Illinois State Legislative Election 2016 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No Answer

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- g is too complex for a simple yes or no answer. Depends on the circumstances and the wording of a bill to either allow or disallow the use of finds for this purpose.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Establishing a "rainy day" fund
- Yes

2. Decreasing funding for public universities
- No

3. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No

4. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No Answer

5. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- As to d, I have supported furloughs under special situations. This has to be judged on a case by case basis.

1. Education (higher)
- Greatly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase

3. Environment
- Slightly Increase

4. Health care
- Greatly Increase

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Greatly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- No Answer

4. Small business taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Gas/Oil taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease

7. Sales taxes
- Slightly Decrease

8. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Greatly Decrease

9. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

10. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Increase

11. Do you support applying sales taxes to all online purchases?
- Yes

12. Other or expanded principles
- As to c, many corporations in Illinois pay no tax at all. We need a complete overhaul of our tax structure, to promote tax fairness. Proponent of progressive or graduated income tax as well.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- No Answer

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

1. Other or expanded principles
- As to d, I support redistricting reform. However, it is unclear whether the commissions proposed can properly comply with the Illinois Constitution and the provisions of the Federal Voting Rights Act.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Do you support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- Yes

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

5. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

6. Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

3. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

4. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

5. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

7. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

8. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

9. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- Yes

10. Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them?
- No

11. Other or expanded principles
- As to b, this question is too simplistic. Wouls have to see what taxes are lowered and how. Would have to see what plan is ahead to use the savings to promote job and economic growth. The graduated income tax I proposed for Illinois would provide a tax CUT for over 99%.

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- No Answer

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No Answer

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- No Answer

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No

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

6. Do you support expanding the number of charter schools in Illinois?
- No

7. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

8. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Illinois high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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 funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Illinois's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

6. Do you support increased regulations of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

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

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- No

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- As to a, we should stop referring to this as gun CONTROL and begin to talk about gun SAFETY. Failing to do so promotes a lack of civility and a failure to co be able to communicate effectively. ALL elected officials, regardless of their views on guns, a for gun SAFETY and the debate should start there. Having said that, I am a strong proponent of gun SAFETY legislation.

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No Answer

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- No Answer

4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

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

6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- A and E are far too simplistic in phraseology. These issues must be part of a large, broadly based discussion of health care in the country and in Illinois. In the process, we must include MENTAL health as well.

Social

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes

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

3. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Illinois's anti-discrimination laws?
- 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.
- 1. Expansion of groundbreaking legislation I sponsored to deal with the heroin and opiod crisis.2. Legislation designed to create jobs and foster economic development.3. Reform of mental health system