IssuesMy goal as your Representative in Congress will be to give a voice to the issues that are important to you. I will work tirelessly to advance policies that will improve the overall well-being of all Utahns. As the mayor of my city I fought for fiscal discipline, limited government, and personal responsibility, and those are the same principles I will bring with me to Washington, D.C.Please check back often as we will add additional issue statements to this page. My issue statements will also be updated throughout the campaign to reflect my views on frequently asked questions and changing circumstances in Utah, the United States, and the world. I want you to know exactly where I stand on the important issues facing our nation. Mia Love for U.S. CongressML4USCMia was born in Brooklyn, New York and eventually moved to Connecticut. Mia recalls both parents working hard to earn a living, her father at times taking on second jobs cleaning toilets to pay for school for their three children. On the day of Mia’s college orientation, her father said something to her that would become the ethos for her life: "Mia, your mother and I never took a handout. You will not be a burden to society. You will give back." Mia graduated from the University of Hartford with a degree in fine arts. She found faith. Then she found Jason. And then she found herself in Utah ready to give back. Mia served two terms on the city council of Saratoga Springs, one of Utah’s fastest growing cities. As City Councilwoman and eventually Mayor, Mia led the city through a period of 1700% population growth in a decade. Under her leadership, the city was able to successfully navigate the drastic transition from agricultural fields to a booming residential community. When the citizen growth necessitated fire and police services, Mia fought to make sure the city’s first ever residential tax implementation would only pay for those essential services, and she structured it in such a way that the tax decreased as a percentage of property value.To give a voice to the issues that are important to Utahns.ConservatismMayor Love is best known for her conservative positions on limited government, increased citizen liberties and limited restraints on business. She believes the best thing she can do as mayor is stay out of the way of business and out of the lives of citizens. Limited Government Citizen LibertiesPersonal ResponsibilityShe advocates a return to the personal responsibility and reduced government dependency engendered by her father.EducationA strong educational system that will allow America to continue in its role as the world’s premier leader in scientific research and technological development.1As a mother with three children enrolled in public schools, education is extremely important to me. We need a strong educational system that will allow America to continue in its role as the world’s premier leader in scientific research and technological development. American families want better quality education, lower education costs, and more local control over decisions related to education. In recent years the U.S. Department of Education has expanded the federal role in education to unprecedented levels to the detriment of our children and college students. Utah – not the federal government – knows what is best for Utah’s student. I trust Utah teachers and Utah parents over Washington bureaucrats.Local ControlReturn control of schools to local levels1.1Local School BoardsFlexibility & InnovationSupport Utah’s teachers by opposing one-size-fits-all federal programs that take flexibility away from innovative teachers1.2TeachersSalariesEliminate the disparity between Department of Education bureaucrats’ salaries and local teachers’ salaries1.3College CostsBring down the cost of college tuition by allowing schools to compete for students and not allowing a federal government takeover of higher education1.4Curriculum & TestingSupport the right of parents, local school districts, and the state of Utah to develop curriculum and set testing standards1.5Health CareTo improve the sustainability, quality, and affordability of health care.2When government gets too involved, the same thing always happens: prices go up and quality goes down. Obamacare, which is not affordable and not sustainable, is a classic example of this. Like most people, I want to see health care reform implemented—but not the reforms put into law under Obamacare. Simply put, Obamacare places the health care system on the wrong track and vastly expands the size and scope of the federal government. Moreover, Obamacare ignores and significantly compounds the underlying costs of our health care system. To fix the health care crisis, we must address access, accountability, and costs. As a member of Congress I will seek to enact common sense, free-market solutions that empower patients and doctors, reduce costs, increase competition, and move us towards a health care system that rewards doctors for desired outcomes. What we need is more accountability, less government obstruction and red tape, and more freedom and health care options placed back into the hands of the American people. Unfortunately, many politicians simply want to repeal Obamacare without proposing what they would replace it with. In