Michigan 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
- Reproductive rights are basic human rights. Abortion should be rare, but safe and legal. It would be more rare, if women - and men - have access to culturally sensitive sexual education and healthcare. Long-term sexual health begins with education.

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
- Prioritizing elder law: Keeping our seniors safe from predatory telemarketers, abuse, neglect, and unfair laws.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support Proposal 18-3: to include straight-ticket voting; automatic voter registration; same-day voter registration; and no-excuse absentee voting during the 40 days before an election. Proposal 18-3 would allow eligible persons to register to vote by mail until 15 days before an election. Proposal 18-3 would also constitutionalize existing law providing that military members and overseas voters receive an absentee ballot at least 45 days before the election, and it would add language to the constitution to provide for the use of secret ballots and election results auditing.

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. Other or expanded principles
- I support Proposal 18-1: Allow individuals 21 and older to purchase, possess and use marijuana and marijuana-infused edibles, and grow up to 12 marijuana plants for personal consumption. Impose a 10-ounce limit for marijuana kept at residences and require amounts over 2.5 ounces be secured in locked containers. Create a state licensing system for marijuana businesses and allow municipalities to ban or restrict them. Permit retail sales of marijuana and edibles subject to a 10% tax, dedicated to implementation costs, clinical trials, schools, roads, and municipalities where marijuana businesses are located. Change several current violations from crimes to civil infractions.

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 Michigan?
- Yes

7. Do you support increasing state funding for improving Michigan's roads and bridges?
- Yes

8. Do you support eliminating Michigan's mandatory no-fault auto insurance?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- A recent CPAN Poll shows that 65% Support 'Fair And Affordable' No-Fault Package: Two-thirds of Michigan residents support a package of bills in the Legislature that seeks to lower auto insurance premiums while protecting the lifetime medical and lost-wage benefits provided by the state's auto no-fault insurance system, according to a new statewide poll conducted by ROI Insight.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Michigan?
- Yes

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- Garnet will work tirelessly to see that Michigan's public education system becomes competitive with any other system in the nation. To get there, we must have financial support from the State of Michigan for all three tiers of state-funded public education: preschool, K-12 and post-secondary education. This financial support is essential for any state that intends to compete and succeed in a 21st Century economy. Michigan must expand its pre-school/early childhood education programs, to include all children. Lastly, Michigan must make post-secondary education tuition more affordable.

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. Do you support decommissioning the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, which carries oil from Canada to the U.S.?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Garnet supports the efforts of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and knows that Michigan has the intellectual, industrial, and political resources to become a leader in harbor management and environmental planning, development, and conservation by working collaboratively with legislative colleagues and federal agencies, to secure funding and expertise to restore and our these waterways. Garnet also supports the mission of the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) to proactively and comprehensively address environmental concerns, including decommissioning Enbridge's Line 5.

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
- Like most rights, the right secured by the 2nd Amendment is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. Common sense dictates that, like driving a car or boat or motorcycle, gun owners should be trained and licensed. The only place for military-grade, automatic weapons is in the military and police. Vets and hunters who have experience with these weapons ? including many members of my own family ? agree.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Michigan'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 using state funds to provide public health services to citizens exposed to lead contamination in the Flint Water Crisis?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Healthy people equal a healthy economy. Healthcare, like education, is a fundamental need and a fundamental right. We are the only industrialized nation in the world with a for-profit healthcare system. We can do better.

Social

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

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

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

4. Should able-bodied "food stamps" (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients meet a work requirement to be eligible for benefits?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Working to ensure that citizens' rights extend to all of our citizens - all ages, races, religions, genders, and sexual identities. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. This is our strength.

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.
- Education funding; environmental protections; infrastructure investment; and access to affordable health care. I support the formation of an Infrastructure Bank which would loan, match, grant and leverage federal, state and municipal dollars for infrastructure funding.