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Shelly Short'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.

Shelly Short did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 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.

Washington 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.

X a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
X f) Abortions should be subject to a mandatory waiting period.
X g) Require clinics to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.
Abortions are already legal if the mother's life is in danger. Rape and incest are horrible crimes. I believe there are two victims of these crimes (the mother & the unborn child) when pregnancy results from the same.

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.

Maintain Status a) Education (Higher)
Maintain Status b) Education (K-12)
Maintain Status c) Emergency preparedness
Slightly Decrease d) Environment
Maintain Status e) Health care
Slightly Increase f) Law enforcement
Maintain Status g) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Slightly Decrease h) Welfare
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Decrease c) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status d) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Decrease e) Property taxes
Maintain Status f) Sales taxes
Slightly Decrease g) Vehicle taxes
Greatly Decrease h) Other or expanded categories
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?
Prioritization of the state's budget is a must and tax increases are not an option. All programs and departments need to be reviewed for necessity, duplication and efficiency. I believe that education, public safety, transportation infrastructure and caring for our most vulnerable citizens are among the most important. Budgets should be allocated accordingly. I envision larger budgetary increases or decreases depending upon prioritization.
Business & Occupation Tax (B&O); Workman's Comp Rates (L&I). Most importantly, however, is the prioritization of the state's budget. All programs need to be reviewed for necessity and duplication. Each program needs to audited for efficiency (i.e. tax dollars getting to the ground versus administrative). I support reducing taxes to a much greater degree but feel these programs and departments must have a thorough review and budget prioritization first.
Rainy Day funds should only be used for unforeseen, emergency purposes. If it is truly needed for the budget, I would only accept such use with a super majority vote of the legislature.

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 Washington governors?
No b) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Washington state senators and representatives?
1) Individual
2) PAC
3) Corporate
4) Political Parties
Yes d) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
No e) Do you support imposing spending limits on state-level political campaigns?
No f) Should Washington participate in the federal REAL ID program?
I am fine with the current limits on contributions for individuals, PACs, corporate and political parties.

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

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and hiring of additional prison staff.
b) Support the death penalty in Washington.
c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
e) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
X 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.
h) Support hate crime legislation.
i) Other or expanded principles

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.
d) Support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams.
X 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.
g) Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
X h) Support using a merit pay system for teachers.
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 Washington to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
I do not agree with the current state testing requirements for K-12 students. The WASL has been an expensive failure. I do not believe all students learn at the same level; other tests need to be utilized as well. I am concerned that state standards have changed so quickly that teachers are unable to keep up. The standards need to start with fundamentally proven methods of basic learning. I support increased math and science curriculum, if again, they start with proven methods. I do want education to provide our youth with the foundation necessary to enter the work world.

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.
X b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
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.
k) Support allowing day care workers to unionize.
I would support increased funding for job training programs with strict oversight. It is important to know what companies and industries' needs are to better reflect the skills curriculum necessary. Gainful employment statistics need to be a part of the oversight and overall effectiveness of the program.

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).
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.
e) Support funding for improvements to Washington's power generating and transmission facilities.
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.
I can understand the need for initial biofuel crop incentives, but the biofuel crops need to function on their own financially.

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

No 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?
d) Do you support current levels of enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
e) Do you support current state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
f) Other or expanded principles

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.
X 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.
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 Washington.
g) Support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
h) Support prohibiting the use or sale of prescription data for marketing purposes.
i) Other or expanded principles

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

No a) Should Washington recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
No b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
No c) Should Washington provide state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples?
Yes d) Do you support a moment of silence in public schools?
No 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?
Yes 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?
No i) Do you support affirmative action in public college admissions?
j) Should Washington continue affirmative action programs?
Undecided 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 do not support the direction the state is taking on its state-wide cirriculum for sex education. I am concerned that local school boards are not being given the flexibility necessary to teach what's considered appropriate. I am also concerned at the lack of parental notification of this material and clarity on opting their child or children out of the curriculum.
? Lessen the regulatory and fiscal impact on business by developing flexibility in rules, getting rid of outdated and unnecessary laws and working for greater legislative oversight. State agencies need to be reined in when it comes to interpretation and legislative intent of laws. ? Reduce the tax burden on individuals, families and business. Develop meaningful property tax relief that does not unduly burden local government and junior taxing districts. ? Address local and regional infrastructure needs to promote economic development and growth. Strengthen local and regional base industries; develop incentives for business growth in rural communities.

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