Candidate Profiles

As a person with nursing background, the advances in medicine today allow surgeries, medical treatments, and other medical care to be performed without harming the life of the baby.

When an unborn child’s life is taken, another innocent victim paid for a crime he or she did not commit. All such circumstances should be approached with extreme compassion and assistance for the victim.

Forensic DNA should be mandatory for all cases considered for the death penalty. Families of victims should also have reassurance in knowing the perpetrator is serving the correct sentence for the crime committed.

There are statistics on both sides of this issue that are compelling. I think the appeal process is too long, if we are going to keep the death penalty in Nebraska.

No. I believe Marijuana is an gateway drug to other drug abuse.

I think under very close scrutiny and control, this drug could prove beneficial in some medical situations.

I would like to see the state negotiate the best possible rates for prescription drugs and provide assistance to those who cannot afford the medications. I would also like the state to utilize options offered by groups for free prescription drugs like “The Free Medicine Foundation”. The state could possibly pattern a free medicine foundation after the “Medication Assistance Program” sponsored by the Lancaster County Medical Society. We also need to make sure medicines given are the best care we can administer.

Yes. The sales taxes generated from internet purchases could possibly help alleviate property tax burdens. Collecting these taxes also demonstrates support for our local businesses. Having said that, we need to make sure that imposing a tax on internet purchases would not lend itself to difficulties or burdensome costs for the state. Extensive research and public input needs to occur before making such a decision.

At this time I would not support a tax on VoIP (Internet Phone) calls. VoIP is a relatively new and emerging technology in the public market. It needs time to develop and mature before any regulation could occur. If it were to be or over regulated too quickly - the end result could discourage acceptance by average citizens.

No. I think these entities should have their own control and answer directly to the taxpayers for their decisions.

I want to make sure our less fortunate people have a healthy life, for if you are not healthy it is a stumbling block to economic self sufficiency. I would look for ways to make HHS run more efficiently potentially offsetting rising costs.

Neither. Streamlining, automating and looking at costs savings and efficiencies within government can produce savings. The public is crying out for tax relief! The state needs to find ways to provide tax relief before we tax our residents out of the state!

I understand there are laws like this enacted in other states. I would make my decision on this issue after reviewing the statistics of the effect of this law in other states. I own guns and have taken gun safety classes. My experiences with guns have been limited to trap shooting and target shooting. If enacted in Nebraska this year, I believe gun safety education and strict approval requirements of those wanting to carry, should be part of this legislation.

If you purchase a handgun it requires a registration already. I would have to know the purpose of the registration, before I would say all guns should be registered.

I think scientific fact should be taught in school.

This could cause a big strain on our school system resources. We have many ESL/ELL and special needs children which require extra assistance to learn.

Yes. I would also support a state-funded school facilities fund.

Yes. Nebraska already tests its children and should continue to do so.

I would expect the teacher to pass a state board of certification. At that point I would think a 2 year renewal of sorts with a required amount of CEU’s to maintain the license such as with the license renewal requirements in the nursing field.

Locally elected boards of education should work closely with the state entity. Budgets should be available to all who wish to see it. Regulations should not become an administrative burden that drives up the cost of delivering essential educational services.

No. The needs of one student could be very different from the needs of another, requiring more intensive instruction and resources.

Yes, with specific criteria and protection of the students right to due process when rebutting such an expulsion. If the student is being disruptive to the learning situations of others, the child should be removed.

I think this decision is best left to the local level. However there might be some cost saving measures in schools/school districts sharing resources/operation costs.

I think it is to the benefit of the student to learn the basic subjects in the English language. This enhances their marketability for employment.

I was first inclined to say no. However if it will replace textbooks or other materials used for instruction and there is a cost benefit to the education budget then I say yes. The computers should be the property of the schools and you would have to keep tight reigns on the laptops to make sure they are being used for their intended purpose.

History has shown many of the occurrences of floods, hurricanes, tornados, and drought are cyclical.

With Nebraska's recent problems with nuclear waste disposal I would not be in favor of building nuclear plants at this time. I think we need to look at bio resources, wind, solar etc. for energy resources.

We need to make sure the animals contained, do not impact the environment negatively. We also need to monitor disease throughout animal food resources.

I want all Nebraskans to have health insurance coverage. Life insurance beneficiaries can be anyone you designate.

If you give tax breaks to businesses they need to be held accountable for providing the benefits they promised to the state. If the business will bring in decent paying, quality jobs I think the tax breaks are worthwhile. I would hope these incentives would be open to small business as well for small business generates 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually.

We need to keep rural Nebraska robust. Again, tax dollars used with oversight should have outcome based results.

If the incentives are needed, yes.

Yes, with the caveat they would have to return service to the area specifically needing the medical presence, for educational forgiveness loans. We also need to consider remote medical consultations to fill the void of medical advice in rural areas.

I think the state needs to advocate some sort of coverage for these that need insurance because of pre-existing conditions. I would be interested in this discussion.

We already have medical malpractice caps in place. If the person is disabled or harmed because of a situation and another entity is responsible, it is important they receive compensation for future expenses incurred because of the disability. In the case of a disability, if they are not compensated by the party responsible, then the financial burden of support falls on our human service industry which is costly to the state.

This should be addressed at the federal level.

If you open up the translation of ballots in Spanish you need to have the ballots translated for all the languages spoken in Nebraska.

I would ensure that laws in this area do not prevent the opportunity of individual compensation from our courts.