Maryland State Legislative Election 2014 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- Yes

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- Yes

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

State Spending:

Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Maintain Status

2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Status

3. Environment
- Slightly Decrease

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Maintain Status

7. Welfare
- Slightly Decrease

8. Other or expanded categories
- Education, Public Safety and Transportation is our highest priorities. The State collects more than enough money to fund these areas. Audits of these areas and others in government need to be addressed and findings corrected. As we fix the problems already identified, cost avoidance and savings will be realized. In addition, as we lower taxes, more businesses will be drawn back to the state as demand for products and services increase. As more jobs become available, less government is needed to take care of those who will be able to provide for themselves, thus lowering need for additional welfare funding.

State Taxes:

Using the key, indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Greatly Decrease

2. Cigarette taxes
- Greatly Decrease

3. Corporate taxes
- Greatly Decrease

4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Greatly Decrease

5. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease

6. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Eliminate

8. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Eliminate

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Eliminate

10. Other or expanded principles
- In order to reduce taxes, spending needs to be addressed. As people keep more of their own money, they will spend it or invest it creating demand in turn creating jobs. Businesses will return to the state and more taxpayers are added to the rolls increasing the tax revenues. Achieving no income tax and greatly reducing the other taxes will take time and will not be accomplished in a 4yr term. However, we can start the conversation towards this aim.

Budget Stabilization:

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Maryland's budget.

1. Tapping into Maryland's "rainy day" fund
- Yes

2. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No

3. Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
- Yes

4. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No

5. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No

6. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- We need to address the pension system for taxpayer employees. For those already employed, they should keep their current system. For all new hires, a 401K or similar program should be instituted. The long term pension programs are major contributors to the state debt.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Individual
- No

2. Political Action Committee
- No

3. Corporate
- No

4. Political Party
- No

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- No

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- Yes

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Other or expanded principles
- The redistricting should be accomplished by elected officials - that is what they are hired to do. And it should be voted on by the legislature and not justed passed into law automatically as it is now. The voters should know how their elected representivites vote on the issue.

Crime & Public Safety

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

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Do you support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- No

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No Answer

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No Answer

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- No

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

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- No Answer

5. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- No

7. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- The financial incentives for businesses would be reduction of taxes - this I support for all businesses not just start-ups.

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- No

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No Answer

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- No Answer

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No Answer

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

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- No

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Maryland high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- I do not have enough details on the unanswered questions to be able to provide a position. I support tax credits for families schooling their children in non-public schools or settings. Vouchers come with government direction and regulations.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Maryland's energy infrastructure?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- No

5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- I support all forms of energy production - just not supplemented by taxpayer money. If a company can produce energy for the consumer at price the consumer accepts, the company will be successful.

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support limited restrictions as in the case of someone committing a crime with a firearm or proven cases of mental illness.

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act?
- No

5. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No Answer

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- No

2. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Maryland's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- This is a complex set of issues and I would like to know more of the perceived or real discrimination before I make a decision.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, on an attached page, or via e-mail, 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.
- Cut spending by first addressing the government audits. Reduce taxes - as taxes decrease demand for products and services increase and jobs are created to meet the demand. As people take on jobs they become taxpayers as well.Reverse the anti-gun owner atmosphere in Maryland.