2016 SAN JUAN COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM
(2016-2020)

 FOR THE COUNTY CONVENTION ON MARCH 12, 2016

AT FRIDAY HARBOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

Central Committee Chairman

Levi Rawls  sjcrpchair@gmail.com (360)929-4164

 Platform Committee: 

Cindy Carter, Levi Rawls, Nathanael Butler, Scott Constable

 San Juan County Republican Party

PO Box 2735, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

www.sjcrp.org

 STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

We reaffirm the words of our founding fathers embodied in the U. S. Constitution and in the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights: that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

As Republicans we believe in limited government, personal responsibility, and a strong national defense. We demand fiscal responsibility from our elected representatives. We will stand and defend our civil liberties, the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights and our national sovereignty.

PLATFORM

OUR REPUBLICAN VISION FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY IS AS FOLLOWS:

 SECTION 1: LOCAL CONCERNS

The future belongs to the people of San Juan County.  If we lose the right to determine our own future, our political differences cease to matter.  This is the overriding political issue.  We believe we are losing our local control. The Republican Party dedicates itself to restoring local control to the fullest extent possible so that citizens at the local level will determine our future.

  1. ENVIRONMENT

Our economy depends on the environment and its protection.  We support:

1.1.1        Development of technology by private enterprise to achieve affordable and sustainable energy sources such as hydroelectric, tidal, solar, hydrogen, and wind power.

1.1.2       We support local citizen control of planning which clearly defines the rights and attendant responsibilities of residents and property owners in balance with the necessary protection of our natural resources and environment. Environmental problems should be defined before solutions are made that reduce rights to private property.

1.1.3.      We support recycling as much waste as economical and finding more efficient ways to reduce solid waste and disposal costs.

1.1.4.      We recognize the benefits of locally grown food and encourage revitalization of the farming community in the islands.  However, public funds should not be used for this revitalization.

1.2    TAXATION AND THE ECONOMY

1.2.1    Government should provide only those public services the private sector cannot reasonably provide.

1.2.2    We support nonprofit and private affordable housing to help build a strong island economy.

1.2.3    Consistent with the takings clause in the 5th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution, no government regulation shall limit the use of private property for public use without just compensation.

1.3    GOVERNMENT

1.3.1    We endorse and support the San Juan County Mission Statement* and San Juan County Guiding Principles.*We support local government that is transparent, responsive, and gives greater control to our local citizens.

1.3.2    The cost of planning under GMA for small counties is draining our budget and crippling our economy. Our local government should seek to modify the Growth Management Act (GMA) so that it allows for local control of land use, densities and critical areas.

1.3.3    We strongly support increased action to eliminate the use of illegal drugs in our county.

1.4    LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

1.4.1    A reasonable level of ferry service is absolutely essential for the vast majority of the approximately 16,000 citizens of San Juan County (SJC).  The SJC Government, Town of Friday Harbor and the Port Authorities should be actively involved in securing reasonable and economical ferry service and transportation alternatives for the Citizens of the County.

SECTION 2:  STATE CONCERNS

2.1       GOVERNMENT AND SPENDING REFORM

2.1.1    The State should institute and enforce statewide performance audits of state agencies and programs and eliminate ineffective programs.

2.1.2    We support a right-to-work law that prohibits the requirement that a person become a union member or pay fees required by a union as a condition of employment.

2.1.3   We believe that marriage should be the term for the legal union between one man and one woman.

2.1.4    We support a mandatory check of voter eligibility, including proof of citizenship, to vote in all local, state, and national elections.

2.1.5    We support restricting unfunded state mandates from the state legislature by requiring a super majority in both houses to pass such mandates.

2.2       EDUCATION

2.2.1    Authority over and responsibility for schools should return to the local level.  Schools at a minimum must provide the following academics: reading, writing, mathematics, science, technology, history, government and civics classes, geography, physical education and team sports, arts and music.  Educators should encourage students who choose vocational and technical training as well as those who choose college.

2.2.2    We believe that the primary instructional language should be English in all public schools.

2.2.3    We support teaching patriotism and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in school with its current wording, and study of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions of the United States and Washington State,

2.2.4    We support competitive wages for teachers based on performance.

2.2.5    We believe our state achievement testing for our schools should reflect the high standards of the requirements for education in our state.

2.2.6    We believe that parents have the right to determine their children’s education, including the opportunity to school their children in their own homes, with a voucher system or charter schools.

