Karl Stecher, Jr.'s Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Karl Stecher, Jr. has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2020 Political Courage Test.
Colorado State Legislative Election 2020 Political Courage Test
| a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | |||
| Yes | b) Do you support legalizing abortion when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| No | c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| Whereas I am pro-life, I understand that each situation is dangerous and agonizing for the mother and father. I also understand life as I have operated on 2-3 dozen infants that only weighed 1 or 2 pounds. | |||
| Yes | a) In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions? | ||
| No | b) In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| Whereas agreements were made with employees through PERA, the projected returns were unrealistic. In order to keep the program alive for retirees, it might be necessary to reduce the benefits. Many municipalities in other states have essentially gone bankrupt. I do not want this to happen in Colorado. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a limit on campaign contributions to state candidates? | ||
| No | b) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| No | e) Do you support automatic voter registration? | ||
| No | f) Do you support awarding Colorado's electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote? | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| b) Should an individual under 18 accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | |||
| Yes | c) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the use of private prisons in Colorado? | ||
| No | e) Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders? | ||
| No | f) Do you support a ban on flavored nicotine products? | ||
| b) it depends on each situation. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support lowering state income taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | d) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? | ||
| No | e) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Colorado? | ||
| No | f) Do you support requiring employers to provide paid family leave? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| No | a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Colorado? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increasing teacher salaries AND/OR benefits in Colorado? | ||
| d) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Colorado high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | |||
| A) I believe this issue should be left to the states. Standards do not seem to have done any good as students are still advancing, even though they have not met the standards of that particular grade. D) Only in they are citizens. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| No | c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives? | ||
| No | d) Do you support the reintroduction of gray wolves into Colorado? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| No | a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom after passing gun safety training? | ||
| No | d) Should a license be required for gun ownership? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
| No | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Colorado's health care programs? | ||
| No | c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| No | d) Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations? | ||
| No | f) Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19? | ||
| A) If necessary, funds could be directed to treatment. However, I do not support increasing taxes. B) Medicaid is necessary, and has been a great help to low-income people. I am not in favor of increasing to a higher-income threshold to be eligible for Medicaid. People and even legislators are generally not aware that Medicaid (and Medicare even) are so low that comparatively it is like paying 50 cents per gallon for gasoline. This is often below the doctors overhead. E) But public safety vs. freedom of religion would be decided by courts. | |||
| No | a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | c) Do you support greater efforts by Colorado state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | ||
| C) Why is this a question? Studies have shown that there is no gap, and equal pay for equal work is the law of the land. | |||
| In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top legislative priority and how you plan to fund it. | |||
| I strongly support law enforcement and the enforcement of laws, and appropriate civil punishment for law breakers. The responsibilities of and dangers to police is significant. As a life-time bird watcher, I strongly support conservation and the protection of our lands. | |||
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