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Harry Ott, Jr.'s 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.

Harry Ott, Jr. refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 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.

South Carolina State Legislative Election 1996 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.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be legally available.
b) Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X c) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
e) Abortions should always be illegal.
f) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
g) Should South Carolina government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action in South Carolina.

X a) The South Carolina government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors.
b) The South Carolina government should provide no affirmative action programs.
No c) Should South Carolina continue to fly the Confederate battle flag over the state house?
No d) Do you believe that the South Carolina government should recognize same-sex marriages?
No e) Do you believe that sexual orientation should be added to South Carolina's anti-discrimination laws?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding children & family issues in South Carolina.

X a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
X b) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
X c) Support denying or suspending state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in South Carolina.

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
b) Expand and promote "community policing" programs.
X c) Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences with no chance of parole.
X d) Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
e) Oppose the death penalty.
f) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
X g) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
X h) Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentence.
i) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
j) Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
X k) Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups.
l) Support the current law which requires mandatory life sentences for second-time violent felons.
m) Support contracting with private sector firms to manage state prisons.
X n) Limit the number of appeals allowed for inmates on death row.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in South Carolina.

a) Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
X b) Provide state funding for military-style "boot-camps" for juvenile first-time felons.
c) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
d) Support state government funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
e) Allow courts to hold parents accountable for a minor child who commits a crime.
f) Make the availability of juvenile criminal records the same as those of adult offenders.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning South Carolina's economic development.

a) Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways, and airports.
b) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses.
c) Expand legalized gambling (e.g. fewer restrictions on video gambling).
d) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
e) Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates.
f) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
X g) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
X h) Implement a toll-road system in South Carolina.
i) Continue to solicit the services of private enterprises for state transportation-related projects.
Yes j) Do you support the 1996 Rural Development Act which provides for lower taxes to industries locating in underdeveloped counties in South Carolina?
Yes k) Do you support a state lottery in South Carolina?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding South Carolina's education system.

a) Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty.
b) Endorse teacher-led voluntary school prayer in public schools.
c) Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs.
d) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical).
e) Support implementing charter schools where teachers and other professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
X f) Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all state public schools.
g) Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
X h) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
X j) Provide state funds to extend half-day kindergartens in South Carolina to full-day programs for all students.
k) Provide state funding for programs that increase South Carolina students' access to the Internet and other telecommunications networks.
X l) Provide grants to state residents with financial need to attend state colleges and universities.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning South Carolina's environment and natural resources.

a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout South Carolina.
b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
X c) Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
X d) Require the state to reimburse citizens when state- sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately owned land.
X e) Provide funding for recycling programs in South Carolina.
f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
g) Suspend South Carolina's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
X h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
No i) Do you support continuing South Carolina's status (via the Barnwell facility) as a host state for commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal?
No j) Should South Carolina continue to accept high-level radioactive waste from foreign countries at the Savannah River Site?
k) Do you support allowing local governments to revoke the license of an agricultural facility they deem a "nuisance" if the facility adheres to state standards and regulations?
No l) Do you support recent proposals to strengthen zoning restrictions for hog farms in South Carolina?
Yes a) Would you support amending the South Carolina Constitution to limit the terms of State Senators and Representatives?
Yes b) Do you support the current law which limits the terms of South Carolina's Governor to two, four- year terms?
Yes c) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
Yes d) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes e) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes f) Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes g) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes h) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
No i) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
Yes j) Would you support amending the South Carolina Constitution to prohibit state government from imposing unfunded mandates on local governments?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

a) Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
b) Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
c) Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms.
X d) Ease state procedures and restrictions on the purchase and registration of firearms.
e) Repeal all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms.
X f) Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning South Carolina's health care system.

X a) Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
b) Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
c) Ensure that South Carolina citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
d) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
f) Support legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover certain medical services (e.g., 48-hour hospital stay for mothers after childbirth).
g) Allow citizens to set up tax-free medical savings accounts which would be taxed if used for other than medical purposes.

Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one option only.

Slightly Decrease a) Abortion
Maintain Status b) Affirmative Action
Maintain Status c) Agriculture
Maintain Status d) AIDS programs
Maintain Status e) Education
Slightly Increase f) Environment
Slightly Increase g) Health Care
Slightly Increase h) Law Enforcement
Slightly Decrease i) Welfare

Please indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning South Carolina's tax levels. Select one option only.

Maintain Status a) Alcohol Taxes
Maintain Status b) Business Taxes
Maintain Status c) Capital Gains Taxes
Maintain Status d) Gasoline Taxes
Maintain Status e) Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
Maintain Status f) Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
Slightly Decrease g) Property Taxes
Slightly Increase h) Sales Taxes
Maintain Status i) State Fees
No j) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?
k) Do you support exempting food and prescription drugs from the state sales tax?
No l) Do you support exempting certain materials used by industries from the state sales tax?
Yes m) Do you support increasing the state income tax exemption for families with children younger than 6 years?
Yes n) Do you support exempting houses valued at $100,000 or less from school operating taxes?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding South Carolina's welfare system.

a) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
X b) Allow welfare recipients to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care (if needed) until they become self-sufficient.
X c) Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
X d) Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 attend school and live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits.
X e) Support the limit on welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children.
X f) Provide two-parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one-parent families.
g) Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately-funded assistance to people in need.
X h) Support the current two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
i) Support redirecting federal funding for welfare programs to the states in the form of block grants.
Explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected to the South Carolina General Assembly. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.

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