Ohio 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
- It is important to also consider ways to reduce unwanted pregnancies in the first place, including both free or inexpensive access to effective birth control, and fact-based sex education. In addition, we need to understand that, when family planning and women's health clinics close, maternal mortality rates increase, especially in low income communities where access without extensive travel is crucial.

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
- I would not consider any income tax increase on middle or working class individuals, but I believe that we need to take a close look at upper income brackets, especially for loopholes that allow the top 10% of earners to avoid their fair share.

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
- Gerrymandering and "dark money" campaign finance are two of the greatest threats to genuine democracy in our country.

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 Answer

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- The question of whether to prosecute a minor as an adult for certain crimes is not a clear "yes or no" situation--it depends on the crime, the context, and the minor in question.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

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

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No Answer

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 Ohio?
- Yes

7. Do you support matching the cost-of-living allowances to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS)?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- Again, some of these questions can not be simplified to a stark "yes or no." State regulations on private businesses are, in some cases (such as child day care and nursing homes) reasonable and necessary to set appropriate and equitable standards. But even these regulations can sometimes go too far. In addition, the question of state spending and lowering taxes to promote economic growth depends on the proposal in question. In some cases, this may be a reasonable approach, but not if it disproportionately burdens small businesses.

Education

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

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

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
- Federal education standards, done correctly and judiciously, can provide guidelines that promote a reasonable expectation for high school graduates across the country, while also allowing for regional variations/state/local control. The problem is not the standards: the problem is the corporatization of education wherein companies are able to exploit misinterpretation and misinformation in order to profit while promoting ineffective pedagogical approaches. I do not support funding for FOR-PROFIT charter schools; however, there are non-profit charters that were founded and are operating for the right reasons, which is to provide curriculum or services that local public schools are unable to offer.

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
- No Answer

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
- No Answer

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?
- 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. Should able-bodied citizens Medicaid recipients meet a work requirement to be eligible for benefits?
- No

7. Do you support repealing the state mandated Medicaid expansion?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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.
- My top three priorities are those echoed by constituents throughout this district--jobs, health care, and education. I do not believe that initiatives to promote an integrated approach to these issues would require much in the way of "additional funding," but I do think we need to take a hard look at our current funding and disbursement practices to redirect away from wasteful spending, and into meaningful and equitable spending. We also need to restore funds taken by the state from local governments and return them to local communities.