Budget and Finance work

I have always loved budgeting and finance work which influenced me to have my finances in order before leaving the house at the age of 18. In six years, I paid off a car, financed school with scholarships and cash, and worked 40-50 hours a week amongst three different jobs while earning at least 12 credit hours per semester which is considered full time. Number are within me. It is something that I obsess with regularly, however, I am not a penny pincher. I believe that cash is meant to be a powerful tool and if you have it, you have the right to spend it however you please or you can save it for that is your choice. I chose to pursue an MPA instead of an MBA because I understand financial peace and how far you can go with a balanced budget. Instead of pursuing money and projecting profits with an MBA, I want to prove that a city can receive very little money and still get by with small government. This might make more sense as to why I want to work as a city manager and why I chose to attend such a strong MPA program that is nationally recognised.

This internship has proven to me that the federal level is financially lost. There is absolutely no grip on the financial system and there are to many hands in the money bag. I have seen a city budget and I am excited to approach it with the mentality to finish each year with a surplus.

Working in local government or federal government?

I have really enjoyed my responsibilities while interning for Rep Salmon, but I came here with the desire to understand the federal system as a strength in working on the local level. So, have I been convinced of working for the federal government? The answer is still....no. I have been fortunate enough to be given tasks here that has brought exposure, but to be truthful, I feel disconnected to the people that I love.

I'm very happy here but I feel like my voice, and the voice, of everyone is controlled by red tape and ridiculous policies that everyone believes are irrelevant. This is absolutely the reason why I find so much joy working at the city level. Yes, I do want to remain focused on being a City Manager and I am excited to begin my studies at ASU as a student in the Master's in Public Administration program.

I believe that one of the reasons why one can impact local government more than the federal government is because of the accountability that exists with smaller government. With smaller budgets and more eyes on the few public officials, there is more pressure to get things done. This is not the case in D.C. as billions of dollars are spent ans wasted each day. This drives me crazy now and I am positive that I will always drive me crazy.

One example of how each member of the US House demonstrates public service

When I came to D.C., I was fully aware of the D.C. office structure for each member of the US House. One thing I wan not fully aware of is the fact that each member of Congress is allocated funds to maintain local offices in their districts, and this is what i want to talk about. Each House delegate received money that allows him or her to open up local offices that serve the community. For Rep. Salmon, he has an office in Gilbert Arizona that serves as his outreach center.

This office is the perfect example of public service because all they focus on is community support. The support staff are called "case workers" and they assist with the following; 1) assist with the IRS and tax struggles; 2) they assist with passports when people do not know how to apply for one; 3) they help recognize locals who stand out in unique ways. These case workers are lead by the District Coordinator who is hired by the member and Chief of Staff. Essentially, the District Coordinator is a deputy Chief of Staff and assists with local issues while the Representative is away for most of the year. For Congressman Salmon, this individual is Chuck Grey.

As you can imagine, these case workers are very busy which means that they need interns. This provides a great opportunity for young people to experience public service on a local level if they cannot afford the expenses required to move to D.C.

Leadership and introducing Adam Deguire

Today I wish to discuss leadership and how it applies to my internship. Leadership is a traight that can only be mastered by the individual seeking the characteristic. I believe that anyone can gain leadership qualities, althought it comes easier for some. At the U.S. House of Representatives, it is clear who leads as Representatives and who follows. I believe Congressman Salmon leads with integrity and that traight trickes down through the staff.

They provide me with couple opportunities to lead. first, I lead the tours at the Capitol. I have full authority to take my constituents anywhere I want to go within the tour rules. Leading in this way allows me the opportunity to get a feel for what the guests want and what interests them. This taught me that when you lead to benefit you, others are nothing more than your consequence, but when you lead to help people, others can be blessed by your actions.

Everyone staff member of Rep. Salmon is a leader. Adam, Olivia, Jenell, Greg, Kristine, Lorissa, Lliam, and Jonathan all possess individual leadership skills that are specific to them. This is why Rep. Salmon is gaining respect and attention so quickly. It is because he staff is so dilligent and they lead by example.

I believe that Adam Deguire, Chief of Staff, is a great leader. Leaders aren't always appreciated because they are the ones that make the tough decisions, but Adam is one who takes this seriously. I have appreciated his leadership qualities since I have been in D.C.

Exploring different careers on the Hill and introducing Lorissa Bounds

When I came to D.C., I never thought I would want to live here. Back in Arizona, I only commuted 15 minutes to work with rush hour, I went home after 8 hours of work, and I lived a life of much free time. Here is different. I commute an hour each way and I am one of thousands of workers who do so, we work 10 hour days, and I arrive home around 8 and maintain a 10pm curfew in order to get up on time. Still, there are jobs that are intriguing here in D.C.

First off, there are lobbyists and consultants all over the district. Many of these people enjoy the comforts of their home away from D.C. and fly in a couple days a month to lobby. This is the same for consultants who leave their profession with success and come back on occasion for advice giving. This is arguably one of the harder jobs to get because of the many perks. I personally would love this job because I enjoy the D.C. atmosphere and the work load, but I never wish to live this life style day-in and day-out.

Second, you can work for a Representative in the district office which allows you the chance to stay in politics, yet live in the district and not in D.C. This is a great profession for individuals who truly love local government and service to others. The district office specializes in case work and represents the Representatives when he or she is attending to other duties. I am not no hip on this job as I find casework boring but it is something to think about.

I now wish to introduce Lorissa Bounds, Deputy Chief of Staff. Lorissa has been in this field for several years and her knowledge is most valuable in the office. Lorissa takes on Foreign Affairs which is key to Representative Salmon and his work as chair of the Western Hemisphere committee. I believe that Lorissa is a great supporting role to the Congressman and she is qualified to work in various capacities in D.C.

