AFSCME Council 72 People Questionnaire

Most of my employment history has been working in small print shops. So I don't have a lot of experience with unions and all my opinions are merely academic.


ISSU ES:


1. The ability to collectively bargain is enshrined in Missouri's Constitution. Please explain your support or opposition and legislation that protect workers' freedom to form unions and bargain with employers.
I support workers rights. I don't think collective bargaining is a perfect solution but it is the most fair solution I am aware of.

2. According to data from the U.S, Census Bureau, Missouri's public workers are ranked
50'h in terms salary, 34% below the national average. Please detail your support or
opposition to pursue policies and legislation thatwould ensure that Missouri works to
achieve parity with the private sector in terms of wages and benefits.
This is a balancing act. Missouri has an obligation to taxpayers to give them as much return as possible yet the state should be leading by example to other employers. We wouldn't have much of a middle class without desirable government jobs.

3. Privatization is increasingly discussed as a means to reduce government sending,
though it comes at the expense of drastically slashing vital services and eliminating
jobs when the Missouri economy can least afford it. Please explain your support or
opposition to privatization of public services provided by state, local and municipal
employees.
I am willing to hear out ideas for privatizing but I am often opposed to them because the General Assembly's support tends to have a correlation to political donations. I would be more open non-profit privatization, but I doubt that would get much traction in Jefferson City.

4. There are a number of valid avenues that the state of Missouri can take to enhance
state revenue. Please detail the approaches you think would be best, such as closing
the Geoffrey loophole, eliminating the outdated Timely Filing benefit, passing the
streamlined sales tax, or others.
The thing that seems to be easiest to fix is creating oversight for the abuse of tax credit programs that are currently immune to appropriations. I like the idea of closing the Geoffrey Loophole but it would be more difficult to implement than it would be for accountants to create a new loophole.


5.Currently in Missouri, under the National labor Relations Act, unions are required to provide the same representational benefits to members and non-members alike, without non-members paying any form of fair share dues. Please detail your support or opposition of Representational Fee policies or legislation.
I support people having a choice (at least with a private business) but oppose that choice allowing them to reap the benefits without any cost.

6. Currently in Missouri, workers are given opportunity to have union dues deducted directly from their paycheck upon their authorization. Unfortunately, there are those in our state who would prohibit unions from collecting dues in this fashion. Please explain your support or opposition to allowing workers the right choose how their wages are spent.
Support. But I don't understand why anyone would want to take that option away.

7. lf elected, what would be the first thing you would try to change in this state?
Creating oversight/appropriations for tax credit programs would (hopefully) have the most bipartisan support. Because Democrats are out numbered drastically I'd think that's the best way to go.

8. What is the most important job of a Missouri state legislator?
I think everyone wants a fair shot. As legislators we have to figure out how to do that. We have different ideas on how to go about that though.

9. Please detail your support or opposition to the idea of holding legislators to the same standards that state employees are already held to.
Sounds like poetic justice to me...


POLITICS:
Challenger

Opponent(s): Richard Buchli, Eric Burlison

How long have you lived in your district?
three years

Are you registered to vote at your current address? 
yes

From what organizations have you received endorsements?
Still waiting...

How much time do you plan to spend campaigning?
Lots. I am doing all the design work and content of materials. Not to mention filling out lots of questionnaires

How much money will you need to raise to run a viable campaign for this office?
I would prefer a strong word of mouth campaign... that said the incumbent will likely raise over $70K.

How much have you raised to date?
Little over $200