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L. Gary Knight'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.
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Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

L. Gary Knight has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2016 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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.

Maine 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.
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.
X g) Require clinics to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.
I am "pro-life" but would permit abortions when there has been a sexual crime committed of if the woman's life is endangered. I definitely do not approve of partial birth abortion procedures.

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
Maintain Status d) Environment
Maintain Status e) Health care
Maintain Status f) Law enforcement
Greatly Increase g) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Greatly Decrease h) Welfare
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status c) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status d) Gasoline taxes
Greatly Decrease e) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Greatly Decrease f) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Greatly Decrease g) Property taxes
Slightly Increase h) Sales taxes
Greatly Decrease i) Vehicle taxes
No 1) Should state sales taxes be extended to Internet sales?
No 2) Should accounts such as a "rainy day" fund be used to balance the state budget?
No 3) Should fee increases be used to balance the state budget?
No 4) Should state funding to local school districts be reduced to help balance the state budget?
Any increase must be weighed against the revenue source available. We cannot continue to spend our limited resources recklessly. Currently 80% of our budget is going to support the programs of our Departments of Education and Health and Human Resources respectively. There is room for much improvement, particularly in the programming of the latter. Maine cannot continue to be the "nanny" state it has become. Without residency requirements in place, we are inviting the problems of our neighbors. The truly vulnerable of our society should be cared for but the mismanagement of the offerings must be eliminated.
In general, I would support a flat income tax of 6% or lower. Residents of Maine are currently paying at an extremely high level vis-a- vis the other states and the time has come to address the inequities. Our sales tax is one of the narrowest in the nation and I could support a broadening of the base if there were an offset on the income tax. Further, we need to find ways to lower the RE property taxes that are stressing our elderly. Increasing the Homestead exemption would be a start. The Sales Tax is 35 % exportable.
One of the principles I would support is to cut unnecessary spending. As people balance their own finances by living within their means, the state must do as well. We cannot continue to spend and spend and put the burden on the backs of our children and grandchildren.

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?

Yes a) Do you support the current limit of terms for Maine governors?
Undecided b) Do you support the current limit of terms for Maine 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?
Undecided e) Do you support imposing spending limits on state-level political campaigns?
Undecided f) Should Maine participate in the federal REAL ID program?
I believe that the current terms of our state legislative candidates should be similar to those of the Governor. Running for office every two years is especially counter productive and leads to far too much partisan bickering. Too many candidates are locked into the mental status of voting "for the election" and are not willing to make the tough decisons that should be made. The second year of each legislature is not well and efficiently run to the great loss for the Maine citizens. The "clean" election process is a misnomer and should be called "publicly financed" .

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

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and hiring of additional prison staff.
X b) Establish the death penalty in Maine.
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.
X e) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
X f) Support state and local law enforcement officials enforcing federal immigration laws.
X g) Support hate crime legislation.
The death penalty should be considered when there is irrefutable evidence (including DNA) and a sex crime resulting in death to a minor results. Also, should be considered when the crime results in the death of a law enforcement officer while performing his/her police duties. A minor that knowingly commits a heinous and violent crime should be treated like any adult doing the same. There should not be relief because of age.

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.
X 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) Support using a merit pay system for teachers.
X i) Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
j) Support allowing illegal immigrant high school graduates of Maine to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
Would note that under i), I was a strong supporter of the initiative advanced by Opportunity Maine. I supported it in the Taxation Committee, where I sit as a member, and on the floor of the House. Nothing is more important to the future of this state than to support eductional opportunities for our children. Am actually wondering if the time has come, assuming we can gather sufficient resources without increasing the high tax burden on our citizens, to consider advancing support for Community College education beyond the current grade 12 support that we currently adhere to.

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

a) Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers and teach skills needed in today’s job market.
X b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
X c) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
d) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for children in low-income working families.
e) Increase state funds to provide child care for children in low-income working families.
f) Increase the state minimum wage.
g) Support laws that prevent employers from dismissing employees at will.
h) Support financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
X i) Support increased work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients.
j) Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
The basis principle that I would subscribe to would be to let the market dictate the success or failure of business. Maine is not a business friendly state and we are losing far to many business to other states because of our high tax, high regulatory posture. We need to promote business and jobs for our good citizens and too often we use the stick and not the carrot to promote success.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

X a) Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
X b) Support increased production of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil, etc).
c) Support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops.
X 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 Maine's power generating and transmission facilities.
X f) Support funding for open space preservation.
g) Limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to global warming.
h) Enact environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law.
We need to understand the importance of balance when looking at out environment and need to be energy independent. I am the last person who would want to do anything to hurt the beauty of this planet and consider myself a strong environmentalist. However, that does not preclude us from using some common sense as we explore alternative means of power to provide for the high standard of living that Mainers deserve. An excellent example would be wind power but that does mean "planting" the turbines in places that some might consider unattractive.

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

Undecided 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?
Yes c) Should a license be required for gun possession?
Undecided d) Do you support current levels of enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
Undecided e) Do you support current state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
I support the US Constitution and the second amendment to permit our citizens to bear arms. I support hunters and subscribe to the principles advocated by SAM. I would generally support the principles of the NRA but I do not have a problem with some primary licensing. We license our automobiles for example. Am not sure why we would not have a basic level of licensing. As for a), d) and e) above, I would confess as to not being up to speed on the current practices of the State relative to the questions asked.

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

a) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
X b) Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
c) Support Dirigo Health in Maine.
X d) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X e) Allow patients to sue their HMOs.
X f) Require hospitals and labs to release reports on infections that are a risk to public health, while not compromising patient confidentiality.
g) Legalize physician assisted suicide in Maine.
X h) Support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
The Dirigo program is a failed program that is wasting far too many precious $$. Currently fewer than 14,000 of our citizens are covered at a cost already exceeding $165 million. We desperately need health cost reforms and two were advanced during the recently adjouned session without truly looking at the merits of each. I believe that the market place, if given a chance, will go much further in addressing the medical needs of our citizens. Government is not the answer and generally is not if we are looking for fair and adequate solutions.

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

No a) Should Maine recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
No b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
No c) Should Maine provide state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples?
Yes d) Do you support a moment of silence in public schools?
Yes e) Do you support voluntary prayer in public schools?
Yes f) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
No g) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
No h) Should the state government consider race and gender in state government contracting and hiring decisions?
Undecided i) Do you support affirmative action in public college admissions?
Yes j) Should Maine continue affirmative action programs?
No k) Do you support state funding of stem cell research?
No l) Do you support state funding of embryonic stem cell research?
Yes m) Do you support allowing pharmacists who conscientiously object to emergency contraception to refuse to dispense it?
I believe that parents have an important role in the sexual education of their children and should not leave that to public school teachers. I definitely do not support the practice of some to provide prescription medicine to underage individuals without parental knowledge.
My top priority remains to bring meaningful, fair and equitable tax reform to the citizens of this state. A second priority would be to enhance the future of our young citizens by ensuring the best educational opportunities possible. Further, we must find a way of growing the economy so that meaningful job opportunities are available here in Maine and that those desiring to stay and rear their own children here would be able to do so. Finally, we must do something about our health care costs. We need principles that will provide for a competitive market place for health insurance.

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