Nashua Telegraph candidate questionnaire
I didn't expect the newspaper's candidate survey to lob us any softballs, but I had no idea the questions would be so loaded.
I wish I had known to disregard their threat to cut us off after 25 words, then I might've been able to give some of the more serious questions the full answers they deserve.
1. The likely loss of federal Medicaid money would mean the loss of up to $140 million for the next two-year state budget. Would you rather meet that anticipated shortfall by reducing the role of state government, adopting a state sales or income tax, raising existing taxes or something in between?
2. The budget debate is certain to spawn legislation to legalize slot-machine gambling at the state's racetracks or resort hotels. Would you support that expansion? Why or why not?
3. Republican candidate for governor Jim Coburn supports constitutional amendments to both enshrine opposition to an income tax and to dramatically reduce the role of the Supreme Court and give to the Legislature the authority to determine the proper level of state aid to public schools. Do you support each proposal? Why or why not?
4. There likely will be legislation to make civil unions legal in New Hampshire as they are in Vermont and to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriages. Would you support either proposition? Why or why not?
I wish I had known to disregard their threat to cut us off after 25 words, then I might've been able to give some of the more serious questions the full answers they deserve.
1. The likely loss of federal Medicaid money would mean the loss of up to $140 million for the next two-year state budget. Would you rather meet that anticipated shortfall by reducing the role of state government, adopting a state sales or income tax, raising existing taxes or something in between?
We need to make health care available to everyone and state income or sales taxes would increase burdens on people who already can’t afford it.
2. The budget debate is certain to spawn legislation to legalize slot-machine gambling at the state's racetracks or resort hotels. Would you support that expansion? Why or why not?
I’ll give any proposed solution full consideration when dealing with such important issues as education, quality of life, and the future prosperity of our state.
3. Republican candidate for governor Jim Coburn supports constitutional amendments to both enshrine opposition to an income tax and to dramatically reduce the role of the Supreme Court and give to the Legislature the authority to determine the proper level of state aid to public schools. Do you support each proposal? Why or why not?
Radically altering our system of checks and balances won’t fund education; state income tax was and will continue to be avoided without amending our constitution.
4. There likely will be legislation to make civil unions legal in New Hampshire as they are in Vermont and to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriages. Would you support either proposition? Why or why not?
I will not support discrimination of any sort, including gender or sexual orientation, and will not play politics with our state’s Constitution.
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