Niemann, Ann

Meet the Candidate

Running For:

Board of Supervisors

District:

Political Affiliation:

Republican

Phone:

(602) 568-3455

Age:

Occupation:

Business Consultant, Researcher, Writer, Trainer

Education:

MBA, Int'l Management, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Glendale, AZ, with honors. B.A. International Relations (four-part study in Political Science, History, Geography, and Economics, with minor in Sociology), Drake University, Des Moines, IA, with honors.

Family:

Married, blended family with 10 children and 28 grandchildren, a brilliant lot with interests in everything.

Religion:

Christian (Assemblies of God)

Biographical Info:

The oldest of six, we were raised in the Des Moines, Iowa area as a close-knit family, centered on faith, compassion, generosity, and a tremendous work ethic that encompassed stick-to-itiveness, ever-learning and excelling, creativity in solving challenges, and a good dose of humility. Completing my post-graduate degree in Arizona, I returned with my husband Michael and two youngest children, 24 years ago. I’ve worked across several industries successfully navigating complex governmental, legal, and cultural issues. Highlights are *founding an international adoption agency, working primarily with orphans in Russia and China; *co-founder of Kyrene [Elementary] Parent Network preparing 500 hours of research with our recommendations regarding arts-academic value, its low or neutral-cost integration into core competencies, and expected outcomes-foreign language; math; and literacy; *serving on the Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Faire Board of Directors, Committee Chair in selecting young women of Irish heritage for scholarships and trips to Ireland; *owner and Editor in Chief of “The Desert Shamrock” magazine-format publication with feature profiles, arts, history, and travel, and *working on projects with my husband in his manufacturing-construction company, Next New Concept, Inc., currently contracted to build 29,000 durable, attractive homes in West Africa.

Statement:

My worldview and approach to policies, issues and solutions are very different than the incumbent’s. I have served in operations and executive positions across several industries throughout my career, with plenty of corporate experience in knowing the mechanics of running the County’s business contracts, appointments and filling agency and legislative vacancies, budgets and financials, and such. Very much a “systems” person, I enjoy improving and creating processes to make them more efficient with quality control, along with valuing employee satisfaction as a key component to success. My research and understanding of election integrity issues and how elections can and should be conducted are a key reason for why I’m running for this position. Arizona’s lead in the nation is pivotal.

Survey

Response Legend

SSupports
OOpposes
*Comment
−Declined to respond
†Declined to respond, Position based on citation

Question	Response	Comments/Notes
1. Providing benefits and services such as free housing to undocumented migrants at taxpayer expense.	O*	I've worked in the international sector most of my adult life including securing American citizenship for foreign-born orphans, but I believe in legal entry. The immigration process needs to be secure for national security, and yet also reformed to streamline applications. Currently, the timeline is arduous for those coming in through lawful channels. That said, illegal is illegal and are they not eligible for taxpayer dollars except for bona fide refugees in dire cirumstances and even then, for a limited time to enable them to return safely to their own culture. The southern and northern borders are inundated with those who do not want to truly assimilate into the American way of life and Constitutionally-run government.
2. Allowing all parents to use tax credits and taxpayer funded empowerment scholarship accounts to enable their children to attend any private school, homeschool, or online academy of their choice.	S*	Free market capitalism creates a healthy, competitive field to generate excellence. Families must have choices, without being cost-prohibitive. Public schools are failing in great measure but we must not abandon our community's children to them either, but rather to continue to champion improvements there. Some are beyond recovery with low to no attendance to the point that the school district administration needs to come to that realization and allow public facilities to be sold to private or charter schools instead of collecting dust.
3. Interpreting the 2nd Amendment as protecting an individual’s right to keep and bear arms.	S*	Essential to advocate against punitive regulations that endanger this right, such as limiting ammunition, exhorbitant prices for firearms and accessories, etc.
4. Using taxpayer funds to support any organization that performs, promotes, or provides referrals for abortion.	O
5. Amending the Arizona State Constitution to grant a fundamental right to every individual to an abortion.	O
6. Providing tax breaks to certain industries over others.	O*	Oppose when tilting an otherwise healthy free market, such as when underwriting electric vehicles which are causing undue hardships on the automobile industry.
7. Adding "sexual orientation," "gender identity," or "gender expression" to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination ordinances.	O*	Everyone is already protected under the rights and laws in place.
8. Allowing parents to seek professional counseling for their minor child with same-sex attraction or gender identity issues.	S*	Support with counselors of the parents' choice.
9. Enhancing penalties for leading and participation in organized retail theft rings.	S*	If there are no repercussions, sound boundaries are not in place to deter the escalation of crime and thrill-seeking.
10. Permitting individuals and businesses to not provide services or promote ideas that violate their moral or religious beliefs.	S