contrast, these are some of my ideas to improve the sustainability, quality, and affordability of health care:Decision MakingIncentivize shared decision making between patients and health care providers2.1PatientsHealth Care ProvidersBarriers to PurchasingEliminate barriers to purchasing health care coverage that best suits an individual’s or family’s personal needs by allowing people to purchase the insurance of their choice across state lines2.2Incentives & OutcomesAlign incentives for health care providers with the outcomes they provide2.3Health Care ProvidersPortabilityProvide for the portability of individual health care plans (e.g., allow people to carry plans from employer to employer)2.4Tax-Free SavingsSupport tax-free savings for health needs2.5Fraud & WasteCut out fraud and bureaucratic waste, and protect benefits for those who qualify2.6Tax IncentivesSupport tax incentives aimed at extending private insurance coverage2.7Individual ControlImprove individual control over health care decisions by supporting consumer-directed health care options, health reimbursement arrangements, health savings accounts, and other free market options2.8AbortionsOppose taxpayer-funded abortions2.9Consumer-Based Health CareSupport the ability for states to develop consumer-based health care models that allow for customized solutions to their citizens’ health care needs2.10StatesObamacareRepeal Obamacare because more government, greater bureaucracy, and higher taxes are not the answers to our health care problems. 2.11If there is ever a chance to repeal Obamacare, you can count on my vote to do so.Immigration & Border SecurityFix the problems surrounding immigration and border security3As the daughter of immigrant parents, I understand the importance of having a sound immigration and border security policy. Our nation has been enriched by the determination, energy, and diversity of immigrants who have come to America to make better lives for themselves and their families. However, the reason we have so many illegal immigrants is because our politicians have made it easier for many to be in this country illegally rather than to be here legally. To resolve the illegal immigration problem we must first address border security and the safety of our citizens and others who live here legally. We must also revamp and update broken immigration policies and track who enters and who leaves our borders. These are my proposals to fix the problems surrounding immigration and border security:Border SecuritySecure the border – and not just for the purpose of preventing illegal immigration, but also to stop the flow of illegal drugs, illegal weapons, and possible terrorism from coming into our country3.1Immigration & NaturalizationSupport meaningful immigration reform and rules of naturalization that result in clear, straightforward, fair, and thorough rules that will allow immigrants to participate in the American Dream while protecting the best interests of American citizens3.2ImmigrantsIncentivesIncentivize good behavior and our ability to track who enters and who leaves our borders by charging a fee (perhaps of a few thousand dollars) to people who come to America on visas, and then refund that money when they leave3.3SKILLS ActSupport the SKILLS Act, which will help the American economy by incentivizing highly skilled foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges with advanced degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to work and remain in America by making it easier for employers to grant them green cards and H-1B visas3.4Foreign Studentshighly skilled foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges with advanced degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematicsU.S. CollegesU.S. EmployersTaxesFix the broken tax system4 The federal tax code is too cumbersome and complex to navigate. Moreover, the federal government needs to reduce its spending rather than take more hard-earned money from American workers. That’s why I propose a simpler tax code, lower tax rates, and eliminating tax loopholes that pick winners and losers. Americans should be rewarded for their hard work, particularly during these tough economic times. Higher taxes slow economic growth, discourage personal savings, and make us less competitive in the global market. I favor lowering taxes for the purposes of encouraging greater innovation, business productivity, job creation, and international competitiveness. These are my proposals to fix the broken tax system:Tax IncreasesVote against all net tax increases4.1Tax SimplificationSupport a simpler tax system that reduces the tax burden for working Americans4.2Working AmericansTaxpayersDeath TaxEliminate the federal death tax (also known as the estate tax)4.3Payroll TaxWork to reduce payroll tax rates to pre-2013 levels4.4Corporate TaxLower America’s corporate tax rate, which is currently the highest in the world, so that we can encourage companies to keep jobs in America4.5Capital Gains & DividendsOppose increases in capital gains and dividend taxes4.6Tax SimplificationWork to simplify the tax code and reduce the need to hire a tax expert when preparing one’s tax return 4.7TaxpayersTax Experts2013-12-18http://love4utah.com/issues/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net