Maine State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

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
- No Answer

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
- No Answer

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?
- Yes

5. Do you support prohibiting out-of-state contributions to state ballot initiative committees?
- Yes

6. Do you support repealing Maine's ranked-choice primary election system?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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 Answer

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

5. Should the legal age for purchasing tobacco products be twenty-one years of age?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- b) I am not supportive of some aspects of the new law. In particular, the social clubs are a bad idea until such time as a quick, effective and legally defensible testing mechanism for THC blood level and a legislatively-approved standard for maximum blood level of THC are in place. c) The question is too vague. I think it is important to determine the maturity level of the accused minor. One of the purposes of differentiating between minors and adults is their ability to understand the significance of their actions. A strict age cutoff does not work in every case.

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 Answer

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 Answer

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- c)Too vague a question. Which regulations? Simply bureaucratic or substance such as environmental?e)Not sure what welfare and drug use necessarily have in common. There are many P/T and F/T workers who regularly use drugs according to some voters I have talked to. How about spending much more effort on addressing the opioid crisis that is doing great harm in our state.

Education

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- a) Don't know enough about the federal education standards to provide an answer.c) Wow. This is way too broad a question. Intentionally unlawfully in the US? Unintentionally? Born here? In general, I support as much education for our young people as possible. It is good for them and great for our country.

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?
- 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 Maine'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 Maine's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by Maine 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.
- Providing access to quality health care for all Mainers regardless of income or age. Medicaid expansion is a great first step in this direction. Working with a coalition of rural legislators from all parties to bring economic development to areas outside of urban Maine where it is now concentrated. I'm not sure about new funding sources but I expect as a legislator I will need to make choices among existing programs and new initiatives. I'm prepared to do that so that all Mainers regardless of where they live will get a fair shake.