Pennsylvania 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
- The decisions we make in our doctor's office are sacred and personal. Those decisions should be freely made between a patient and their doctor. Those decisions - to begin, continue, or end care - are the core of our personal freedoms. There is no room for a legislator in that decision making conversation.

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
- Over 60% of those receiving Medicaid are in nursing homes or children. They are the most vulnerable among us. How we care for those, is indicative of us as society. I would never want a tax increase, but there was no "maybe" response. A personal tax income increase on the people of The Commonwealth would be the last resort. All paths of revenue must be explored to move The Commonwealth forward toward prosperity.

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. Do you support allowing early voting in Pennsylvania?
- Yes

6. Do you support reducing the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Campaign finance is out of control. I want to be governed by our neighbors, not those who owe a corporation a favor. The end of gerrymandering is of the utmost importance to more compromise, conversation, and understanding. The question concerning voting - we need to make voting as easy as possible, we need to make sure that all the population that can vote does vote. The general assembly needs to resemble the population shifts within the state. If our population drops so should the representation.

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. Should school safety meetings be made available to the public?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- I have always been opposed to capital punishment. The marijuana question is linked to my response on looking at all paths to increasing revenue to the state to reduce the burden to our taxpayers. Should a minor be charged as an adult, I said no because I think all cases should be reviewed on an individual basis. We send the most precious among us to school - our children. School safety meetings should be available to the public. The public should be able to question, and have access to our representatives.

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?
- Yes

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

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

7. Do you support increasing state funding for road repairs?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- A. I support the state supporting economic growth, however we must be very careful how we spend taxpayer dollars. C. Regulations must be for the good of society. I do not support removing regulations and going to age of lead based paint, factories filled with carcinogens, and black sludge in our rivers. Each regulation needs to be looked at individually. E. In states where they of drug tested welfare applicants, the cost greatly outweighed the benefit. I will not waste the taxpayer dollar. G. Our families travel on our roads. They must be in good repair.

Education

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

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

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

4. Do you support providing virtual charter school alternatives to all K-12 students?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- The education of our children must be under the control of The Commonwealth. Schools are made of local people, and local people should set the standards. I do not support state funding of charter or virtual charter school alternatives if they do not have a set of standards of proficiency for yearly growth and progress. We have to provide the best education to our children. The are our 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
- This planet is where we live. We have to protect if for future generations. We have to have clean drinking water, it only makes sense.

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 support the 2nd amendment in every way. I also support a free and safe society. As a legislator, I will be committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of people that want to hurt themselves or others. When a mother calls a gun store and begs them not to sell a gun to her daughter, she should be heard. Because 3 hours after the gun was purchased the daughter was dead by a self inflicted gunshot wound. There has to be a way to keep our society safe and it is our duty to find it.

Health

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

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

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- E - The decisions we make in a doctor's office are sacred and personal. The decision to vaccinate should be between a doctor and the parents of a child. D - Honestly - I don't know C - I support requiring the purchase healthcare at reasonable costs to the buyer. B. I fully support Medicaid expansion

Social

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

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by Pennsylvania 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.
- My legislative priorities if elected will be to bring honest open discussion to the chamber. To cross party lines to do what is best for the people of the PA50. I want to reduce the property tax burden from our homeowners, business owners and look to other paths of revenue to fully fund a robust public education Pre -K through affordable college. With new avenues of revenue (other than property, income and sales tax) to the Commonwealth business will be enticed to move to PA, providing jobs with livable wages and benefits. Thank you for this opportunity.