New Mexico State Legislative Election 1996 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

1. Abortions should always be legally available.
- X

2. Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer

6. Abortions should be limited by mandatory waiting periods.
- No Answer

7. Abortions should be limited by parental notification requirements for girls under 18.
- No Answer

8. Should New Mexico government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?
- Yes

Affirmative Action

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action in New Mexico.

1. The New Mexico government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors.
- X

2. The New Mexico government should provide no affirmative action programs.
- No Answer

3. Do you believe that the New Mexico government should recognize same-sex marriages?
- Yes

4. Do you believe that sexual orientation should be added to New Mexico's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

Children & Families

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding children & family issues in New Mexico.

1. Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
- X

2. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
- X

3. Support denying or suspending state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
- X

4. Support the privatization of child support collection services.
- No Answer

Crime

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in New Mexico.

1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
- No Answer

2. Expand and promote "community policing" programs.
- X

3. Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences with no chance of parole.
- No Answer

4. Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
- No Answer

5. Oppose the death penalty.
- X

6. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X

7. Require mandatory life sentences for third-time, violent felons.
- No Answer

8. Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
- X

9. Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
- X

10. Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
- No Answer

11. Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
- No Answer

12. Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups.
- No Answer

13. Support contracting with private sector firms to manage state prisons.
- No Answer

14. Toughen and strictly enforce penalties for those committing "hate crimes" directed against a specific group.
- X

Crime (Juvenile)

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in New Mexico.

1. Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
- No Answer

2. Provide state funding for military-style "boot camps" for juvenile first-time felons.
- No Answer

3. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- X

4. Support state government funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
- X

Economic Development

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning New Mexico's economic development.

1. Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways, and airports.
- X

2. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses.
- No Answer

3. Expand legalized gambling to regions of New Mexico outside tribal lands.
- No Answer

4. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
- No Answer

5. Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates.
- No Answer

6. Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
- No Answer

7. Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
- X

8. Develop a comprehensive plan for short- and long-term economic relations with the Republic of Mexico.
- X

9. Implement "right to work" legislation that allows employees to work without joining a union and paying union dues.
- No Answer

10. Do you support extending the New Mexico workers' compensation law to include agricultural workers?
- Yes

Education

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding New Mexico's education system.

1. Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty.
- X

2. Endorse teacher-led voluntary school prayer in public schools.
- No Answer

3. Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs.
- No Answer

4. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical).
- No Answer

5. Support continuation of charter schools where teachers and other professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- No Answer

6. Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all state public schools.
- No Answer

7. Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
- No Answer

8. Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
- No Answer

9. Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
- X

10. Provide state funding for programs that increase New Mexico students' access to the Internet and other telecommunications networks.
- X

11. Support a school choice program that allows parents to choose which public school their child(ren) should attend.
- No Answer

Environment

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning New Mexico's environment and natural resources.

1. Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout New Mexico.
- X

2. Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
- No Answer

3. Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
- No Answer

4. Require the state to reimburse citizens when state-sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately owned land.
- No Answer

5. Provide funding for recycling programs in New Mexico.
- X

6. Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
- No Answer

7. Suspend New Mexico's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
- No Answer

8. Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
- X

9. Create a state task force to focus on the planning of water conservation and use in New Mexico.
- X

10. Advocate state control of the transport of radioactive waste within New Mexico.
- X

11. Do you support expanded hours of operation of hazardous waste recycling centers in New Mexico?
- No

12. Do you support the 1995 amendment to New Mexico's Wildlife Conservation Act, which excludes some species formerly covered by the Act?
- Undecided

13. Should mining operations which are smaller than 25 acres and do not use chemical processing be exempt from New Mexico's mining laws?
- No

Government Reform

1. Would you support amending the New Mexico Constitution to limit the terms of State Senators and Representatives?
- No

2. Do you support the current law which limits the terms of New Mexico's Governor to eight out of every 12 years?
- Yes

3. Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
- No

4. Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
- Yes

7. Do you support strengthening the current law which requires full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

8. Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
- Yes

9. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- Undecided

Gun

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

1. Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms ofsemi-automatic weapons.
- X

2. Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- X

3. Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms.
- X

4. Ease state procedures and restrictions on the purchase and registration of firearms.
- No Answer

5. Repeal all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms.
- No Answer

6. Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.
- No Answer

Health Care

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning New Mexico's health care system.

1. Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
- X

2. Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
- X

3. Ensure that New Mexico citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
- X

4. Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- No Answer

5. Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- No Answer

6. Create incentives that increase the supply and retention of health professionals in rural areas.
- X

State Budget

Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one option only.

1. Abortion
- Slightly Increase

2. Affirmative Action
- Greatly Increase

3. Agriculture
- Maintain Status

4. AIDS Programs
- Maintain Status

5. Border Security
- Maintain Status

6. Education
- Greatly Increase

7. Environment
- Greatly Increase

8. Health care
- Greatly Increase

9. Infrastructure
- Greatly Increase

10. Law enforcement
- Greatly Increase

11. Welfare
- Greatly Increase

State Taxes

Please indicate the changes you will support (if any) concerning New Mexico's tax levels. Select one option only.

1. Alcohol Taxes
- Greatly Increase

2. Business Taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Capital gains taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Cigarette taxes
- Greatly Increase

5. Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
- Slightly Decrease

6. Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
- Slightly Increase

7. Property taxes
- Slightly Increase

8. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

9. State Fees
- Maintain Status

10. Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?
- No

State-Tribal Relations

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding New Mexico's relations with Native American residents in the state.

1. Encourage legislation which would give the state of New Mexico more power in dealing with Native American tribal governments.
- No Answer

2. Support the current sovereign status which tribal governments in New Mexico have over their members and their lands.
- X

3. Do you support allowing Native American tribes in New Mexico to operate gambling facilities on their land?
- Undecided

4. Do you support legislation which would enable Native American tribal governments to store hazardous waste on their land?
- Yes

Welfare

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding New Mexico's welfare system.

1. Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
- X

2. Allow welfare recipients to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care (if needed) until they become self-sufficient.
- X

3. Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
- No Answer

4. Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 attend school and live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits.
- No Answer

5. Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children.
- No Answer

6. Provide two-parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one-parent families.
- X

7. Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately-funded assistance to people in need.
- No Answer

8. Place a lifetime limit of five years on the length of time a person can receive welfare benefits in New Mexico.
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected to the New Mexico State Legislature. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.
- Increase funding for public education, making children a top priority. A strong public education system is good for children and families, is an important economic tool, and can help prevent crime. Health care should not be a privilege. We need universal coverage to protect all children and families and to contain costs. I propose to fund these initiatives through tax reform, which includes a more equitable distribution of taxes paid based on income earned, true property tax reform that accounts for people on fixed incomes, and the elimination of sales taxes on food and medical supplies.