Notes from April 4th meeting with Stephen Sandstrom

? - Education
Supports public schools
Doesn't think our district will vote for a Democrat
Voted to increase public education $

? - Vouchers
Recieved 7 - 1 favorable letters from our district
Vouchers passed in our district
Agreed that vouchers was spurred on by Investigations Math program at Alpine School District

? - Upcoming Illegal Immigration Study
Believes that the study is a sham that will present a cloudy picture on Illegal Immigration

? - Illegal Immigration
Sponsored 4 bills to address Illegal Immigration in our state.
While it is primarily a federal issue, believes that the state can do some things about it.
Assisted in busting 2 illegal immigrant / gang / houses in the South end of our precinct
Tried to get the in-state tuition for illegal immigrant kids enacted this year, but fell 4 votes short
Introduced legislation to ban driver's priveledge cards for Illegal Immigrants
Introduced legislation to require citizenship or legal residency status on professional liscence applications
30% of inmates at our county jail are illegal immigrants
3 of last 4 murders in Orem were commited by illegal immigrants

? - Illegal Immigrant kids
Believes that it is fair to have some visa provision to allow illegal immigrant chuildren who were brought across the border as kids a work visa of some sort.
Beleives in humane hospital treatment for illegals
Introduced legislation that will require a positive ID on hospital admitance, it does not apply to ER treatment

? - Tax cuts
No tax cuts this year, Legislature decided to wait a year and hold onto the $100 million surplus
%100 of income tax goes directly to fund schools.
He opposed a 30 cent increase in the gas tax

? - Transportation
I-15 in Utah County will begin shortly
it will consume 80% of the state's transportation moneys
start construction next year

? - Lehi East - West transportation
American Fork Main St. I-15 Offramp, on the Lehi side will be expanded to a 5 lane highway

? - Causeway across Utah Lake
Legislature funded an environmental study
2 pathways being studied, 1st crosses from Saratoga Springs to 1600 North
other wasn't clarified

? - Developement of Utah Lake
Issues with 12-15 million carp, Supports development of the lake

? - Support of Congressman Cannon
He supports Cannon

He also discussed how all of these bleeding heart groups come before the Health & Human Services Committee asking for 10 - 15 million dollars for to help their niche of the population. And that he generally fights fiercely against them.

I would have liked to have heard more on education. It seems to me that the last election between Sandstrom and Ferrin was primarily fought about education, with Sandstrom being the champion of Alpine School District and Ferrin being the Voucher's and Charter Schools supporters. Sandstrom won a very narrow victory in the primary. Sandstrom then voted for the Voucher bill, and while he says that he did it because of the support of his district for vouchers. It seems that his Alpine School District support will largely be behind the Democrat challenger this year who is a former superintendant of Alpine School District. I hope to hear more about Education from Sandstrom in the future.