Sanda Clark spent her entire life as a member of the Clark-Schuldmann Duo known nationally and internationally as the cello-piano, husband and wife duo that created Chamber Music PLUS both in AZ and in CT. Running for office was never part of the plan. Amazed that no Democrats were interested in running for the Arizona State House in the new Legislative District 19 an area that includes all or parts of Greenlee, Graham, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties, Sanda, an immigrant from Communist Romania believes that for Democracy to survive in Arizona and for that matter any state in the country, there needs to be multiple candidates from multiple political parties running for office.
Democracies and Republics cannot exist if people do not stay involved in the governing process.
“Democracies die if people do not stay involved in the governing process,” Clark said. “I am running because I HAVE TO!”
Though not a career politician, Ms. Clark believes in fully funding education, protecting the environment and water supply, safeguarding voting rights, and ensuring the health care for everyone. Clark is running to ensure Arizona moves forward rather than sliding backwards with the help of the Reactionary and Anti-Democratic current version of the Republican Party.
Ms. Clark graciously took the time to discuss her candidacy for the Arizona State Legislature.
The questions and her responses are below.
- What are at least two reasons you want to run for a term in the Arizona State Legislature? ‘
“I’ve lived in Arizona for a little over 20 years. Except for the brief hiatus during Janet Napolitano’s tenure, AZ has been under Republican control. However, since the Ducey administration has come to power, it is hard to even refer to this party as the Republican Party. It makes us almost miss Gov. Brewer!”
Public Education: “Arizona is moving backward under the GOP-controlled legislature. The AZ GOP, is for gutting- DEFUNDINGPUBLIC EDUCTION, at the top of their agenda, The primary escape route from poverty has traditionally been public education. Arizona’s public education system has been decimated by this governor and this legislature. ALL of us benefit from an educated population. We must remember that.”
Voting Rights: “Having grown up in a Communist country, I can say that most Americans don’t know how good they have it. I really have a hard time with folks who don’t vote at all. Most Arizonans are not paying enough attention to the voter suppression legislation being passed in states all over the US. Rights must not be infringed based on conspiracy theories, or false narratives of election fraud. Rights, by definition, should be easy to exercise. THERE WAS NO systemic, widespread ELECTION FRAUD and the GOP knows it. I am horrified that they have tried to invalidate my vote, and the votes of millions of others, in 2020. This is personal to me.I have lived the other! I know what we have to lose. VOTING RIGHTS, ACCESS to the ballot box are the bedrock of DEMOCRACY. No patriotic American can vote to destroy this sacred right- no matter what your party affiliation might be.”
“So that’s why I am running.”
- What are these two reasons voters should elect you over any opponent in the legislative race?
“I listen, I ask questions, and I have a network of experts who I can call upon when needed. My only agenda is to make Arizona a place where everyone can thrive.”
“I am running as a clean elections candidate, which frankly, I believe is the only way voters can know that a candidate is not being bought and sold by corporations or special interest groups. The amount of money going into State Legislature races is astounding. And we know, these donors want something for “their investment”and will come calling to collect.
I would just like to add that it is time to examine and address what’s known as “the AZ Revolving Door” policy. Gail Griffin for example, has been in office since 1997 she goes from her time in the House moves on to the Senate and back to the House and … you get the idea. It’s important to have fresh ideas, fresh blood as they call it, for the benefit of the citizens of our state. Maybe it’s time for term limits?”
- If elected, what are at least four issues you will focus on in the legislature?
“WATER in LD19—particularly Cochise County, is a big issue. You may have seen the cover story in the Arizona Daily Star yesterday. I think designating the southeastern portion of the state as an Active Management Area could be a good thing, depending on how it is executed. One thing is for sure—there is not enough water in Cochise County to meet the demand, and this has been known for a long time. So far, there has only been lip service regarding this problem. It is wrong that people are having to truck in water right now.
Also in support of water, we need to adequately fund Arizona department of Water Resources. Experts working in the field say they are underfunded.
Graham and Greenlee counties have been assessed as uninhabitable within the next 20 years, due to the heating of the planet at an alarming pace. Wildfires, and poor air quality are expected to lead to a terrible future for crop growers.
Establishing an Active Management Area could work, and there is a petition drive on right now to do just that. WE would need to make sure we handle it in a way that does not destroy agriculture, though, or in a way we can make farmers whole if they do take their land out of agricultural use. Climate change is likely going to make this issue worse—not better. We need to get ahead of it.”
