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
- Roe v Wade is settled law and our country should not be chipping away at women's healthcare decisions or eroding reproductive rights.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

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

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

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No Answer

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

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

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- I would add an upper income decile tax bracket to make sure the super rich pay their fair share of tax liability. Tax revenue is shared public revenues that provide shared benefit. The wealthy and multi-national corporations need to be made to share fair.

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
- The right to vote is a fundamental right of a thriving democracy, photo or no photo. Placing unnecessary burdens and roadblocks to that right violates the principles upon which our democracy is built.

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?
- No

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?
- No

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

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 Montana?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- I support updating our state tax policy to close loopholes, increase tourist taxes and do away with Corporate welfare and unfair tax treats to the super rich and corporations.

Education

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

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

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
- We need to improve our tax policy and public revenues so that public higher education is a right, just as public k-12 is.

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
- I've introduced a bill for the 2019 MT Legislative Session for a community dividend carbon cost that would levy a carbon tax on the state's top emitters and direct that revenue to community redevelopment and transition, jobs and state oversight of environmental remediation.

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
- I've introduced a bill for the 2019 session for responsible firearm storage. Teachers should be armed NOT with firearms but with adequate instructional resources, more school behavioral counselors and better pay and support.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Montana'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?
- No

6. Do you support increasing state funding for tracking and reporting opioid usage and overdoses?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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

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 priorities include mental health care & suicide prevention, public health & environmental protection, economic justice & income equality. It's the job of legislators to identify and generate public revenues in order to fund important public & human services. I will work to update Montana's antiquated tax policy. I will re-introduce various tourist taxes, such as modernizing lodging and car rental taxes - currently negligible with respect to our $4 billion a year and growing tourism industry; index fees from the 60s to inflation; cut tax treats for corporations like the 18-month tax holiday for oil & gas companies.