Steve Gerling's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Rhode Island State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? | ||
| No | b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? | ||
| No | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| No | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| i) Other or expanded principles | |||
1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Rhode Island's budget.
| Maintain Status | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Law enforcement | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Property taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | a) Tapping into Rhode Island's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | ||
| No | c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| No | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | f) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| Several million can be saved in the current $37-39+ million that the GA spends on itself Savings on Vendor Payments within the Public Welfare area of the state budget, under the major category of Social Services and Income Assistance are a major factor. It is my understanding that RI's expenditures in this sub-category have skyrocketed. Reduced spending in this area - to regionally accepeted levels - can be achieved by tightening the eligibility standards and limits that were already expanded. | |||
| I intend to find budgetary means of eliminating the car tax. I pledge to support this at the state level including sponsorship/co-sponsorship of legislation aimed at elimination of the car tax. I will work with any member of the GA who seeks a joint sponsorship. I am Tea Party Endorsed. | |||
e) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| Yes | a) Should municipalities share the administration of certain public services? | ||
| Yes | b) Should all state legislative actions be subject to the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Rhode Island governors? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Rhode Island state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| No | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| No | 4) Political Party | ||
| No | f) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | ||
| No | c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| Yes | e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | ||
| No | f) Do you support expanding the definition of a hate crime to include gender identity? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| I do not believe in classifying crimes as "hate crimes". I believe all violent crime is deplorable. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | b) Do you support the legalization of casino-style gambling? | ||
| No | c) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| No | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support national education standards? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| No | f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Rhode Island high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I am a member of and fully support Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement (RIILE). | |||
| No | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| No | c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Rhode Island's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| No | b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| No | d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | ||
| I support greater enforcement of existing laws pertaining to gun crimes, while easing restrictions on legal citizens/gun owners. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| No | d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| No | f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Rhode Island? | ||
| No | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Rhode Island allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | ||
| No | d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | ||
| No | e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Rhode Island's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Rhode Island's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| When elected, I plan to introduce legislation designed to strengthen the collective bargaining position of taxpayers and cities/towns by requiring that prior to second passage of any public union contract, the public be given an opportunity to review said contract via internet and through posting at the city or town offices. I would also sponsor legislation aimed at open negotiations. I will propose elimination of the $500 minimum tax levied on small business, and reduction of inventory taxes. I believe that easing the burden on homeowners and businesses will increase revenues to the state and result in decreased unemployment. |
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