Illinois 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
- I cannot in good conscious make decisions for other women regarding their economic freedom to choose when and how they start a family. I also believe that regardless of income and where you work, you should have equal access to health care, including reproductive care.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Please note that I only support borrowing money from in-state vendors to restructure debt to receive better interest rates. I believe that we should be prioritizing our spending and only spending what Illinois can pay for each year. We cannot change existing pensions and salaries - therefore, we need to figure out a way to pay our state's debts in a responsible manner. That includes looking for inefficiencies in state governance, as well as finding new revenue streams. However, I refuse to raise taxes on those that cannot afford to do so, including low- and middle-income families.

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
- Dark money in politics has an undue influence in our elections. We must reduce, if not eliminate, indirect campaign contributions to candidates.

Crime & Public Safety

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

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

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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?
- Yes

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

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

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 Illinois?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- I support lowering state taxes on low- and middle-income families as a means of promoting economic growth locally. I do not support expanding access to current unemployment benefits, but I do support expanding job opportunities and training programs.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Illinois?
- Yes

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

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

4. Do you support requiring local governments to fund teacher pensions?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- At this time, I do not support requiring local governments to fully fund teacher pensions. However, I do think that local governments should move towards paying more of a portion of those costs in the future.

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
- No Answer

Gun

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

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
- I am a proud firearm owner that believes that responsible gun owners have the right to keep and bear arms. However, we must enforce the laws on the books and ensure that those that shouldn't have access to guns do not. The FOID card program in Illinois, while not as timely as it could be, is an example of a gun licensing program that works well for responsible gun owners.

Health

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

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

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

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?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

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

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

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

4. 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.
- Kickstart business growth - Through the Rural Business Development Grant program from the USDA, towns and villages in the 101st can apply for funding for business incubators and community economic development. These funds could be used to pilot a unique local grocery or kick-start a bookstore. By starting more businesses in our towns, we help keep families at home as well as raise tax dollars to continuously improve our district. Expand broadband internet access - By leveraging federal dollars and prioritizing spending at the state level. we can ensure every home and business in the 101st has access.