Rep. McLain surprised at Federation rating
 
By Neil Young
Mohave Daily News
 
BULLHEAD CITY - At a recent appearance in Bullhead City, Tom Jenney from the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers told the audience that Mohave County state Senator Ron Gould (R-Lake Havasu City) rated very high with the watchdog group in terms of fiscal conservatism, as did Rep. Trish Groe (R-Lake Havasu City).

Rep. Nancy McLain (R-Bullhead City) was further behind her District 3 colleagues, according to Jenney's calculations.

Jenney told the audience, "The next time you see Nancy, ask her if she could vote a little more like Ron Gould."

"I consider myself a fiscal conservative," McLain said. "I'm surprised they rated me that low."

McLain was rated "much higher" by the Goldwater Institute last year, she said.

"As a freshman, it never even entered my mind that somebody's going to take a look at my vote and actually rate me," McLain said.

"I really hope it doesn't change my voting pattern," she said. "I look at the issues. I consider what the impacts are going to be, not only on District 3, but the entire state and make a judgment accordingly, and I hope I continue to do that."

McLain is sponsoring two bills in this legislative session. One is a rural hospital physician residency loan program "... to help them establish a residency program and once their medicaid funding from the federal government kicks in, then we're asking them to start paying the state back."

The bill cleared two house committees unanimously, according to McLain. There is a similar bill in the senate which she hopes can be combined with her bill.

McLain is also sponsoring a bill to loan money to the receiver at the bankrupt Colorado City school district in the far northwestern corner of Mohave County.

It's been a busy session, as lawmakers wade through numerous bills, according to McLain.

"I think there were way too many bills submitted this year," McLain said.

"Some of them - you just have to ask yourself, ‘why are we doing this?'" But McLain gives some of the bills the benefit of the doubt.

"They're presented with the best of intentions," she said. "Somebody perceives a problem that they think can be solved by this bill."

Reach the reporter at 928-763-2505, ext. 141 or e-mail at nyoung@mohavedailynews.com
 
MohaveDailyNews.com
Originally published Thursday, March 2, 2006
 
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