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 healthcare and health access is far more than abortion services. When politicians limit access to abortion, they also limit access to other women's health services - cancer screenings, contraception, prenatal screenings, etc. It's not just for women, either - men can also be tested for STIs and STDs. If we want to reduce abortions, and if we want a safer, healthier population, we need to support pro-choice legislation.

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
- Income, property, and sales taxes are three types of taxes. In Texas, we only have property and sales taxes, which are regressive taxes that dis-proportionally burden the poorest among us. To truly bring tax relief on the most vulnerable, and truly reform our taxation system to a fairer, more equitable, and stronger system, we must have a serious conversation about introducing a state income tax - particularly when some of the most stable, most effective states do have a state income tax. This can form part of expanding revenue streams and ensuring our state economy works for everyone.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Our politics is hurting due to the outsized influence of money - especially corporate money - on our Representatives. By instituting campaign contribution limits, we can begin to restore government of the people. Politicians should not be able to draw their own districts; a nonpartisan commission should be responsible. As long as every potential voter can access a free, easily accessible photo identification, we can ensure our polls remain secure.

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
- Criminal justice reform starts with legalizing marijuana. Too many families are torn apart because of low-level, non-violent drug offense prosecutions. Legalization will go a long way to restoring families, freeing up police resources, and spurring economic growth.Capital punishment is too expensive and does not have the deterrent effect it's meant to have. The starting point must be that a minor should be tried as a juvenile unless it can be proven the minor was thinking and acting as an adult.Jurisdictions exist for a reason. We should not blur those lines.

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?
- Yes

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
- At times of economic crisis, the government is one of the few agencies with the capacity and ability to spur economic growth. As we saw in the 2008 economic recession, government spending helped stave off the worst of the collapse and laid the foundation for our current economic growth. Well-placed and necessary regulations can help support all members of an economy, but we do not and should not over-regulate. Raising the minimum wage is good for growth and ensures ongoing success.Drug testing doesn't work and wastes government resources.

Education

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

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
- Local education agencies know their students best and are best able to educate our children. Charter schools, while useful as an additional option for parents, should not receive state funding as it creates - either purposefully or incidentally - a two-tier system that negatively affects public schools. Supporting our public school system and our public school educators should be the lodestar of state education policy. Equipping all students - regardless of background or immigration status -with the skills and tools to be part of our economy can only strengthen and support all Texans.

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
- Man-made climate change is real, and it is a clear and present danger to our future on Earth. We must take aggressive steps now in order to protect our future, and our kids' future. Without clean air and clean water, humans cannot survive, so we must introduce and support initiatives that not only support us, but the creatures and environment we all share.

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
- While the Second Amendment is an important principle of US history, it is not absolute: like other Amendments have restrictions around them, the Second Amendment also should be regulated in the interests of public safety. Ensuring we have universal effective background checks and an effective licensing system can support gun ownership rights without unnecessarily limiting the right to keep and bear arms. Teachers are paid to teach, and they can only teach if the threat of violence is not ever present. Teachers should not be allowed to bring guns into the classroom.

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?
- Yes

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- Access to affordable, effective healthcare remains a pressing issue for most Texans. Working towards a Medicare-for-all, government-backed system similar to the ones found in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe and Canada will ensure we save costs, improve health outcomes, and ensure as many Texans as possible can receive the healthcare they need, when they need it, at an affordable price. In lieu of a universal healthcare system, mandatory health insurance supports everyone in society.Vaccinations are a complete public health success - they are necessary.With a carefully crafted policy, allowing dignity in death celebrates life.

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?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No one should face discrimination based on who they love or who they identify as, and that includes protecting adoption rights for same-sex couples. Men and women should be receive equal pay for equal work, and I support the Fair Pay Act."Bathroom" bills are not necessary, are bad for business, and dehumanize and divide us.Confederate statues celebrate a society that promoted inequality and celebrated discrimination: they should be placed in context within museums.

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 school funding & teacher retirement pay/benefits: increased, through more state share as well as closing loopholes (equal and uniform property valuation) and introducing further revenue streams (gambling/marijuana consumption taxes)Healthcare: expanding Medicaid under the ACA & promoting universal healthcare/medicare for all policiesProtecting clean air and water - promoting renewable energy sources and ensuring fossil fuel industries do not pollute more than necessary.