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George Sayler'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.
What is the Political Courage Test?

Idaho State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage 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.
X 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) Abortions should be subject to a mandatory waiting period.
g) Require clinics to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.
Abortions should be very rare, safe, and legal. They should never be coerced. We are created with free will and the moral responsibility that accompanies it, and that should not be surrendered to the state, nor should the moral values of others be imposed on us through the state. Mandatory waiting periods may be acceptable in many cases, but could pose health risks in others, so I am against a general requirement. Parental notification would generally be ok, with the option of waiving that requirement in certain situations. I am not pro-abortion but believe a total ban is not appropriate.

State Budget: Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.State Taxes: Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.

Slightly Increase a) Education (Higher)
Slightly Increase b) Education (K-12)
Maintain Status c) Emergency preparedness
Slightly Increase d) Environment
Slightly Increase e) Health care
Maintain Status f) Law enforcement
Slightly Increase g) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Maintain Status h) Welfare
Greatly Increase a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status c) Corporate taxes
Slightly Increase d) Gasoline taxes
Eliminate e) Grocery taxes
Maintain Status f) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Maintain Status g) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Maintain Status h) Sales taxes
Yes 1) Do you support extending the grocery tax credit to low income Idahoans?
Undecided 2) Should state sales taxes be extended to Internet sales?
No 3) Should accounts such as a "rainy day" fund be used to balance the state budget?
No 4) Should fee increases be used to balance the state budget?
Yes 5) Should vehicle registration fees be increased to address the transportation department’s budget shortfall?
Budgets are fexible documents that reflect policy priorities. They must also reflect economic realities. At times increasing funding for one area may mean limiting it in another. Government must do its work efficiently and responsibly, and be given the means to do so, but the needs and interests of the taxpayer must always be remembered and protected.
Tax policies should encourage business so that economic growth creates revenue for state services. Idaho is generally doing well in this regard. I supported legislation that gave tax credits to a company investing $2 billion dollars in Idaho. Those credits were necessary for them to make the decision to locate here, bringing 350 to 400 jobs with them. Without the credits, they would not come, and we wouldn't have the millions of dollars in new tax revenue they will create. Alchoho taxes have not been raised in decades and could provide funding for costs related to their use.
Lt. Gov Risch said the number one thing the state could do to help business is to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure(Coeur d'Alene, April 30th). We are facing a $200 million dollar annual shortfall in transportation funding. The transportation department will be audited for efficiency. We need to find ways to raise the necessary funds, and a slight increase in the gasoline tax and registration fees for cars and trucks, plus rental car fees and other measures have been proposed. Nothing was done this year, but we cannot neglect this issue much longer.

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?

No a) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Idaho governors?
No b) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Idaho state senators and representatives?
Yes 1) Individual
Yes 2) PAC
Yes 3) Corporate
Yes 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?
No f) Should Idaho participate in the federal REAL ID program?
I would support spending limits on state level campaigns to reduce the influence of out-of-state money, but the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled campaign spending limits violate the free speech guarantee of the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I am not sure that it could be done in a legal way, but support the concept. Unlimited funding gives disproportionate influence to special interests.

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.
X b) Support the death penalty in Idaho.
X c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X d) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
e) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
f) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
X g) Support state and local law enforcement officials enforcing federal immigration laws.
X h) Support hate crime legislation.
Because prisons are over capacity, the state is sending prisoners out of state at greater cost. We need to address this issue, but also find ways to stem the increase in prisoners. More emphasis should be placed on alternative forms of punishment for some non-violent crimes, and more drug treatment programs and rehabilitation programs are needed to reduce the prison population. We have made progress in these areas, and I have supported these steps, but more needs to be done. I support very limited use of the death penaly when society's need for justice is strong, e.g., the Duncan case..

