Oregon State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- No Answer

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
- I'm neither pro-life nor pro-choice; I'm pro-solution. The parties have been arguing over the back fence about this issue for decades. The fact is, that the vast majority of citizens want to greatly reduce unplanned pregnancies, and, thus, the elective abortion rate. That is a goal we can all agree on, and we should work together to provide family planning education and birth control to make it happen. Once the unplanned pregnancy rate is under greater control (it's falling in Oregon) we can tackle other issues that affect abortion with greater assurance and with more common ground.

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
- It is illegal to cut PERS pensions, so that is not an option. Attempting to balance the budget on the backs of hard-working public servants is unconscionable, though the workforce should be kept lean without impeding efficiency or effectiveness. Medicaid recipients are the poorest among us, and creating a two-tiered health care system is not the Oregon Way. We help each other. Everyone matters in Oregon. Revenue can be raised through higher corporate taxes and carbon taxes on excess emissions.

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 promise to hold a town hall in every community in my district with a school at least once a year. It's important to not only listen to constituents, but to visit them where they live as well. Constituents are important to me.Everyone matters in Oregon, and one way to help ensure that everyone's vote is equal is to limit money in politics. People and corporations should not be able to buy a candidate's or elected official's influence. When elected, I will be accountable to all the people in my district and not to any corporation or individual.

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
- Capital punishment is unevenly imposed upon minority groups, and it is fiscally irresponsible since it's more expensive than life imprisonment. I support the legalization of marijuana in the parts of the state that want it, which is what we have--local control, local decision-making. Minors do not have the reasoning capacity of an adult. Youths are judged differently because they are different. Enforcing federal immigration law with state resources is an unfunded mandate, which I oppose as a misuse of state funds. When an undocumented individual is arrested for a crime in Oregon, they should be turned over to federal authorities.

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 Oregon ?
- Yes

7. Should landlords be required to provide relocation assistance to tenants displaced by a terminated lease or rent increase?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- Reducing taxes has done little nationally to provide economic growth and it reduces needed revenue. When legislators are required to take drug tests to receive their state benefits, then we can talk about testing welfare recipients.I support raising the minimum wage, providing we find a solution for small rural businesses that can barely make payroll now. Most have no fiscal cushion and cannot afford to raise wages without going out of business (and losing local jobs), though higher wages would be a boon to the local economy. There must be a balance.

Education

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- As a former educator, I advocate for greater local control over schools and district structure, not less. How schools reach common educational goals should be up to local communities. The 19th century model, enhanced with tablets and internet, isn't working, and our abysmal graduation rates say it's high time to allow schools to reinvent themselves by using data-driven models, keeping good records on their efforts, and sharing models that work. All students should be excited to go to school, challenged according to their abilities, and given the assistance they need to succeed in a 21st century classroom.

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 implementing cap-and-trade policies in Oregon that require in-state businesses to pay a carbon emissions tax?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Instituting a carbon emission tax and cap-and-trade policies will generate revenue for developing renewable energy in my district and elsewhere in Oregon. It will also limit greenhouse gas emissions and generate revenue for businesses that generate fewer emissions. This type of initiative is a win for the 55th district. In addition, I will advocate for locally-owned renewable energy ventures that keep local money local, create family-wage local jobs, and provide energy independence for Central and Southern Oregon.

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 Answer

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- We have the constitutional right to own guns. I support gun sense laws; no one wants to live next door to an unstable person with a gun. Gun laws should be flexible enough to accommodate rural and urban areas. As a teacher, I would never have carried a gun, but whether they can in our schools is a decision for the community. We should all have the right to make local decisions that fit our community's needs. A gun license should be required to indicate a person can handle a gun safely--that protects both the public and the gun owner.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Oregon 's health care programs?
- Yes

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?
- Yes

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- Treating opioid abuse is less expensive than incarceration. I support Medicaid expansion, and support allowing those who purchase insurance on the exchange to buy into OHP. We should look at ways to make OHP the coverage for all public employees. If OHP is good enough for my constituents, it's good enough for me, and it should be for every public employee. As far as religious exemptions, I only approve of accommodations--any group asking for accommodation should provide proof that the method they use to provide protection from communicable disease is as effective as a vaccination.

Social

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- Everyone matters. We should judge people on how they act, not who they love. While religious freedom allows religious groups to discriminate upon any basis they choose, the government should be in the business of making sure that individuals are treated as equally in public life as possible. I want everyone in my district to have equal opportunity just like everyone else in Oregon because each individual should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. You matter.

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.
- Everyone matters. We should begin to level the playing field for rural Oregonians by providing for more local control. We can have common goals in Oregon and let local governments decide the best way to reach them. This common-sense approach should apply to local schools--making them accountable for educating in a way that makes sense for their community, prepares students for other opportunities, and approaches a 100% graduation rate, using a 21st century model. We also need to continue to expand health care coverage until every Oregonian has affordable and useful coverage. Everyone matters. You matter.