SECTION 3:  NATIONAL CONCERNS

3.1   DEFENSE

We recognize that we are in a war against terrorism.  We denounce terrorism of any kind and view any such acts as the gravest of crimes.  The most important, indeed most fundamental responsibility of our Government is:

3.1.1    Protect the American people, our homeland, and our infrastructure, to guard our borders, patrol our skies, and support our first responders.

3.1.2    To improve our military training and pay and to provide excellent medical care and benefits for our Veterans.

3.1.3    To strengthen and expand our defense intelligence capability.

3.1.4    Low earth orbit is important to national security, and we support a renewed investment in NASA to accomplish this in the wake of the shuttle retirement.

3.1.5   To control our borders and to enforce our laws regarding immigration.

3.1.6    We support the right to bear arms as defined in the Constitution.

3.2       POLITICAL CONCERNS

3.2.1    We require transparency and accountability for our elected representatives.

3.2.2    We support the fact that Government or employees of Government are not an elitist class in the United States and that all rules and regulations imposed on the citizens by our Government are also equally applied and enforced upon all levels of Government.

3.2.3    We support a change in Congressional rules to require elimination of earmarking.

3.2.4   We support single issue congressional bills.

3.3       ECONOMIC

3.3.1    We support the proven concept that reduced taxes foster an improved and healthy economy, and encourage tax code reform.  Eliminate waste fraud and abuse of the public treasury.

3.3.2    We demand fiscal responsibility from our elected representatives.

3.3.3    We support reducing the national deficit now.

3.3.4    We support a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

3.4       CITIZENSHIP

3.4.1    Individuals should have the legal right to exercise their religious beliefs in business and legal transactions.

3.4.2    We support the enforcement of employer verification of work eligibility.

3.4.3    We support streamlining the current immigration bureaucracy while maintaining national security for becoming a naturalized U. S. citizen.

3.4.4    We support the permit process for an alien to legally work temporarily in the U.S.

3.4.5    We support the designation of English as our official national language and its use in all government correspondence, public schools, ballots and publications.

3.4.6    We support the definition of natural born citizen as a child born of one or both parents who are legal citizens of the United States.

3.5       HEALTH CARE 

3.5.1    We support increasing free market solutions for personal choice in health care, including competition of health insurance across state lines.  We support personal tax exempt health savings accounts.

3.5.2    We oppose a universal government-run health care system and therefore demand the repeal of “Obama Care,” and replacing it with privatized medical coverage that ensures those who need it most can access health care.

3.5.3    We strongly encourage legislative action to introduce, pass and implement tort reform with particular attention to medical malpractice.

3.5.4    We respect the belief that life begins at conception. We support state and federal support for Pregnancy Support Centers that promote healthy births.

3.6       ENERGY

3.6.1    We support an energy plan to reduce our dependence on foreign sources.

3.6.2    We encourage the production of domestic resources that keep jobs in the U.S.

*SAN JUAN COUNTY MISSION STATEMENT

 “Provide those public services necessary for the health, safety, and general well-being of the citizens of San Juan County.

Strive to preserve the heritage of the islands, both environmentally and culturally.

Serve taxpayers by managing public programs effectively and at the lowest cost.

Recognize that county employees and citizen volunteers are the foundation upon which these services are provided.

Deliberate and conduct the activities of government in a way that is ethical, fair, just, and impartial.”

ADOPTED MARCH 10, 1993 – AMENDED JANUARY 21, 1997″

**SAN JUAN COUNTY GUIDING PRINCIPLES

“The Government of San Juan County Shall:

•             Conduct the public’s business in a manner which is responsive, accessible and open to county citizens

•             Provide a level of service which is affordable to county taxpayers and which complies with legal mandates

•             Encourage a strong local economy consistent with out rural lifestyle

•             Protect our physical environment as our most precious natural resource

•             Recognize that proper stewardship of our islands for future generations is the responsibility of all our citizens

•             Recognize that the unique qualities and differences of each island are appreciated and encouraged

•             Recognize and protect private property rights

•             Recognize and foster private property responsibilities

•             Support volunteerism and “Neighbors helping neighbors” as basic tenets of island life

•             Recognize that independence, self reliance, privacy and personal freedom are values treasured by islanders

•             Recognize that young families need consideration on issues of affordable housing, jobs, services and recreational opportunities

ADOPTED MARCH 10, 1993 – AMENDED MARCH 12, 2016″

Reference web page:  http://www.sanjuanco.com/council/sjcmission.aspx