Ohio State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

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?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- The right to abortion before viability has been recognized as a fundamental right,and state's may not unduly burden that choice. While I, personally might not agree with the Supreme Court's decisions, they are the law of the land and as a legislator--and a believer in our constituional system--I am bound to accept them. That said, I don't believe tax-payer money should be used to provide abortions. Instead, I support legislation that would promote adoption and/or pregnancy prevention as well as the maternal health care.

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?
- Yes

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Ohio expanded Medicaid and the costs of that expansion were more than double what was anticipated. Medicaid was intended for the persons over 65 and chronically ill who were disadvantaged and unable to work. While substantial funding for the expansion has come from the federal government, that funding phases out over time. The General Assembly needs to take a hard look at whether the current level of Medicaid expansion is sustainable, and look at cost-saving measures, including work requirements for able bodied adults of working age. Otherwise, this entitlement will crowd out other budget priorities like education.

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?
- No

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
- No Answer

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?
- Yes

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- Regarding minors being prosecuted as adults for violent crimes, I think that the presumption should be that they will be tried as juveniles, but allow the state to overcome that presumption with evidence that the juvenile's history and the severity of the crime are such that trying the offender as an adult is appropriate.

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 Ohio?
- No

7. Do you support matching the cost-of-living allowances to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS)?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- I think charter schools provide choice and spur innovation. But as with any state expenditure, proper oversight and transparency is required. I would prefer that Ohio set its own education standards, and that those standards should be rigorous than those of the federal government.

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?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- Funding to help jumpstart renewable energy is fine, but often these projects do not deliver the promised benefits, and encourage "rent-seeking." So those investments should be entered into only after much deliberation and with adequate oversight. I don't think that state funding for drinkingwater initiatives needs to be increased in order to ensure clean water.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

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?
- Yes

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- I think the question of teachers carrying guns should be left to local school boards, who can decide, if, and underwhat circumstances teachers should be allowed to carry. I think if teachersare going to carry, however, they should be required to pass the background check and training requirements to obtain a concealed carry permit, and ideally, should have additional training in crisis response.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Ohio's health care programs?
- No

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

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Should able-bodied citizens Medicaid recipients meet a work requirement to be eligible for benefits?
- Yes

7. Do you support repealing the state mandated Medicaid expansion?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- I would support a gradual roll-back of current Medicaid expansion so that people are not simply thrown off the rolls. I'm concerned that the program as it exists now is unsustainable, and as has happened in other states, Medicaid has swallowed an increasing portion of the budget, crowding other priorities like infrastructure and education.

Social

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

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by Ohio 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.
- I would restore local government funding. Ohio changed its local government fund due to a fiscal emergency eight years ago, and now it is time to revisit that decision. Our inner-ring suburbs need help on infrastructure and fighting the opioid epidemic. I also believe that promoting economic development through a low tax and reasonable regulatory environment is the best way to improve our cities and inner-ring suburbs, create jobs, and move people from Medicaid to private insurance.