“Funding public education: We have gutted public school budgets and given them to unaccountable charter schools. I find it particularly unsettling that the charter school business has become a get-rich-quick scheme benefitting some of our current legislators who are part of this racket—at the expense of taxpayers and students. My husband is the product of the excellent public schools Tucson once had. He became a cellist because of the excellent program Dr. Max Erwin put in place. To work in Dr. Erwin’s Fine Arts department you had to have a master’s degree! Today teachers are underpaid and underappreciated and have to provide their own school materials. We must change this deterioration because our kids deserve better.
Another thing about public education: When corporations look at where to open new offices, the quality of public education is one of the primary things they look at. They know this is a priority for their employees’ families. The current defunding of our public education is not making Arizona a better place for business. Quite the opposite. WE become less competitive.
Last but not least, we must make sure that teachers get a decent wage that’s competitive with other states. WE lose great teachers to neighboring states that offer better compensation. Great teachers inspire young minds. They are our invaluable resource.”
“HEALTHCARE for Arizonans—I grew up in an authoritarian regime where women did not have autonomy over their own bodies. It did not work out well. It’s happening here now. The 15-week ban in Arizona is unworkable. Many women don’t even know they are pregnant by that time. The legislation completely ignores the medical science. This is another example of Arizona moving backwards. Women will die because of this law. It will not end abortions—it will end SAFE abortions. Girls will have to carry babies of their abusers—their own uncles and fathers. These women and girls will be living in a real live nightmare. We must provide good safe health for all, not just the wealthy.
Private hospitals are another nightmare. Rural hospitals are often lacking in the most up to date equipment, some lack in trauma centers and they tend to get least government assistance putting people living in rural AZ at higher risk.We must level the playing field and offering all Arizonans access to the best available healthcare.
We need to expand ACA and provide the ability to compete for drug prices. One should not have to choose between food and insulin, for example. Competition is a good thing, is at the core of successful capitalism!”
“Corporate tax giveaways—Arizona is famous for these, and Pamela Powers Hannley (LD9) has been particularly vocal about them. Why does Arizona feel that we have to bribe industry with tax-giveaways to come here? We have a lot to offer! If we are going to make deals to lure industry, let’s not do it blindly. There should be accountability. We should ensure we get something for our investment in these companies. Right now we just give away the farm and hope they will hold up their end of the bargain.”
- Is there anything not covered in the first three questions that you’d like to readers to know about you and your candidacy, please?
“I came to the United States as a piano student at the University of TX in Austin with a one-way ticket, because that’s all my parents could afford! Through the generosity of strangers, I managed to get my Master’s Degree, met and married Harry Clark, my life and musical partner, and lived an incredible life as a concert pianist. In addition to concertizing, I taught piano as well. I taught little kids, and grownups, and at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT for 25 plus years. Many of my students remain in my life to this day and have become “my children”!
“Honestly, running for public office had not been in my plan. I have been active as a precinct committee person, and I have supported many candidates in the past. I felt it my duty, as a grateful American to be involved. However, I never dreamed I would be a candidate. But, after redistricting, no Democrat came forward to run in the new LD19. I deeply believe that voters need a choice—and I hope that by running I can get people to talk about the issues that matter to them. I know this is going to be a hard race against seasoned incumbents.”
“Watching the events in Ukraine, watching young and old people stand in front of tanks to defend their freedom and Democracy, made me feel terrible to stand by, watch and complain!”
“JFK’s speech about going to the moon comes to mind: “not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win”
“This passage speaks to me because LD19 is not a district that has been friendly to Democrats. This race is going to be HARD. It will require all that I have. I am willing to take on this challenge because ALL OF THE people of LD19 deserve representation. I intend to do my very best in this campaign. Music has prepared me well for this race-Never stop striving for the best that I can do, the best that I can give, PERSEVERE undeterred!”
“So I’m running because I love this country because I’m grateful for what this country has given me and because it is time to give back. It is important to make sure that the same country that was so generous to me would be generous to the next generations. Americans don’t know what they have. It’s really, really important to keep our Republic.”
“Unless you lived elsewhere you don’t how lucky you are. America might not be perfect, but it’s the best there is in the world. So that’s why I’m running”
Please click on the below links to find out more about Sanda Clark and her candidacy for the Arizona State House in LD 19.
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Sanda Clark For Arizona, LD19
@SandaClark4AZ
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