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

a) Support state funding of universal pre-K programs.
b) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
X c) Support state education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students.
X d) Support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams.
e) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
f) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
X g) Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
X h) Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
i) Support allowing illegal immigrant high school graduates of Idaho to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
j) Support the potential for merit pay only for teachers who accept short-term contracts.
Public education is a cornerstone of our democracy and must be properly supported. While I do support parental choice in education, I oppose any efforts to weaken public education. I also support efforts to provide financial aid to deserving and needy students so they have the opportunity of post-high school education. I support the idea of an exit exam but opposed the current process. We place far too much empahsis on testing and not enough on developing critical learning skills. The best education takes place with qualified, dedicated teachers, parents or professionals. They deserve our support.

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

X a) Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers and teach skills needed in today’s job market.
b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
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.
X f) Include sexual orientation in Idaho's anti-discrimination laws.
g) Include gender identity in Idaho's anti-discrimination laws.
h) Increase the state minimum wage.
X i) Support laws that prevent employers from dismissing employees at will.
X j) Support financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
k) Support increased work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients.
l) Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
These are complex issues which cannot be adequately addressed with a check mark on a particular statement. Businesses and their employees both have rights which must be respected. My goal is to ensure fair treatment for both. Some of these things Idaho has already done, others have been addressed without any action taken. I do believe that providing safe affordable child care helps families and businesses, and the state's current law is not adequate. It does not even require most child care providers to have criminal background checks. That needs to be changed.

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, oil, etc).
X c) Support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops.
d) Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused, or abandoned.
X e) Support funding for improvements to Idaho's power generating and transmission facilities.
X f) Support funding for open space preservation.
X g) Limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to global warming.
h) Enact environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law.
Climate change is here, and Idaho is impacted. We need state energy policies that acknowledge this, and to some extent we have moved in that direction. I supported incentives for farmers producing bio-fuels but am concerned about the impact on food prices because of the amount of corn grown for biofuel. We need to re-visit that issue. Energy conservation is still an important option and more needs to be done. We took small steps with requirements for state buildings to be energy efficient, but a whole new green industry would result from increased efforts to conserve energy and other resources.

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

Yes a) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Yes b) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
No c) Should a license be required for gun possession?
Yes d) Do you support current levels of enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
Yes e) Do you support current state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
As a gun owner I value the second amendment right to keep and bear arms. We do need to ensure that they are not available to those with a record of using them illegally.

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

X a) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
b) Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
X c) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X d) Allow patients to sue their HMOs.
X e) Require hospitals and labs to release reports on infections that are a risk to public health, while not compromising patient confidentiality.
f) Legalize physician assisted suicide in Idaho.
X g) Support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
I believe health care reform is a major priority for our nation and state. Too many are uninsured or unable to afford health care. This needs to change. Numerous proposals have been developed and work is underway in Idaho via the governor's health care task force and other efforts. I will support meaningful reform that controls the cost and expands the availablity of health care. I am undecided on assisted suicide.

['Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.', 'Legislative Priorities']

a) Should Idaho recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
c) Should Idaho provide state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples?
d) Do you support a moment of silence in public schools?
e) Do you support voluntary prayer in public schools?
f) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
g) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
h) Should the state government consider race and gender in state government contracting and hiring decisions?
i) Do you support affirmative action in public college admissions?
j) Should Idaho continue affirmative action programs?
k) Do you support state funding of stem cell research?
l) Do you support state funding of embryonic stem cell research?
m) Do you support allowing pharmacists who conscientiously object to emergency contraception to refuse to dispense it?
These are complex legal and moral issues, and again, a check mark on a statement is not an adequate way to deal with them. My general view is that we must do everything we can to uphold the individual rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and protect our freedom of choice. When there are conflicts, we have the courts to resolve them and uphold our rights and freedoms. On a personal note, I would consider myself a moderate on social issues.
My main priority is to do an excellent job of representing my constiuents. Aside from that, my three top priorites are fair and reasonable taxes, adeqaute support for public education, and requiring licensing and criminal background checks for most child care providers. While serving on the Revenue and Taxation Committee, I have worked for several measures to provide tax relief and to ensure fair tax policies. I will continue to do so. Education is an investment in the future or our state and its citizens. We cannot shortchange it. Finally, I believe protecting all our children is our moral responsibility.

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