Georgia 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
- Countries that have universal healthcare have significantly less abortions. By expanding Medicaid and moving toward universal healthcare, we can reduce the abortion rate.

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
- Not really an income tax increase, but a roll back of the recent tax cut. This cut, which primarily helped high income earners, could have paid for Medicaid expansion, free tuition for technical schools, childcare for low income workers and the enactment of a state earned income credit which would be much more beneficial to lower income workers than the tax cut was.

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
- An independent commission for redistricting is definitely needed as both parties have abused the current policy by gerrymandering districts when they have been in power. We also need to change the law to mirror most other states who can only redistrict every ten years with the census.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No Answer

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

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- With the exception of capital punishment, the other three questions are not so black and white. I fully support a well regulated medical cannabis industry and could support recreational use in the future based on studies of other states. The violent crime by a minor should be evaluated on a case by case basis. While I support the enforcement of some federal immigration laws by state and local police, I don't support some of the new regulations being handed down by the current administration.

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 Answer

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 Georgia?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Lowering taxes has not been proven to spur economic growth in the long run. Putting more money in the hands of workers by increasing the minimum wage would drive economic growth more than any tax cut and would increase tax revenue. Requiring drug tests for welfare recipients entails more expense than savings in states that have passed these requirements. Reducing regulations should be taken on a case by case basis with a cost/benefit approach has what impact the regulation has on other factors such as the environment.

Education

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

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Georgia 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. Other or expanded principles
- Development of renewable energy production is not only better for our environment but could create thousands of well paying jobs. We must protect our air, water and land for our children and grandchildren.

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
- Common sense gun regulations are supported by over 90% of the U.S. population. Our government should not be beholden to the NRA.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Georgia's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No Answer

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No Answer

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Do you support increasing funding for state medical facilities and hospitals in rural areas?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Healthcare should be our number one priority, that includes expanding Medicaid which would benefit rural hospitals without those hospitals being subject to budget cuts in down economic years. We need not only more treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse, but also a viable medical cannabis industry as states who have strong medical cannabis programs have 25% less deaths from opioid overdoses. I believe everyone should have health care coverage but I would prefer it come from a Medicare for all type program. While I fully support religious freedom, the vaccination question should take into account all kids affected.

Social

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

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

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

4. Should faith-based organizations be permitted to deny services based on religious beliefs?
- No Answer

5. Do you support the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- The denial of services for religious beliefs by faith-based organizations should be reliant on whether the citizen has other viable options for those services.

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 top priority is the expansion of Medicaid so that we can give more people health care coverage and protect our rural hospitals. The funding necessary for this could come from a rollback of the recent tax cut but would also be helped by the increased tax revenue that would come from the thousands of new jobs that would be created. Another priority is the creation of a medical cannabis cultivation industry which would create jobs, increase tax revenue and combat opioid abuse along with providing many people with chronic illnesses much needed relief.