Professional Profile: Chris Brady, City Manager of Mesa, Ariz.

An assignment was given to profile a professional who I look up to and and aspire to be like. I have chosen to profile Mesa's City Manager, Chris Brady because I believe he emulates a great City Manager. Why? First off, City Manager Brady agreed to the position with Mesa in a time when the city was dealing with a budget deficit to the lost in tax revenue and large amounts of citizens moving to nicer areas in the east valley. Second, Mesa was suffering from a reputation that the City is a "has been" and has no more potential. With his efforts, the city has leveraged federal grants and is now in a clean-up stage. The city is looking much nicer and more business are increasing revenue which in turn, goes back to the city. I have an enormous amount of respect for the man knowing that he assists with the city's 1.2 billion dollar budget. This is an incredible task for anyone and I wish that someday I can oversee a budget that large when I eventually run a city as the City Manager. 

While shadowing City Manager Brady, I learned that he earned his Master's in Public Administration (MPA) degree at Brigham Young University (BYU). He eventually took a job in City Finance upon graduation and after 7 years, moved on to bigger roles that qualified him to run a city. To try to mimic that pattern, I work in finance, but my financial work is in the private sector. Once I graduate with my MPA degree from Arizona State University, I will seek out the opportunity to work in city finance. After several years in finance I will begin searching for deputy roles in the filed of City Management. I want to work as a City Manager because I love working with finances, I love allocating resources, and I do not wish to run in elections. 

City Manager Brady gave me several bits of advice, and some of which I am currently applying. He recommended that I attended a respected MPA program and ranked ASU in his top 3 choices. He also advised me to gain as much financial experience as possible. As I do these, I hope that I will be able to find work in public sector finance. 

Career Fiesta Internship and Career Fair held at ASU's Tempe Campus

On Wednesday, September 25, I went to the Career Fiesta Internship and Career Fair held at ASU's Tempe campus. Even though I am currently employeed as the financial manager of Air methods, I always enjoy going to these events to see young adults strive for work. Knowing how to work is a fundamental principle in our American culture and if lost, we will begin to lose the great freedoms that we cherish. I can only hope that our "video game" generation will want to work as hard as our parents and grandparents. When I attended the fair, I felt a sense of entrepreneurship as hundreds of students were searching for opportunities to succeed in the work force. This made me happy and provided encouragement in knowing that our great country still strives for self relience and individual success. Some of the top top companies that participated in the event were Progressive, Geico, Vanguard, Allstate, and the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

 

Many of the companies were looking to recruit summer interns that could work for them during the summer with the goal of being hired for a full-time job following graduation. This is a great chance for students to put some money in their pocket for a season and build connections that may take them far once they graduate. Other companies were offering student employment of 10-15 hours a week with a goal to become full-time following graduateion. Both are viable options for students looking for exposure, connections, and money. I am all for interships, especiually paid ones, because my intership in the U.S. provided an opportunity to be where I am today.

 

 

    

Recruiting Representatives to sign on to a bill and introducing Greg Safsten

Washington is a big place and nowhere for small people. That is why you must gain friends quickly and build a powerful and influential network if you want to get any legislation passed through the House of Representatives. This week Greg Safsten from the back office introduced me to legislation that the Congressman wants passed by the House. 

Greg assigned me the task of contacting nearly 100 members of the Republican Party to request their co-sponsorship to our bill. To co-sponsor a bill means you put your name on the bill in the beginning stages and throw your support to the legislation. This time around the bill wasn't received by as many Representatives as I had wanted but the experience showed me how far you can push a bill through the system when you have support. Congressman Salmon is very well liked in the House and many Congressman and Congresswomen respect him so in no way is this a sign of weakness as he has had support in previous bills. 

Since Greg’s name came up, now is a good time to introduce him. Greg is a successful dude he takes his job serious. He knows his stuff and has a strong view of politics. He is responsible for responding to constituent inquires which usually means he is responsible for making sure everyone eventually responds to letters sent to the Congressman. Greg also takes on a couple of political issues with one of them being the Second Amendment. Greg joined the team when Congressman Salmon was running for election and then was hired after the win. In my opinion, Greg will always have a job wherever he wants to work.

Giving tours of the U.S. Capitol and introducing Jonathan Sarager

I have now been a member of Rep. Salmon’s Washington D.C. team for over a month and I feel more confident every day. With this blog, I want to take a moment and discuss my favorite responsibility, which is to give tours of the United States Capitol, and then I will close with introducing Jonathan Sarager.

The summer is a very busy time of year for the front office, especially with tours. Members of any district can sign up on their Representative’s website for a free tour of the Capitol building. When this is done the staff assistant confirms the tour date and time, and the tour is officially scheduled. Members of our district are very active when it comes to traveling to D.C. On a normal week, we will provide tours of the Capitol building to anywhere between eight to ten families a week. We will try our best to put a couple of families together and still, we will give at least one tour a day. 

Just in the last two weeks alone, I can recall several families who came to our office excited to start their tour. For most families, the tour of the Capitol building is the most anticipated part of their trip and I do my very best not to disappoint them. Our tours last about 90 minutes and I take them all throughout the building and help them feel like VIPs for the day. And the best part of the tour comes at the end when they are full of smiles and thanks yous. At that point, I send them on their way, sink into my chair, and recover from exhaustion. I have, and will continue to, meet wonderful people through this opportunity.

Finally, I want to introduce Jonathan Sarager (pronounced SAR-GER). Jonathan is a University of Arizona School of Law graduate, as well as a husband and father. In our time together, he discussed staying in D.C. and the possibility of becoming a lobbyist. He is incredible smart in the English language (hence the law degree) and is continuously striving to provide me opportunities to learn. I call him the “gentleman and scholar” of the office.