax when bonds are repaid)

6. Jindal has proposed doing away with corporate and personal income taxes in order for LA to be economically competitive with states like Texas.

a. Do you agree with this proposal and if so, what would you specifically suggest implementing to accomplish this?

As of today, Governor Jindal has not formally presented the details of his tax plan and we only have media reports to review at this time. So this makes it difficult to render judgment one way or the other. I look forward to the presentation of the details and will make a decision to support or oppose his plan at that time.

b. Do you agree with his proposal to raise sales taxes by an amount equal to the reduction in income taxes?

I definitely want to review the plan as the devil is in the details. For instance, we were led to believe the Stelly Tax Swap Plan was to be revenue neutral for state government. We found out the hard way that it was, instead, the largest tax hike in our state’s history.

7. a. What specific changes could be made in Louisiana’s budget to ensure the best prioritization of use of public funds?

I would like to explore restructuring the Revenue Estimating Conference so that revenues to state government are better predicted and expenses are tied to previously recognized revenue streams. This would lead to more accurate budgeting for the fiscal year and more streamlined spending.

b. Will you pledge to vote against any attempt to raise taxes or impose new taxes during the next four years?

Yes. In fact, I have signed the Americans For Tax Reform “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” – the only candidate to do so in this race.

c. Will you oppose the use of one-time money for state operating expenses?

As a general rule, yes, I would support this. However, there could be opportunities to shrink the size of state government and defund programs by taking away one-time monies. This is an important distinction that bears mentioning.

d. Do you support or oppose raising legislative pay?

I would oppose a legislative pay increase.

8. Will you support the Right to Life without any exceptions, other than to save the life of the mother?

I support the Right to Life with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother.

9. a. Do you support or oppose Louisiana opting out of the federally-mandated health insurance plan?

I support our state’s effort to “opt-out” of Obamacare and its dramatic expansion of state Medicaid called for by federal mandate.

b. Do you support or oppose banning taxpayer funds from Planned Parenthood?

Support.

c. Do you support or oppose requiring private insurance plans to offer contraceptive coverage to all employees?

Oppose.

10. Do you support or oppose legislation that restricts gambling in Louisiana?  What restrictions would you favor?

I feel that gambling is adequately restricted with our current laws.

11. a. Do you support or oppose defining marriage as an exclusive relationship between one man and one woman?

Support.

b. Do you support or oppose homosexual partners jointly adopting children in Louisiana?

Oppose.

c. Do you support or oppose creating a special protected class on the basis of “sexual orientation”?

Oppose. I am the only candidate with a record of opposing the “One Baton Rouge” initiative.

12. a. What are your thoughts about the growing prison population?

Where new funding is not available, I support giving law enforcement, particularly our sheriffs across the state, leeway to creatively house prisoners.

b. Do you support early release for some felons or building more prisons?

Early release, in the name of making more room in our prisons, sends the wrong message to those who might commit future crimes. Again, I support our corrections and law enforcement officials to creatively incarcerate prisoners and, where funds are available, support the building of new prisons.

13. Do you feel the “war on drugs” has been effective or ineffective? Why or why not?

We have not adapted the “war on drugs” to fit today’s reality. Street level drug trade is responsible for most of the violent crime and homicides in the Capital Area. We must attack the problem on the dealer-buyer level in order to be successful at reducing crime.

14. Rate your philosophy about how the United States Constitution should be interpreted on a scale of 1-10 with “strict constructionist approach” being a 10 and a “living document approach” being a 1?

10.  I believe that our Founders created a wonderful document that is as relevant today as it was when it was adopted in 1787.

15. What should the legislature do to protect our citizens’ right to keep and bear arms?

There is a reason our right to keep and bear arms is the Second Amendment. I believe that our state legislature is a critical buffer between the federal government and the people of Louisiana on the issue of gun rights. I will never vote to restrict those rights.

16. What is your opinion on the recent education “reforms” adopted by the Louisiana Legislature (i.e., School choice, vouchers, tax credits and teacher tenure)?

I support school choice, repealing teacher tenure, vouchers where money follows the child and the Louisiana Science Education Act, which allows teachers to educate children on creationism as an alternative viewpoint to evolution.

17. LA law states No person shall be required, as a condition of employment, to become or remain a member of any labor organization, or to pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of any kind to a labor organization. Do you support this law?

Yes, I support Louisiana’s right-to-work law and will fight to keep it from being watered down by activist unions and other third-party organizations.

18. What would be the single most important way to help small businesses grow and expand in Louisiana?

Reducing or eliminating some fees and taxes would be a great way to stimulate small business growth as it would create less drag on a company’s bottom line. A good example would be exempting some portion of a business’s value from property taxation – similar to the homestead exemption.

19. Do you support or oppose the teaching in public schools of the scientific pros and cons of controversial subjects such as climate change, human cloning and evolution?

I believe our children should be exposed to alternative viewpoints during their education. However, I oppose the activist agenda that calls for teaching “one truth” philosophies such as creationism and global warming as the only viewpoint.

20. a. With respect to the Public Records Law and its Open Meetings Law, will you oppose any effort to weaken these laws?

I feel that these laws are adequate and will oppose efforts to weaken them.

b. Will you support applying the Public Records Law to the Governor’s Office?

As a general rule, yes, the public records laws should apply to the Executive Branch. However, I do support the few exemptions that help Louisiana to be competitive in economic development.