West Virginia 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
- I support doubling the severance tax on natural gas. This will bring in several hundred million new dollars and is not a tax on West Virginia's citizens, since most of the gas drilled in West Virginia is sold out-of-state. Therefore most of the "value-added" jobs created will be out-of-state. Any in-state consumption of West Virginia drilled gas creating "value-added" jobs could be compensated for with an income tax reduction. This tax will not cost the state any drilling jobs, as the gas now being drilled is so valuable the companies will pay the higher tax to get it.

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?
- No

2. Do you support expanding existing medical marijuana laws to include edible and/or respiratory forms of marijuana?
- Yes

3. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

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

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

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

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 West Virginia?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- As to (a), there are some exceptions to this. As to (c), West Virginia's environmental laws need to be strengthened.

Education

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

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from West Virginia 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
- As to (a), I'm not sure.

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?
- No Answer

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
- As to (a) I support some gun-control legislation, but not all gun-control legislation.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through West Virginia'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
- As to (b), we've already done that.

Social

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

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by West Virginia state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- As to (a) & (b), I sponsored such legislation when I was previously a member of the Legislature.

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.
- (1) Fixing PEIA permanently. (2) Better salaries for teachers, school service workers and state employees. (3) Stronger environmental laws. All of this can be funded by doubling the severance tax on natural gas.