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.

Name: Sherrie Sprenger

House/Senate District Number: HD17

Party affiliation: Republican

Age: 45

City/town of residence: Scio, Oregon

Number of years you have lived in the district: Most recently, nine years

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): Husband-Kyle
Son-Austin, 13

Current employer/job: State Representative

Employment, military and volunteer history:

Deputy Sheriff, Grant & Benton Counties

Small business owner
Board of Director’s New Hope Pregnancy Center, Albany, Chair

Civic/religious/other local involvement:

Member, First Assembly of God, Albany, OR

Member, Lebanon Chamber of Commerce
Member, Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce
Member, North Santiam Chamber of commerce
Member, Stayton Area Chamber of Commerce

Please list all public offices to which you’ve been elected, and when:

Lebanon Community School District Board of Directors 2003 and 2007

State Representative 2008-current
Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when:

None

Other political and government experience:

Commissioner’s appointment, Linn County Compensation Board

Governor’s appointment, Fair Dismissals Appeals Board

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

Mail address: PO Box 702, Scio, Or 97374

E-mail address: sherriesprenger@sherriesprenger.com

Web site URL: sherriesprenger.com

Phone: 541-974-2720

How much will your general election campaign cost? (Please be specific about your
campaign budget, not “as much as we can raise.”)

Somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000

Who are your top campaign contributors/lenders? (Please list at least the current top five
and their total dollar amounts.)

My contributors come from all walks of life. Those contributions that come from the
average, maybe not politically minded constituent mean the most to me.

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

Jennifer Waggoner, a friend and consultant, has been very supportive and influential to
me. I actually really listen to my constituents; I figure they know what they are talking
about. I have always run a very grassroots campaign.

Key endorsements you’ve received:

Oregon Farm Bureau

Oregon Cattlemen’s Association
Oregon Right to Life
Melcher Logging, Sweet Home
AG-PAC
CommonSense for Oregon
Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance
Sam Brentano, Marion County Commissioner
Mayors of Stayton, Scio, Sublimity, and Lebanon
Associated Builders and Contractors
Independent Electrical Contractors of Oregon
Marion County Farm Bureau
National Rifle Association
Oregonians for Food and Shelter
Associated Oregon Loggers
NFIB
Oregon Forest Industries Council
Stand for Children
Oregon State Sheriff’s Association
Oregon Nursery Association

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:

I have an amazingly beautiful district with abundant natural resources. The people of my
district epitomize Oregon’s pioneering spirit. My rural communities are or have been
primarily timber dependent towns that struggle to maintain their heritage and way of life.
Small businesses are the heart and soul with most businesses employing less than ten
people.

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

As State Representative I work diligently to connect my constituents to their state

government. I hosted numerous industry specific events during the 2009 session with the
purpose of engaging people in areas that affect their industry. My office spends a
significant amount of time advocating to state agencies for my constituents. I
cosponsored legislation to create greater accountability and transparency. The best part
of my job is the time I spend in the district with my friends and neighbors.

5. Why should people vote for you? What separates you from your opponent(s)?
As your State Representative I have voted consistently, carefully and with common sense
to reflect the values of my district. I said I would come to Salem and work against higher
taxes and advocate for government accountability. I voted “no” on every tax increase
and sponsored legislation that would cause government to be more accountable. I have
established relationships throughout the district and with decision makers in Salem and
have the experience to bridge the two.

6. What specific steps would you advocate to improve Oregon’s economy and create
jobs?

The first step is do no more harm. In a very difficult economy this legislature raised
taxes on business and added regulation; that doesn’t make sense. On every piece of
legislation we need to ask the question “Does this make doing business here easier or
harder?” Important to my district is timber. I have worked diligently for the past year
and a half to stimulate the biomass industry.

