Manny Kepas' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Manny Kepas has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Utah State Legislative Election 2014 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| No | b) Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy? | ||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures? | ||
| No | h) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| Incest: In the case of parents who participated in incest, the parent's have no rights over the minor and the minor should be removed to a place of protection by Utah's Child & Welfare Services. Rape: Children, who are the victims of rape or incest should receive immediate help & assistance from Utah's Child & Welfare Services and law enforcement. All rape victim's should be receive help and protection from law enforcement. In the case of rape, I support the use of public funds for abortion if the Victim decides to abort. | |||
1) State Spending:Using the key, indicate 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 Taxes:Using the key, indicate 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.
| Slightly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | h) Income taxes (mid-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| I am a Licensed H.S. Business Teacher & Award Winning Cost Accountant. The #1 responsibility of Utah is Education. Our state has the greatest class sizes & lowest funding in the USA. Reduce class size to sustainable level. Goal of16 students per Elementary class(STAR study) & 25 students per Secondary class(SLCC). Education Funds diverted to infrastructure/highway projects should be restored. Oil shale reserves, in south-eastern Utah, should be used in an safe environmental manner with oversight to fund the growth of the state. Escalante National Park Coal Reserves should be returned to Utah to support the funding of Education. | |||
| No Sales Tax on purchases of Food. The Sales Tax on Food is a Regressive Tax and has a greater financial impact on the expenditures of those who make less money; since the more disposable income an individual has the less they would need to spend proportionately on food. | |||
a) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| Yes | b) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| The Republican Party has been greatly impacted by the contributions of PAC's such as "The Proper Role of Government", managed by Jason Powers (Orrin Hatch's campaign manager) is funded by Pay Day Lenders. The Utah State Legislature has refused to set Rate Limits. The average rate of 473% in Utah is Predatory on those in poverty. Attorney General Candidate(D) Charles Stormont said he won't take money from payday lenders, multilevel marketers, etc. Interim Attorney General Sean Reyes(R) said he hasn't targeted any specific industries from which he won't take donations because it could stigmatize them. Perpetuating the Swallow/Shurtleff compromise issues. | |||
| Yes | 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) Do you support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? | ||
| d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | |||
| e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | |||
| No | f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| D & E - should be on a case by case basis involving the severity of the circumstances and knowledge of the minor. Minors have traditionally been judged and held separated from the general judicial and prison system. Committing minors to the laws of for adults does not allow the minor the opportunity to change their behaviors. F - Only in the case of crime. | |||
| a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | |||
| Yes | b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | |||
| e) Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | |||
| Yes | f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| g) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage? | |||
| h) Do you support the privatization of liquor sales? | |||
| I agree with Tea Party Leader David Kirkham when he said that Utah State Government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers through the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Utah has a high education level with an average population age of greater than 10 years younger in comparison to any other state with an accent neutral population. Companies have relocated to Utah to utilize our highly skilled, educated, & younger work force. Now is the time to repeal Utah's "Right to Work" law that allows an employer to fire an employee at any time without cause. | |||
| a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? | |||
| Yes | b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers? | ||
| No | d) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| Yes | g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Utah high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I am a Licensed H.S. Business Teacher & Award Winning Cost Accountant. The #1 responsibility of State Government is Education. Our state has the largest class sizes& lowest funding in the USA. Reduce class size to sustainable level. Goal of16 students per Elementary class(STAR study) & 25 students per Secondary class(SLCC). Common Core has added rigor to education, while taking almost a month from education for testing and preparation, and some states have been caught cheating. Rejection of ALEC sponsored School Voucher Proposals that Citizens of Utah don't want, because they take divert public education funds to private schools. | |||
| Yes | 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)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support state funding for improvements to Utah's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| No | e) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| I support state funding for solar energy. My opponent, Margaret Dayton, in 2011 removed Environmental oversight that resulted in greater pollution within our state. http://saltcitysinner.blogspot.com/2011/11/surprise-when-state-senator-margaret.html The Center for Disease & Control states that Utah has the Highest rate of Autism in the U.S.A.. Harvard University has linked Autism in children to Air Pollution. The American Lung Association has stated that Utah received an "F" in air quality. How many more children will develop Autism due to our lack of Environmental Control by our Utah State Government? We need state wide auto emissions regulation and enforced air quality standards. | |||
| a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | |||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns? | ||
| d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | |||
| I agree with our present Utah State law: Concealed firearms require a permit, individuals convicted of a felony or those who suffer from severe mentally illness should not be able to purchase a firearm, Those who own a fully automatic firearm are required to have a license. "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence... The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference--they deserve a place of honor with all that's good." George Washington. | |||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act? | ||
| No | e) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| f) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | |||
| g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | |||
| I believe that as a society we should be able to ensure our citizens have affordable healthcare. At present, there are 123,000 Utahan's that do not meet the requirements for Medicaid. In Utah, you are required to be a family of four earning less than $23,500 a year. We do not need a Utah solution, we need a compassionate solution for those who are sick and afflicted. The Deseret News "In Our Opinion" recommended the accepting the Medicaid Expansion: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865596629/Expanding-Medicaid.html?pg=all "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." JFK | |||
| No | a) Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Yes | b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Utah's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Utah's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Intentional Discrimination is Against the Law. Anti Discrimination should be Against the Law. Utah has a high education level with an average population age younger than 10 years in comparison to any other state with an accent neutral population. Companies have relocated to Utah to utilize our highly skilled & educated, younger work force. How can we accommodate economic growth while permitting Illegal Discrimination against our citizens. Now is the time to repeal Utah's "Right to Work" law that allows an employer to fire an employee at any time without cause. | |||
| CONSERVATIVE FAMILY VALUES, LICENSED HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS TEACHER & AWARD WINNING COST ACCOUNTANT I am married to Ellen Braithwaite, from Orem for 30 years with 6 children. I Am Pro-Life & Voted for Mitt Romney. I Support: Gun Rights, Count My Vote, Anti-Discrimination Laws I am a former Licensed NYSE Principal with "Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter & Discover Card" I Graduated from Indiana University: MBA Finance/ BYU Business, am a Returned LDS Missionary from Melbourne Australia, Eagle Scout with a Gold Palm, Duty to God. EDUCATION: Reduce Utah's Class Size: Improve Student Educational Outcomes. TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT RESTORE CLEAN AIR& WATER |
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