Pennsylvania 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
- A women needs to have all the information she needs when making critical decisions about her own healthcare; decisions that impact herself, her partner, and her family should be made by the stakeholder not a governmental body.

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
- Everyone needs to pay their fair share in taxes therefore we need to close the Delaware loophole so that corporations pay their fair share and small businesses aren't the only ones paying state corporate tax. In Pennsylvania we have an up-side-down tax system that burdens lower tax brackets while higher tax brackets pay comparatively less in taxes to the state. This is not a fair system of taxation.

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 early voting in Pennsylvania?
- Yes

6. Do you support reducing the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly?
- Yes

7. 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. Should school safety meetings be made available to the public?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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 Pennsylvania?
- Yes

7. Do you support increasing state funding for road repairs?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

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

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

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

4. Do you support providing virtual charter school alternatives to all K-12 students?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- To elaborate on question c), this program would be intended for students who were brought to the US as children by their parents and had attended Pennsylvania public schools for a certain number of years. Maryland passed a similar program in 2012 with over 90% of voters approving the program.

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?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I believe in common sense gun reform such as universal background checks and closing the loopholes in online gun sales.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Pennsylvania'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
- No Answer

Social

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- All people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity should be treated with respect and dignity.

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.
- My policies put people first, not special interests or lobbyists. First, we must invest in the workforce of the future through education. As a teacher, I'm uniquely qualified to work for world-class educations for our children and make sure we properly fund public-education. Second, to ensure the health of our citizens, it?s essential all residents have affordable and high-quality care. I favor coverage of mental health conditions and treatment and prevention of opioid addiction. Third, seniors have been paying into safety net programs, which shouldn't be cut. Lower drug prices and programs that help seniors age in place are cost-effective.