Pennsylvania State Legislative Election 2012 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?
- Yes

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?
- Yes

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

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

State Spending:

Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Decrease

3. Environment
- Slightly Increase

4. Health care
- Slightly Increase

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Slightly Increase

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

7. Welfare
- Slightly Decrease

8. Other or expanded categories
- OTHER BUDGET CUTS OF GOVERNMENT WASTE ARE REQUIRED TO REDIRECT MONIES TO PUBLIC EDUCATION. INVEST IN OUR FUTURE AND CUT OUR BLOATED GOVERNMENT IN HARRISBURG.

State Taxes:

Using the key, indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Slightly Increase

2. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Slightly Increase

5. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

6. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Maintain Status

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Maintain Status

10. Other or expanded categories
- GAS COMPANIES NEED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE WHILE REMOVING OUR RESOURCES AND PUTTING OUR CITIZENS AT RISK.

Budget Stabilization:

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Pennsylvania's budget.

1. Tapping into Pennsylvania's "rainy day" fund
- No Answer

2. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No Answer

3. Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
- No Answer

4. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No Answer

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

6. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No Answer

7. Stricter enforcement of the "use tax"
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

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?
- Yes

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

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Other or expanded principles
- ANY VOTER ID BILL NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME TO NOT EFFECT VOTER TURN OUT.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

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 decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- No

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

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- Yes

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- (d) DEPENDS ON THE VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.

Economic

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

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

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

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

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- Yes

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 the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

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

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- 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 increased regulations on hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" in the Marcellus Shale?
- Yes

4. Do you support a statewide impact fee on drillers at the local level?
- Yes

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

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

7. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- THE "IMPACT FEE" IS ONE OF (IF NOT THE SMALLEST) IN THE NATION OF GAS PRODUCING STATES.

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

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

3. Should municipalities be able to enforce stricter gun laws than state law?
- Yes

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

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- (d) ONLY WITH REQUIRED LICENSE(e) I SUPPORT A STRONGER PAPER TRAIL OF ALL WEAPONS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY A LICENSE FOR ALL GUN OWNERS

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

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

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- (e) DEPENDS ON THE "LIMITS"

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
- Yes

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

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- SAME SEX COUPLES SHOULD BE GIVEN EQUAL RIGHTS AS A MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, on an attached page, or via e-mail, 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.
- PA'S BUDGET FOR EDUCATION HAS BEEN SLASHED IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. NOT ONLY IS THIS AN ASSAULT ON AN INVESTMENT INTO OUR FUTURES, BUT THE RESULT HAS BEEN A TAX INCREASE TO OUR LOCAL HOME OWNERS AND SENIOR CITIZENS. LOCAL SCHOOL TAXES HAVE BEEN FORCED UPWARD, SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CUT SERVICES AND CLASS SIZES INCREASE. IF ELECTED, I WOULD REDIRECT SOME STATE FUNDS BACK TO OUR SCHOOLS TO GIVE BOTH THE MORTGAGE OWNERS, SENIOR CITIZENS, SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS SOME MUCH NEEDED RELIEF. I WOULD PAY FOR THIS IN TWO WAYS. FIRST, BY CUTTING OUR STATE'S GOVERNMENT. THE...