Texas 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
- Women's health has suffered in Texas because of the push to end abortion by Republicans in the Legislature. Clinics have been closed for lack of funds, lawsuits have wasted time and money, and women in Texas have a higher maternal mortality rate than other states and many other countries. Women have a constitutional right to determine what is best for their own health and the welfare of their families.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Do you support the creation of a state income tax in Texas?
- Yes

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. Other or expanded principles
- Texas is one of few states that rely on sales and property tax, plus lots of fees and a lottery to support state government. The tax system in Texas unfairly burdens middle and lower income residents and requires too little of businesses. A more effective and fair tax on corporations and an income tax that offset the regressive burden of sales tax would make the burden of taxation in Texas more fair.

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
- On the day the Texas Voter ID went into effect, 600,000 Texans immediately lost the right to vote due to the requirement of certain photo IDs. It took a federal lawsuit to require the Legislature to make the Voter ID law less onerous, but local enforcement can still have an oppressive impact, especially on poor people, the elderly and people of color who are less likely to have the required photo ID.

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?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I was opposed to SB-4, the Texas law that made criminals out of local law enforcement based on a requirement that local law enforcement take on the additional and conflicting responsibility of enforcing Federal immigration laws. As a result of this law, immigrants who were stopped for traffic violations and other small infractions became "low-hanging fruit" for ICE agents. Creating new criminal charges to be made against our local sheriffs and police is unconscionable.

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 Texas?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- My corporate law experience representing and serving as an officer of corporations in Texas made me aware that corporations are not unduly regulated or taxed in Texas. As the chief compliance officer of a medium-sized corporation, I found it took much less time and effort to create and support a compliance program than to rail against regulations and requirements. Texas would definitely benefit from an increased minimum wage that would enable more people to participate in the economy as consumers.

Education

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

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

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

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Federal education standards that are beneficial to students will benefit Texas by improving future prospects for Texas children. Federal education standards that are not beneficial should be challenged. Charter schools are currently financed in part with local property tax proceeds, and compete directly with public schools. Charter schools that are actually serving students can be continued as long as the net benefit is positive. Immigrant students who reside in Texas will make a greater contribution to our State if they are able to attend college. State funding must increase to 50%.

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 live in an off-grid home relying on rainwater harvesting, solar power and solar thermal rather than utilities. Renewable energy employee many times as many workers as power sources using fossil fuels. Fossil fuels will eventually run out, but wind, solar and water will always be present. Texas has suffered greatly from the impacts of climate change and must become a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through more public transportation, incentives for low emission vehicles, and systems to reward businesses that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Licensing all gun ownership is not necessary and would fly in the face of 2nd Amendment protections. I support licensing for handguns when carried in public, whether open or concealed. My emphasis is on gun safety rather than gun control. Having grown up in rural Texas, I was taught to use hunting rifles and shotguns safely, and my father practiced safe storage of guns. I am opposed to current limitations on the right to ban guns from premises and campuses. Public places, schools, churches and government offices should be able to prohibit guns as federal offices now do.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Texas'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?
- No

6. Do you support increasing funding for state medical facilities and hospitals in rural areas?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Rural communities must have local, affordable health care. Expanding Medicaid will help to fund local healthcare. Better Internet service that is affordable will help with some specialized care, but rural Texans must also have hands on medical care within reach. Better healthcare will result in strengthening communities with better jobs for residents. Improving healthcare in rural areas will require investment and increased funding initially.

Social

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

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

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

4. Should individuals be required to use a bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificate?
- No

5. Do you support the removal of Confederate statues from public spaces?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- item (e) is too broad. Confederate statues can be misleading and offensive, and are often the result of political agendas that arose long after the War between the States was concluded. There may be public spaces and particular statues that can coexist into the future, and public spaces, like museums, where Confederate statues can be informative. I support the right of people in the public to express their opposition to Confederate statues and be viewed as reasonable. Our country is very fortunate that the North/South division did not prevail and lead to two less powerful countries.

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.
- Public education funding, teacher pay and retired teacher benefits must be brought to a level that is at least average for the U.S., and the State share of those costs must be fully funded. Medicaid expansion and rural healthcare go hand in hand and must be approved. In the Texas Hill Country, county governments must have land use authority to give local people a voice when they oppose unsustainable development and destructive industrial activity.