Alabama 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
- When a woman is faced with a pregnancy from rape or incest, I believe she should have our respect and our support, including a choice to end the pregnancy. The same choice should be available when a woman is faced with medically indicated severe defects of the fetus. I do not believe abortion should be a birth control method. I am for a community message supporting the sanctity of life. I believe in respect for each other in sexual matters.

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
- I support a statewide vote on a top to bottom overhaul of how we tax ourselves. As part of a top to bottom overhaul of how we tax ourselves, I support a tax increase to be paid for by high net worth households and individuals. The top 1%, the top 10% and the top 15% should pay more taxes in Alabama, as part of an equitable overhaul. I support lower sales tax rates and higher property tax rates; all as part of a top to bottom overhaul.

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?
- No Answer

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support openness and transparency with all campaign contributions. We need to work on ending "dark money" payments into political campaigns. We should all know where campaign money really comes from. Our method of campaign financing is broken. We can all do better on our method of Alabama campaign financing.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

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 Answer

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?
- 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 Alabama?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- I support an increase in the minimum wage, in the State of Alabama, to a living wage.

Education

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

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Alabama high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support a statewide vote to approve a new education lottery for the State of Alabama. This will not fix the broken way that we tax ourselves, but it is one way to boost education funding in a meaningful way.

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?
- No

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support the regulation of greenhouse emissions, and further believe that such regulations should apply to all states through federal regulations rather than through state regulations. I support preserving clean water in Alabama for future generations.

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?
- Yes

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 the Second Amendment, gun ownership, guns for protection, guns for hunting, sports and target practice. I also support common sense steps to reduce gun violence and gun deaths. I support a stronger background check for mental illness, domestic violence and felony violence before anyone buys a gun at a retail store, gun show or trade show. I support the Extreme Risk Petition or red flag law as good for Alabama. I support a ban on the sale of rapid fire military style assault weapons. I support the permit requirement to carry a concealed weapon.

Health

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

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

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. Other or expanded principles
- I support expanding Medicaid in Alabama. This will create jobs, boost rural health care delivery and improve access to health care for many citizens.

Social

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

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

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

4. Do you support the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces?
- No Answer

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 legislative priorities are: 1) to increase the minimum wage in Alabama to a living wage, 2) to expand Medicaid, and 3) to provide for a statewide, up or down, vote on a lottery for Alabama, to support education funding. I also support a statewide vote on a top to bottom overhaul of how we tax ourselves, to include generally some tax increases on those most able to pay, the high net worth households and individuals. I say let's fix our state funding.