Shawn Keough (R), 56 Incumbent State Senator for Legislative District One Executive Director of Associated Logging Contractors, Inc.

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 that others have qualifications to hold this office but that I bring acknowledgement and understanding that most citizens expect a level of government and expect that the government is accountable to the citizens it serves. My experience in business management and raising a family here in our area 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 discussions and decisions. This position is beneficial to our area.

3. I believe that the important state issues facing our area include: lack of jobs, lack of access to our federal lands and active forest health management, maintenance of our state roads, and, the need for more funding for our K-12 public schools. Our area’s unemployment rate is almost twice that of the rest of the state and forces people to leave to find good paying jobs. The lack of access to our federal lands and of a higher level of active management of our national forest lands increases our risks of catastrophic wildfire and continued loss of jobs in our forest products businesses. 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 efforts at the state level like the implementation of the ‘Good Neighbor Authority’ which allows our Idaho Dept. of Lands to conduct work on our federal forest lands. 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. During the legislative session I am at the State Capitol by 6:30 a.m. and I stay at work there until at least 6 p.m. and many times until later in the evening. This is Monday thru Friday. On weekends, I’m often still at work in the Capitol or at home answering emails and phone calls from constituents or traveling home to visit with people in person.

Many of our ‘part time legislators’ also work other jobs and I am one of those. I work with the Associated Logging Contractors. I also continue to have legislative responsibilities in the ‘off session’ and that work – in general – averages at least 10 hours a week.

7. I look forward to continuing to work with constituents and getting ready for the legislative session.

8. See my response to #3.

9. I think that the actual issues facing our state that I’ve outlined above are not being addressed during this campaign season.

10. The criticism directed at me during this fall campaign has been regarding issues that reside at the federal level and not at the state level. 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.

11. That it is critically important to vote especially at the state and local levels because votes do count.

12. 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.