Pennsylvania 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
- 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
- I support a Marcellus Shale Tax.

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?
- 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?
- 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?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- Regarding federal immigration law enforcement, I do not believe that state and local police should be used to do the job of the federal government. I am concerned about the separation of children from their parents that occurred earlier this year and the inability of the federal government to reunite these families. I would like to see comprehensive immigration reform passed in the Congress.

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 Pennsylvania?
- Yes

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

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

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

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

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 Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I also support increased transparency for charter schools and cyber-charter schools and study of how these schools are funded. We should fully enact the fair funding formula for basic education and charters and cyber-charters should develop a fair funding formula for charter schools and cyber-charter schools that is fair for basic ed, special ed, charters and cyber-charters. We need to have a better balance in terms of state and local funding and transparency.

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
- Currently, the Delaware River Basin Commission is underfunded by Pennsylvania. Fifteen million people get their drinking water from the. Delaware River. The compact between Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the federal government has ensured that our water is cleaner than it was in the 1960?s and 1970?s. This is important and Pennsylvania should pay its fair share for ensuring that the work on clean drinking water continues. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission also should be funded. Pennsylvania is not currently living up to its responsibilities in this area.

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 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?
- 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 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.
- Fair funding for education and increased funding for early intervention and Pre-K programs is a top priority. I also strongly support initiatives to make it easier to vote such as allowing teens to register prior to their 18th birthday so that they can vote in the election immediately after they turn 18; no-excuse absentee voting; early voting as examples. Finally, a thorough review of the tax structure in Pennsylvania. This should be completed via bicameral, bipartisan commission that engages with experts in the area of taxation and done in as non-biased way as possible.