Massachusetts 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 have a right to make their own reproductive choices for themselves.

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 support taxing income after the first million at a higher rate to raise revenue needed to maintain and better our transportation infrastructure and public education.If the Commonwealth had a substantial drop in revenue it would be better not to lay off valued employees and instead use furloughs so that jobs are retained. Layoffs of needed employees cost more in the long run and hurt both the employee and the employer.

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. Do you support allowing candidates to use their campaign funds for childcare?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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
- Marijuana became legal by public votes at the polls. While I had ambivalent thoughts and voted no on legalization the people made a reasonable choice which I support. We have so-called transfer hearings to sometimes treat a juvenile as an adult. The judge decides whether to transfer or not. I haven't closely looked at the issue of transfer hearings and would need to before changing current practices.

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 Massachusetts?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Some of these questions are overbroad and better answered by examining facts and tailoring the policy to fit the need. For example many persons who are not computer literate have had problems accessing employment benefits and we need to address that issue.

Education

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- Our public education standards in Massachusetts would be a ceiling with the federal standards a floor.We currently fund charter schools - I do not favor expansion. We need to focus on our public schools and not drain more public funds to essentially private schools.Children educated in our public schools ought receive in-state tuition. Immigrants as a group obey our laws better than the rest of us do and they generally work very hard and they pay taxes. We are a nation of immigrants.

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 Massachusetts'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. Other or expanded principles
- I support allowing people who are terminally ill to exercise control of their passing if they are competent to do so as certified by two physicians.I need to look closer to decide yes or no on religious exemptions to vaciinations - yes eliminate if not to do so places others at serious risk, no allow the exemption if it does not place others at risk.

Social

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

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by Massachusetts 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.
- Campaign finance reform after Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission requires amendment of the United States Constitution to make clear once again that corporations are not people and money is not free speech. Our health can improve and we can lower the cost of health care - not mutually exclusive. Our parents or grandparents went to college paying a couple hundred dollars a year (as they continue to do today in Germany), my generation could pay off college debt in a few years. We need to reform higher education making it debt free for the good of all.