Connecticut 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
- I trust women to make the decisions that are best for them. And I support a woman's right to choose under any circumstances.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- Yes

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 have proposed a fair and permanent solution to the unfunded pension crisis, which was published in Bloomberg. It's called the "Shared Risk" pension model and is a proven success in other states. It requires a complete restructuring of the existing pension system - to eliminate abuse and install reasonable caps and calculations of pensions. A constitutional amendment would mandate full funding going forward, so politicians could never again create this mess. It's a win-win everyone because it could lower unfunded liabilities by up to 30% while delivering secure and reliable pensions to employees. This is the only real solution!

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. Other or expanded principles
- I believe that Democracy works best when elections are clean and fair and when voting is accessible for all citizens. I support early voting, which Connecticut still does not have (and my opponent voted against). I hope that the Supreme Court will overturn the Citizens United case to achieve campaign finance reform. Until that happens, we can enact state law to make campaign funding more transparent. I support disclosing Dark Money donors, while my opponent voted against this bill. Without disclosure, money from other countries and unknown sources can influence CT election outcomes. That undermines our Democracy.

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

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?
- Yes

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

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

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- Yes

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

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

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Connecticut high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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
- I am a Phd candidate in Environmental Law and Policy at Yale and have been an advocate for the Environment for many years. Connecticut is missing opportunities to embrace innovation and clean energy and build a stronger more sustainable economy. I would be an active supporter of migrating to clean energy and carbon pricing and taking other steps to ensure that we are growing an economy and creating a future that is healthy and livable for the next generations. I'm honored to have the endorsement of the CT League of Conservation Voters.

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 am a strong supporter of preventing gun violence and keeping our children and communities safe. I am proud to have earned an "A" rating from CT Against Gun Violence and be the "Moms Demand Action" candidate in this race.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Connecticut'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. Do you support implementing a state administered paid medical and family leave program?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support Equal Pay for equal work, and prohibiting discrimination for all people, regardless of their identity.

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 priorities are: 1) fix the pension crisis immediately to balance the state's budget, 2) modernize our rails and roads and have 30-minute trains between Stamford and NYC so that businesses will move to Connecticut, and 3) reform the tax system to eliminate estate and gift taxes, lower corporate taxes so the system is transparent and fair to small and medium-sized businesses and lower the personal income tax gradually and responsibly, only when the budget is balanced. By pursuing these solutions simultaneously, we will not only achieve fiscal stability, we will also grow a strong and sustainable economy.