Oregon 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
- No Answer

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?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- We do need to take immediate steps to eliminate our PERS unfunded actuarial liability. Above I said I didn't want to reduce pensions, and generally that is true, however, there are some specific cases that resulted from unintended consequences and those need to be looked at carefully, due to the seriousness of the deficit. I would prefer to not increase personal income taxes, however, I do think we need to make sure LARGE corporations are not using current tax laws to avoid paying a minimum corporate tax.

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
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

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

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?
- Yes

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support capital punishment under limited circumstances and only if administered humanely and cost-effectively. In certain circumstances, but not all, it is appropriate for a minor accused of a violent crime to be prosecuted as an adult. Lacking proper documentation to be in the country is a civil not criminal issue. Our immigration system lacks fairness and has been circumvented for a long time. I do support state and local police helping federal agencies to deport criminals convicted for serious crimes.

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 Oregon ?
- Yes

7. Should landlords be required to provide relocation assistance to tenants displaced by a terminated lease or rent increase?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- My answers to all of these questions are really "it depends." The details are what matter. For example, landlords should not be required to provide relocation assistance if the tenants are given sufficient time to make arrangements.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Oregon ?
- Yes

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

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

4. 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 government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Do you support implementing cap-and-trade policies in Oregon that require in-state businesses to pay a carbon emissions tax?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

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

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
- I support gun violence prevention and the rights of gun owners to own firearms if they can use them safely. A license that proves competency with a firearm, just a driver's license requires proof of competency with a motor vehicle or motorcycle, is a reasonable precaution.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Oregon '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. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

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

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by Oregon 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.
- Eliminating the PERS unfunded liabilities is essential. We need a plan. I am not familiar enough with line items in the budget to recommend the source of the additional funding at this time, but I believe making the cuts necessary will require a strong political backbone because no one will be happy. Fixing the mental health system is also a long-term priority for me. Funds should be re-prioritized and additional funds could come from reduced expenses in other programs resulting from a more effective mental health system.