Iowa State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- We should do all that we can to reduce the need for abortions such as sex education courses and readily available contraceptive choices. These courses and choices should be free if needed. But if someone decides that an abortion is necessary, it should be safe, private and readily available.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- The state of Iowa has the money it needs to meet its priorities. We as a legislature need to reset our priorities on how we spend state revenues. The state of Iowa spends almost one billion dollars a year on tax credits, tax loopholes and property tax credits going to corporations, many of whom are out of state, without reaping any of the benefits that were promised when they were set up. We need to review all corporate tax policies. If an item is working, keep it. If it is not working, do away with it.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- There has been virtually no voter fraud in any election in the state of Iowa. Ever. Voter ID, even though it sounds reasonable, is a clever way to suppress the vote of the elderly, students, minorities and the disabled. People who tend not to vote for Republicans. People who Republicans would just as soon not be allowed to vote.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. I support the decriminalization of marijuana. But until we get a better feel on the effects of legalization in other states, I would not favor an out right legalization of marijuana in Iowa at this time.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Iowa?
- Yes

7. Do you support offering state tax incentives to attract businesses to Iowa?
- No

8. Do you support limiting the ability of state employees to use collective bargaining?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- We should always take a look at the consequences of regulations we have passed as a state. If a regulation is not having the desired effect or if it has caused some unintended consequences we should have the courage to adjust or do away with that regulation.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Iowa?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Iowa high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Do you support providing economic incentives to Iowa farmers who participate in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy ("INRS")?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I would support incentives to farmers only if they came with mandatory actions and verifiable results.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Iowa's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Do you support increasing state funding for children's mental health services?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Iowa's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Iowa's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by Iowa state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Should state employees be held financially liable when sued for inappropriate behavior in the workplace?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- My top three priorities in the coming year are:1) Restore the basic civil rights for workers in this state. This would include restoring collective bargaining rights, increasing the minimum wage and restoring and expanding workers' compensation rights.2) Do away with the privatization of Medicaid. Iowa's Medicaid program used to be the standard of how a program should be run. Now it is a train wreck.3) Restore funding for education. This would included universal preschool, K-12 and secondary education. I would also target education in the trades for those where traditional education is not for them.