Montana 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
- This is a complicated topic. Simple yes and no answers do not fit. I do not favor abortion and encourage other options to be considered. However, I even more so do not favor government imposing on the individual decision-making process of Montana citizens.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

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

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

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

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

5. Eliminating block grants to public school districts?
- No

6. Decreasing funding to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- The number one priority of the legislative session is to pass a responsible budget that will meet the needs of the state for the biennium. A budget has two sides. The expenditure side and the revenue side. At the minimum the revenue must equal the expenditures. It is desirable for the revenue to exceed the expenditures. This creates a "rainy day fund." The result of budgets passed from most recent legislatures did result in the "rainy day fund." However, this past legislature passed a budget that resulted in a deficit. This was an irresponsible action and cannot happen again!

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
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

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

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

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

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- The US (including Montana) has the highest incarceration rate in the world. (Over 600 of every 100,000 in prison.) Russia comes next at around 450. Most developed countries (i.e. Canada) incarcerate about 150 - 200. Drug/Alcohol abuse is a major reason for our situation. We must consider alternatives other than prison that are more effective and less costly.It is difficult to answer the other questions with simple yes and no answers. There are many shades of grey to these subjects. The exact wording of a bill must be considered before voting.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

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

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No Answer

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No Answer

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 Montana?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- I am a fiscal conservative. In the legislative budget construction process I advocate we must carefully look at the budgets submitted by each department. We know that state employees make up an important part of the middle-class working force. Actions by the legislature must promote salaries in the private sector as well as the government sector that will bring people out of poverty and into the middle-class.

Education

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- I am a former Montana School Administrator of 30 years with 13 years teaching/coaching before that. I support the fact that schooling/education is a state function and not a federal function. I encourage state-to-state cooperation and state-to federal cooperation. However I do not accept federal control of a state function. Charter schools are another form of public education. At this time we do not find Charter Schools in our state. I would welcome considering any bill submitted concerning Charter Schools.

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. Other or expanded principles
- Montana citizens have basic needs. Cost effective power and clean air/water are some of those basic needs. The Public Service Commission and the Legislature each have a responsibility to help meet the needs of our 1,000,000 people. Renewable energies continue to become more cost effective each day. This results in less and less need for fossil fuels.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No Answer

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No Answer

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

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support sportsman responsible use of weapons. I see no need for the availability of military weapons to the general populace.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- No Answer

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Montana's health care programs?
- No Answer

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

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No Answer

6. Do you support increasing state funding for tracking and reporting opioid usage and overdoses?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- This is a most complex topic. The cost of health care in the US is double or more compared to other developed countries. We are rapidly moving in the direction in which only the wealthy will have access to quality healthcare. The health needs of Montana citizens must be met without taking all financial resources. This is a topic the federal government has a greater role. However, our legislature must be open to any good ideas that come forward.

Social

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

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

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

4. Should individuals be required to use a bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificate?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- Equality for all!!!!!!

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.
- Priority #1 - Advocate for a responsible budget-making process.Priority #2 - Function in a bi-partisan manner.Priority #3 - Advocate for net neutrality.Priority #4 - Grow the middle class. Reduce state poverty.