New York 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
- The choice to terminate a pregnancy is deeply personal and is best decided by women in consultation with their partners and medical professionals. I believe that abortions should be safe, legal and rare. We must protect women's health and reproductive justice. At the same time, we need to focus resources on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies including access to birth control, age-appropriate science-based sex education, and policies that empower parents, including the protection and expansion of universal Pre-K and paid family leave.

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
- We can balance the budget by making sure that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share and that we have claw backs for companies that get tax breaks and then either fail to deliver or leave as soon as the tax break expires. I also believe that we can grow the tax base with smart investments in infrastructure that will empower entrepreneurs and encourage economic growth, as well as saving money through smart moves such as consolidating elections and moving to mail in ballots in rural areas.

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 support getting money out of politics. It makes it almost impossible for anyone outside of the wealthiest to compete. I also believe that we need to end the policies that give deep advantages to incumbents including the use of taxpayer money for what are essentially campaign mailers, as well as gerrymandering which means they don't have to work as hard and constituents are less well represented. I have pledged that if in the position to do so, I will redistrict the 101st out of existence, even if it means I am out of a job.

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. Do you support replacing the cash bail system with a supervised release system for misdemeanor charges?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- We can be safe in our communities without over-policing, excessive punishment and a cash bail system which we know disproportionately impacts communities of color and poorer communities. We should start by not only decriminalizing marijuana, but granting clemency for those serving time for marijuana possession. We also must ensure that immigrant communities are safe reporting crimes and not subject to immigration enforcement when coming forward about criminal activity in their neighborhoods or that they may have experienced. I also believe that the cash bail system which leads to incarceration of people not convicted of a crime is deeply problematic.

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?
- 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 New York ?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- When people have the means to live a decent life, we all benefit. A living wage and safety net puts more money into the economy than it costs. We know that every $1 in SNAP benefits, for example, has an economic multiplier effect of $1.79. We need smart investing in infrastructure and local needs to grow our economy, as well as making sure that regulations make sense and that working class New Yorkers are not baring the brunt of the tax burden.

Education

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

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

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

4. Should students' standardized test scores be used to evaluate teacher performance?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- We need to allow local school districts the flexibility to meet the needs of their students. We also need to make sure that we are not draining money out of the public school system which benefits all of us by making sure the next generation is well educated, whether we have school aged children or not.

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
- Our pristine environment is one of our greatest resources in upstate New York. We must protect our air, water and soil, and at the same time, reduce our carbon emissions. Investments in green energy are smart - they produce local jobs, pay higher wages, and cannot be exported.

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 gun owner and I believe in the Second Amendment. At the same time, I agree with 88% of Americans that we should close gun show loopholes. I also agree with the vast majority of teachers that there should not be guns in classrooms. A licensing system would not impede legal gun owners while helping put in place checks and balances to make sure that fewer guns get into the hands of those who should not have them. I also believe however that any gun laws must recognize the differences between rural and urban living.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through New York '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. Other or expanded principles
- We must properly fund opioid treatment in New York and hold accountable the drug manufacturers who misled the public by making them pay for it. I also support the New York Health Act which would create a single payer system for all New York residents, improving care while reducing costs and creating jobs. Regarding C - I support requiring people to buy health care insurance under the current ACA system because that is the only way to make it work. However, I would rather see a system where everyone has health insurance by default.

Social

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

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

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

4. Should New York permit localities to adopt "Sanctuary City" immigration policies?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Sanctuary city immigration policies can be critical for ensuring that people who are victims of or witnesses to crimes feel safe going to the police and reporting them. This can be critical for ensuring that communities are safe and that local law enforcements has access to the information and public support it needs.

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.
- - Bringing high speed internet and cell phone service to every part of the district. We can do this by demanding that companies with monopoly status stop cherry-picking their customers and also working with companies that can bring new innovative technologies to solve the information gap.- Reforming voting rights in New York to include automatic voter registration, early voting and mail in voting, as well as consolidating elections which will save money.- Redistricting the 101st so that the voters have the representation that they deserve, even if it means I become ineligible to run.