Dennis Gabryszak's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Dennis Gabryszak 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.
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.
New York State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? | ||
| b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? | |||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | ||
| No | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| I'm not sure some of these questions can be answered only yes or no. While I personally do not believe in abortion, I recognize that abortion rights are legal and that women do have a say relative to their body. I do not believe in or support late term abortion. I believe that sexual education is important including discussion on abstinence. | |||
1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing New York's budget.
| Maintain Status | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Law enforcement | ||
| Greatly Increase | f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Property taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | a) Tapping into New York's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Allowing grocery stores to purchase licenses to sell wine | ||
| c) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | |||
| Yes | d) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| No | e) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | ||
| Yes | f) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | g) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| I support a reduction in state spending. On environmental spending I favor not having the EPF raided for use in the general fund. The category of "slightly or greatly increase or decrease" in really left up to one's own interpretation. What may be a slight increase or decrease, to one may really be a great increase to another. This leaves it open too much individual interpretation. Simply put, New York State spends way too much and we need to greatly cut spending and consolidate agencies to control costs and reduce taxes. | |||
| Once again in this area the categories are left to individual interpretation. New York is a highly taxed state, and we need to reduce taxes. I could very easily respond to decreasing all the categories listed above, but you need to look at all sources of revenue and expenditures to make a intelligent decision on an overall budget. | |||
| I favor increasing tuition rates at public universities for out of state students. On privatizing certain government services, my yes or no answer would depend on what services, how it would be privatized and at what cost? As to the early release of certain non-violent offenders, that again depends on what a non-violent offender is. Is a drug conviction considered non-violent? There is alot of consideration that needs to go into some of these questions that a simple yes or no doesn't reflect my views. | |||
c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| Yes | a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for New York governors? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for New York state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| Yes | d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| The question is, what are the limits. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | |||
| No | c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | |||
| No | f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| I did not answer all the questions because I don't believe they can all be answered yes or no. I believe in mandatory counseling and substance abuse treatment, but not for repeat offenders. Same with minors being prosecuted and sexting. Counseling may be necessary before facing criminal charges. In either of the two mentioned questions, I am not opposed to charges after counseling does not render a positive result. Regarding immigration, if you want to be here, then do so legally. Local police are busy with immediate, current calls. Immigration enforcement is best left to the feds. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support legalizing mixed martial arts competitions in New York? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | g) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| a) Do you support national education standards? | |||
| No | b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | ||
| c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | |||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| f) Should the state universities of New York be permitted to set their own tuition rates? | |||
| No | g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from New York high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I believe funding for charter schools should not be taken from the funding of public schools. I favor separate charter school funding. On national education standards, that would depend on what those standards are as compared to present New York State standards. I think there may be some benefit to merit pay, but what is the criteria for such merit? I don't think it can be solely based on student performance. State universities tuition differentiation should be approved by the legislature. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for improvements to New York's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| No | b) Do you support requiring semiautomatic pistols made or sold in New York to microstamp bullet casings? | ||
| c) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | |||
| Yes | d) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| e) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | |||
| Regarding the purchase and possession of guns, I believe that it is a constitutional right to own a gun. Any individual should be licensed to carry concealed weapons. | |||
| a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | |||
| b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | |||
| c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | |||
| No | d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| No | f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in New York? | ||
| No | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| No | h) Do you support a "presumed consent" organ donation policy? | ||
| I believe that health care insurance should be available to all, however the cost to states and the taxpayer could be overwhelming. I believe that further study is necessary before going down that road. | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| b) Should New York allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | |||
| c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | |||
| d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | |||
| Yes | e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in New York's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New York's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| I believe that scientific research is important in finding solutions/cures to illness. | |||
| I believe that additional ethic reforms are necessary. I voluntarily did a full financial disclosure. I believe all state elected officials should do so. Also if you are convicted of a felony related to your duties as an elected official, you should lose your pension. The taxpayers should not foot the pension bill for someone sitting in jail. We must cut spending and taxes to create a more friendly business and taxpayer environment to help create the opportunity to create jobs and keep our families here in New York State. |
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