7. What changes, if any, would you advocate in the tax provisions created by Measures
66/67?

One area to look at is the gross sales portion of the tax. While at my son’s football
practice one evening another mother shared that her husband and her own a business that
contracts with industrial plants to do the large maintenance during shut downs. She said
they used to occasionally bid on jobs that wouldn’t really create a profit but they
wouldn’t loose money and they could keep their workforce working. She said that can’t
do that anymore because with the tax they actually loose money. So now they are forced
to temporarily lay off workers which means a drain on state services.

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

The best revenue this state can acquire is income tax payments from employed people.
Taxes are a very necessary part of our society, yet we have to be careful to generate them
appropriately. A thriving state economy will create revenue because people will be
earning an income and spending a lot of that money and paying a portion of that in
income taxes.

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

Government has to continue to tighten its belt just like folks at home. We can’t have
everything we want and government needs to budget similarly. There can no longer be
sacred cows. State employee compensation has to be on the table. Teachers have taken
pay freezes and pay portions of their insurance.

10. Which of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s “resetting government” proposals do you support?
I think the most significant issue that has come out of the report is that we con not sustain
current budgeting strategies. The report talks about state and local partnerships. Often
times a local government can provide the service more efficiently and therefore at less
cost. We need to allow cities and counties the latitude to manage more services at the
local level.

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

I think state government has grown too big and tries to provide too much to too many.
We need government, but I think even this legislature as reached too far into governing
individual behaviors because we think “it’s a good idea.”

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

PERS has to be a conversation. I don’t think it is right to change the agreement the
current retirees have. I do believe it is time for employees to pick up at least a portion of
the PERS contribution. Most private sector employees contribute or completely fund
their retirement. I don’t want to lay off state employees anymore than I want to see laid
off timber workers. But we can not sustain compensation as it is today.

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

I think the Chalkboard Project has come up with some very good suggestions. I like that
they have encouraged innovation and see great value in a lot of their work. A school
district in my district has benefited from the CLASS project grant.

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

Frankly, I think jobs are such a critical issue right now and many of our social problems
are stemming from that lack of jobs. Certainly, not all problems can be traced to lay offs
but many can. When I was a cop most domestic issues I dealt with could be traced to job
loss; the added stress of demands that can’t be met. There will always be social issues
that require funded state and local services; again, those are funded by income tax dollars.

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

I hate to say it again but this issue has to be first addressed at the federal issue. When
individual states pass major immigration reform policies it creates a complicated
patchwork. Look at Arizona, whether a person agrees with the law or not, it is a direct
result of extreme frustration and has created a firestorm. In 2008 I supported a bill that
required proof of legal presence to be issued a driver’s license, I believe it helps but falls
very short of addressing the heart of the issue.
16. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected? How? (Up to 75
words for each issue.)
JOBS AND THE ECONOMY: Reduce regulation, create incentives for small businesses
and job creation
COMMON SENSE BUDGETING: Fund the voters’ priorities without new taxes,
streamlining services and agencies for better service
EDUCATION: Prioritize safe, accountable and well funded classrooms
17. What do you see as other important issues?

I have been working closely with people throughout my district on how to manage the
increasing threat of cougars to livestock, property and people. We held a large town hall
meeting that will result in legislation to deal appropriately with this issue. I also have
worked specifically on biomass legislation—legislation that I believe is important in
maintaining some natural resource jobs in my district and preserving harvesting
infrastructure and equipment for when the market improves. I will continue to stand by
this legislation as well. While supporting good, common sense legislation is important, so
is opposing bad legislation. Whether the issue is education, public safety, help for our
most vulnerable citizens or any other issue, I will actively oppose legislation that is
lacking common sense in concept or implementation.

18. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that you
want to disclose before it comes up in the campaign?

I have embarrassed myself many times but I don’t think that is what you are asking.

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 Yes No

Measure 71: Annual legislative sessions No

Measure 72: State bonding authority Yes No

Measure 73: Sentencing Yes No

Measure 74: Medical marijuana No

Measure 75: Multnomah County casino No

Measure 76: Lottery funding for parks, habitat Yes No