Yang, Joseph

Meet the Candidate

Running For:
City Council
Political Affiliation:
Nonpartisan
Phone:
(480) 788-3502
Age:
21
Occupation:
Police Aide
Family:
Yes
Religion:
Christian
Biographical Info:

My name is Joseph Yang. I am a community servant, small business owner and have a heart of love for the city of Chandler and its residents. I have grown up serving Chandler from bring the President of a volunteer advisory board to volunteering in the Chandler police department and helping plan many cultural events within the city. I started my first nonprofit a few years ago and fro there I continued getting involved in the community. I eventually got a job within the city of Chandler’s parks and rec division where I was at for 3 years before getting the job I am currently at which is for a local police department working as a civilian police aide. I currently run 2 small businesses within the city and in my off time I enjoy playing Pickleball and rock climbing or hanging out with friends!

Statement:

I am running for Chandler city council to continue serving the community I have grown up serving. While serving the residents of Chandler in various capacities, I have grown a deep love for this city and its people. I want to ensure Chandler is a better city for our future, when I started becoming a community leader I was always the youngest in the room and I want to change that. I want to ensure everyone has their opportunity to grow and become the community leader they want to be. I am running to keep Chandler a safe city, a city that supports our youth and keep Chandler a premier city for families to live, work and thrive. Will you join me in investing in Chandler’s Future?

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 am the son of immigrants and a first generation American citizen. My parents immigrated here for educational purposes and wanted to raise their family here so we can achieve our American Dream by working hard. I find it a big disservice to people like my parent who went through a long and painful process to be citizens of this country to allow anyone who illegally comes into this country. We have processes and procedures set in place for people to seek asylum, I believe in law and order and we can not reward people who break the law on the backs of tax paying citizens. At the end of the day I don't work for undocumented people, I work for the citizens of Chandler.
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* I went to a charter school and that was one of the most beneficial things for me! Education is never a one size fits all and we need to make are that children's needs are being taken care of. While there is not much I can do at the city level I do support empowerment scholarships. They are a great way to address needs of students and I even know several students who use ESA's to be dually enrolled in college which advances them into the workforce which is always beneficial. A child's zip code should not determine their future.
3. Interpreting the 2nd Amendment as protecting an individual’s right to keep and bear arms. S* As a candidate who works for a police department, we refer to guns as "tools" they are not weapons, they are tools. Just like any tool in a toolbox it can be used for good and bad. I think that we should not punish the masses because of select people. The fact of the matter is if we ban guns, it takes it out of the hands of good responsible gun owners and those who break the laws with evil intentions will still beg able to get their hands on a gun but what we've done is we have made it harder for responsible gun owners to defend themselves. Not to mention the purpose of the 2nd amendment was to protect citizens from the government, our founding fathers used guns to fight back an oppressive system. I think it is very ironic to have the government take away the very thing that the constitution grants us to protect ourselves from the government.
4. Using taxpayer funds to support any organization that performs, promotes, or provides referrals for abortion. O* The city does not have anything to do with abortions or legislation regarding abortions however I do feel that this is not something that is a responsibility of the government nor is it the proper role of government. I wouldn't expect the city or the government to pay for my chiropractic appointments or my orthodontist appointment or my general physical check ups so why should the government pay for abortions?
5. Amending the Arizona State Constitution to grant a fundamental right to every individual to an abortion. O* I do not agree that abortion is a fundamental right. What I do believe is that the right to life is a fundamental right, everybody should have the right to own property, move about freely and have the right to live no matter their age or stage of life. I also do not agree with making it a fundamental right because it circumvents parental consent. I am a firm believer that parents are the guardians of their children and not the government. There should never be an instance where a medical procedure or any procedure is done to a minor child without the knowledge or consent of the child's parents.
6. Providing tax breaks to certain industries over others. −
7. Adding "sexual orientation," "gender identity," or "gender expression" to the protected classes of race, religion, age, sex, and ancestry in nondiscrimination ordinances. S* I think the protected classes are great as they are currently. Employers are already not allowed to discriminate based on sex which is gender, I think that we get into a very slippery slope when we start to add gender identity into it. I think that as human beings we should all be kind and respectful to one another but forcing someone to play along with identity is a slippery slope I would avoid especially adding it into law as a protected class. What if one day I were to walk in and identify as a girl to walk into the women's bathroom to cause problems and my employer would not be able to protect the women of that business or establishment.
8. Allowing parents to seek professional counseling for their minor child with same-sex attraction or gender identity issues. S* If that is what parents want to do, I support parents doing what they feel is right for their children. Parents know best, not the government or anyone else.
9. Enhancing penalties for leading and participation in organized retail theft rings. S* The way I view organized retail theft is like a gang. We need to make sure we never tolerate gangs. As a candidate that works for a police department, I believe in law and order. We need to protect our mom and pop shops and keep them safe because they are the backbone of that make Chandler great!
10. Permitting individuals and businesses to not provide services or promote ideas that violate their moral or religious beliefs. O* While I can understand the purpose and benefit of this, I am a firm believer in limited government. The government should never be allowed to tell a private business what they can and can not do within their walls. I like to say "The government ends where your driveway starts" Same could be said about a business. The government ends where your private property begins.