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Carol Kugler's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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What is the Political Courage Test?

Illinois State Legislative Election 2006 National Political Awareness 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.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
g) Require clinics to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.
I would not put women in prison for having an abortion or doctors for providing a safe one. The poor would be the only women who would be kept from having a safe abortion. You cannot legislate morals.

State Budget: Indicate the funding levels (#1-6) you will support for the following general categories. Select one level per category.State Taxes: Indicate the tax levels (#1-6) you will support. Select one level per tax.

Slightly Increase a) Education (Higher)
Greatly Increase b) Education (K-12)
Maintain Status c) Emergency preparedness
Maintain Status d) Environment
Slightly Increase e) Health care
Greatly Increase f) Law enforcement
Maintain Status g) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Maintain Status h) Welfare
Eliminate a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Capital gains taxes
Eliminate c) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Decrease d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Maintain Status f) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Greatly Decrease g) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Slightly Increase h) Property taxes
Maintain Status i) Sales taxes
Greatly Increase j) Vehicle taxes
Yes l) Should the state sales taxes be extended to Internet sales?
Undecided m) Should accounts such as a “rainy day” fund be used to balance the state budget?
Undecided n) Should fee increases be used to balance the state budget?
No o) Should college students in Illinois earning a B average receive a $1,000 annual tax credit in their first two years of college?
p) Should there be a $500 sales tax rebate on the sale of certain fuel-effcient cars in Illinois?
Greatly decrease private businesses or entities of any kind; local projects such as beautification, parades.
Slightly Decrease Remove sales tax on food other than junk food. e) Gasoline taxes - set - not progressive h) Property taxes - must be lowered i) Sales taxes - remove on food except junk food
eliminate most of the recent fees and taxes placed on business. Reintroduce some of the incentives. Make IL more bus. friendly to increase job availability. Rewrite the State Education Funding Formula so that the St. takes more responsibility for the funding of education. m) and n) - these depend on which fund or increase. most fell on businesses have been harmful. o) Should college students in Illinois earning a B average receive a $1,000 annual tax credit in their first two years of college? - Only at St. Univ.s + if they promise to work in IL for 2 YRS after graduating.

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?

Yes a) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Illinois governors?
Yes b) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Illinois state senators and representatives?
Yes 1) Individual
Yes 2) PAC
Yes 3) Corporate
No 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?
Yes f) Do you support adopting statewide standards for counting, verifying and ensuring accuracy of votes?
No g) Do you support prohibiting media exit polling of voters until all polling locations in Illinois are closed?
Yes h) Should Illinois recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
h) Should Illinois recognize civil unions between same-sex couples? Civil union wording must protect the children + stated rights in med. decisions + death + wills. Not to use the word "marriage." e) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns? Strict limits on PAC "gifts" to basic meals only.

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 Illinois.
X c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X d) End parole for repeat violent offenders.
X e) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
f) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
g) Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
h) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
i) Require that crimes based on race, ethnic background, religious belief, sex, age, disability, or sexual orientation be prosecuted as hate crimes.
X j) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
k) Increase state funding for state and local emergency agencies to prevent or respond to terrorism.
X l) Strengthen sex-offender laws.
X m) Support the restriction of the sale of products used to make methamphetamine (e.g. tablets containing pseudophedrine, ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine).
being on drugs or intoxicated should never let someone get out of a crime. stealing should always result in jail time - any kind of stealing.

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

a) Support national standards and testing of public school students.
b) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any public school.
c) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
X e) Increase funds for hiring additional teachers.
f) Support teacher testing and reward with merit pay.
X g) Endorse voluntary prayer in public schools.
h) Require public schools to administer high school exit exams.
i) Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
X j) Increase funding for Head Start programs.
X k) Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
X l) Support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods.
m) Support abstinence-only sexual education programs.
Rewrite the state school funding formula. The state needs to take more responsibility for funding schools - and it must be done EQUITABLY! I support Special Ed and Gifted Ed programs so that ALL are well-served. We need req. econ. classes so kids can handle credit cards and apply for jobs.

Employment: Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.Affirmative Action: Should race, ethnicity or gender be taken into account in state agencies’ decisions on:

X a) Increase funding for state job-training programs that retrain displaced workers and teach skills needed in today’s job market.
b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
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.
f) Support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Illinois' anti-discrimination laws.
g) Increase the state minimum wage.
Yes a) Public employment
Yes b) State college and university admissions
Yes c) State contracting
Our state minimum wage is already higher than most states and much higher than the Fed. Rescind most or all new taxes and fees imposed in the last 4 years and reinstate many incentives. Make IL more Business Friendly.
Every agency, business, institution, etc should take pains to see that somewhat equal number should be involved according to % of that group in society. This does not mean vouchers - but any of these groups should be able to explain their number - that they are fair and equitable.

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, and oil).
X c) Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused, or abandoned.
d) Increase funding for improvements to Illinois' power generating and transmission facilities.
X e) Support funding for open space preservation.
X f) Enact environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law.
b) only if & where ecologically sound Work with business to clean up Mad/St Clair Co + So IL. Water + air - need a cooperative efforts, compromises. We need to support RENEWABLE energy sources - wind, grass, corn,

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

X a) Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
b) Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
e) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
X f) Require a license for gun possession.
If not background checks at gun shows then ways for the police to know where the gun went + who now is responsible for it - at least trading papers. d) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns. if the law is written well with enough checks.

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

a) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
b) Transfer current Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
X c) Limit the amount of punitive damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X d) Support patients' right to sue their HMOs.
e) Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
f) Legalize physician assisted suicide in Illinois.
g) Allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X h) Require pharmacists who stock contraceptives to disperse emergency contraception without delay to anyone with a prescription for it.
The state should foster co-op insurance programs so that small bus. can get the same premium rates as corps.

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

X a) Support increased work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients.
X b) Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
X c) Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
d) Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
X e) Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to extend health and child care subsidies to the working poor.
X f) Support marriage promotion programs for welfare recipients.
g) Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
While back-to-work or training programs cost more on the front end, if run well, they save a lot of $ in the long run. Make sure the state is not providing incentives for people on welfare to have more children.
If elected, my top 3 priorities are to: 1. Rewrite the state formula for funding schools so that the state takes more financial responsibility for education… 2. Make Illinois Business and Job friendly by rescinding fees and taxes enacted in the last four years, passing tort reforms, and lowering property taxes… 3. Continue to work for further judicial and court reform… 4. Restore Public Ethics by creating a formula that limits the amount that can be spent in political and judicial races and having strict limits on gifts from lobbyists…

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