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Joan Lewis' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Joan Lewis refused to tell citizens where she stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

Connecticut State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
X b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Abortions should be subject to a mandatory waiting period.
g) Require clinics to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.
h) Other or expanded principles

State Budget: Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.State Taxes: Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.

Slightly Increase a) Education (Higher)
Greatly Increase b) Education (K-12)
Maintain Status c) Emergency preparedness
Slightly Increase d) Environment
Greatly Increase e) Health care
Slightly Increase f) Law enforcement
Slightly Increase g) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Slightly Increase h) Welfare
Greatly Increase i) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Increase c) Corporate taxes
Slightly Decrease d) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Decrease e) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Slightly Increase f) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Maintain Status g) Sales taxes
Maintain Status h) Vehicle taxes
Slightly Increase i) Other or expanded categories
Undecided 1) Should state sales taxes be extended to Internet sales?
Yes 2) Should accounts such as a "rainy day" fund be used to balance the state budget?
Yes 3) Should fee increases be used to balance the state budget?
Undecided 4) Should the business entity tax be repealed?
Yes 5) Should the business entity tax be repealed on small businesses?
I believe in Connecticut property tax relief is a top priority which means more funding to our communities. This can be done by greatly increasing funding for education to our towns, and more funding for town aid to roads and PILOT. If the Legislature does this, taxpayers must see relief and that means a system of accountability as to the amount of tax increase a town can impose in any given year (flexible for particular situations and appeal process). We must also fund the reforms proposed in our judicial system (children's courts, juvenile justice, probation officers, halfway houses,etc.)
The corporate tax system with its tax credits is complicated; and we do not have access to all the information that we need. Corporations need to be held accountable for tax credits that they receive. It would seem from the information that is available, an increase in the taxes to the larger corporations may be a possibility and less use of tax credits. Larger corporations are looking for a skilled workforce and good infrastructure (transportation, sewers, water, housing) when they relocate. These comments do not apply to small business. We need to assist them wherever possible.
I believe the "rainy day" fund and fee increases should be used in conjunction with cuts to balance the budget. The "rainy day" fund should be used cautiously; however, in the present economy, we must insure that people have fuel assistance and food. Also, much effort has been put into our colleges and universities and we do not want to backslide. We also have obligations to our communities.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.c) Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative candidates?

Undecided a) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Connecticut governors?
No b) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Connecticut state senators and representatives?
Yes 1) Individual
Yes 2) PAC
Yes 3) Corporate
Yes 4) Political Parties
Yes d) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes e) Do you support imposing spending limits on state-level political campaigns?
f) Should Connecticut participate in the federal REAL ID program?
g) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

X a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and hiring of additional prison staff.
b) Support the death penalty in Connecticut.
X c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X d) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
e) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
f) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
g) Support state and local law enforcement officials enforcing federal immigration laws.
X h) Support hate crime legislation.
i) Support a three-strikes law for individuals convicted of three violent felonies.
We need to increase staffing in our prisons if we continue to grow our prison population. I would like to see more programs for rehabilitation so we do not need to build additional prisons. We must continue to improve our educational systems particularly in the cities so that our young people become productive members of society. Supporting programs to help young people recover from subsance abuse (rather than prison) would save us money in the future. It now costs $44,000 per prisoner annually. Additional support for law enforcement officials to eliminate drugs traffic into the State.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

X a) Support state funding of universal pre-K programs.
b) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
X c) Support state education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students.
d) Support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams.
e) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
f) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
X g) Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
h) Support using a merit pay system for teachers.
X i) Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
j) Support allowing illegal immigrant high school graduates of Connecticut to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
I believe we must provide more funding to our Towns for education; however, I believe the negotiation of salaries should be a local issue. "No Child Left Behind" has many faults; however, we do need to hold our schools accountable. I support state education standards. Young people should not be able to graduate if they do not have basic skills to enter the working world; however, I am not sure exit exams are the answer. Education must begin in the early years.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

X a) Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers and teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
X c) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
X d) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for children in low-income working families.
X e) Increase state funds to provide child care for children in low-income working families.
X f) Include gender identity in Connecticut's anti-discrimination laws.
X g) Increase the state minimum wage.
h) Support laws that prevent employers from dismissing employees at will.
i) Support financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
X j) Support increased work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients.
X k) Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
I believe quality child care programs will improve our society by helping the children to get a head start on their education. By providing financial assistance for child care and allowing parents to work, we help lift families out of poverty. I am open to discussing the reduction of state government regulations; particularly if certain regulations are unfair or are not workable.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

X a) Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
b) Support increased production of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil, etc).
c) Support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops.
X d) Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused, or abandoned.
X e) Support funding for improvements to Connecticut's power generating and transmission facilities.
X f) Support funding for open space preservation.
X g) Limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to global warming.
X h) Enact environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law.
We need to pursue the development of alternative lower cost fuels and reduce our dependency on oil as well as using other methods to generate power.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.

Yes a) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Undecided b) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
No c) Should a license be required for gun possession?
Yes d) Do you support current levels of enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
Yes e) Do you support current state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
a) Yes if currently required; b) Yes if they have a permit. I learned to shoot at a very young age. My father, brother, grandfather were all hunters. Many people in my District hunt or compete at sporting events. Their clubs support proper training in the use of firearms. They are responsible individuals and understand and respect the proper use of a gun. Guns seem to be readily available in our cities; however, I believe most of these guns are obtained illegally and I do not believe additional legislation will resolve this problem. Current laws need to be enforced.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

X a) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
b) Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
X c) Support allowing municipalities, nonprofits and small businesses to buy into the state employees' health insurance plan.
d) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X e) Allow patients to sue their HMOs.
X f) Require hospitals and labs to release reports on infections that are a risk to public health, while not compromising patient confidentiality.
g) Legalize physician assisted suicide in Connecticut.
X h) Support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
We must find a way to make basic health care accessible and affordable for all.

['Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.', 'Legislative Priorities']

Yes a) Should Connecticut continue to recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
Yes b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
Yes c) Should Connecticut provide state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples?
Yes d) Do you support a moment of silence in public schools?
No e) Do you support voluntary prayer in public schools?
Yes f) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
No g) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
Undecided h) Should the state government consider race and gender in state government contracting and hiring decisions?
Yes i) Do you support affirmative action in public college admissions?
Yes j) Should Connecticut continue affirmative action programs?
Yes k) Do you support state funding of stem cell research?
Yes l) Do you support state funding of embryonic stem cell research?
No m) Do you support allowing pharmacists who conscientiously object to emergency contraception to refuse to dispense it?
As to (h), I believe that contracts should be given to qualified, dependable contractors with a good performance record and who are compliant with affirmative action policies.
1) My top priority is property tax relief. This would require a more progressive tax system and a means of accountability as discussed under "Budget and Tax Issues". I am a member of the Smart Growth Working Group. I am hopeful that our recommendations on tax relief, land use, economic development and regionalization will provide a vision for our State for the future. 2) Providing a quality education from pre-school forward for all our children. 3) Accessible and affordable health care for all. 4) Develop more affordable energy options. Re-allocation of existing funding and priorities; development of new tax policy.

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