1.2  Do municipal governments have a responsibility to implement public policies and facilitate community action that further a consistent respect of all human life?

This question is too broad for local government. The areas listed that are most relevant:

Poverty- The level of taxation and fees should take into account the impact on all residents. How will a tax increase affect my neighbor  who is a senior citizen on a fixed income? Do the benefits extend to many residents or just a few? How has the agency managed the funds previously entrusted? Late fees piled on those without jobs can be onerous. A variety of workplaces should be encouraged by the city such as small and family businesses that help put food on the table.  Fees and regulation that hinder business growth should be minimized to better grow jobs.

City salaries and benefits- Does the city demand salaries and benefits that exceed the norms? Meanwhile, many struggling taxpayers do not enjoy similar benefits such as retirement covered, little or no contribution to healthcare, and very generous sick leave and vacation that accrues. Nehemiah chapter 5 in the Old Testament describes a model attitude good leaders should display of not requiring luxury perks at taxpayer expense.

Crime- The city of Camas provides responsive law enforcement that catches and deters crime. Trends are reported to neighborhoods so that citizens are made aware of and can report trouble.

Public safety is key to our quality of life. Citizens have expressed concern about shootings, stabbings, beatings, and drug dealing on MAX light rail and at stations in Portland given the plans to extend light rail into Clark County. More serious consideration must be given to safe public transit options. Exploitation is often criminal, thus requires tough enforcement. Continued support for various educational opportunities and approaches is an effective deterrent to crime.

COMMUNITY PREGNANCY CENTERS

2. Do you oppose bills such as HB 1366 and SB 5274 that attempt to burden pro-life pregnancy centers? 

Yes. I called the TOLL-FREE Legislative HOTLINE: 1-800-562-6000 to oppose these bills. Any citizen may contact their legislators in this way. The Community Pregnancy Clinic that serves Camas and Washougal, http://communitypregnancyclinic.org , offers valuable, confidential help to women who seek it. In these tough economic times, a community supported center like this that provides free services to pregnant women is a blessing. According to the website, in 2010 the center gave out free of charge over 1,600 packages of diapers, 1,000+ items of baby clothing, 500 items of baby food or formula, nearly 50 blankets and hundreds of other baby and maternity related items, including cribs, strollers, breast pumps and maternity clothing.  They provide counseling, tests, and classes. Volunteer work is encouraged by the city, and this is a fine example of volunteer efforts for good. Donating $ or goods including used goods is one way citizens can help.

PUBLIC LIBRARY PORNOGRAPHY
3. In the US Supreme Court ruling United States v. American Library Association, Inc, 2003, which upheld the use of library internet pornography filters, Chief Justice Rehnquist stated for the plurality that "to fulfill their traditional missions, public libraries must have broad discretion to decide what material to provide to their patrons.  Although they seek to provide a wide array of information, their goal has never been to provide 'universal coverage,'" and "most libraries already exclude pornography from their print collections because they deem it inappropriate for inclusion."   In 2010, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that public libraries' use of internet filters does not violate the state constitution. Will you as a city council person appoint, recommend or request (depending on your level of authority) only library board candidates who oppose the inclusion of pornography in public libraries, whether by internet or as printed materials? 

Yes.  Public libraries that serve children and youth are no place to distribute pornography.  Adults should not have to be subjected to this inappropriate activity either. It was minors viewing pornography on a library computer in Washougal in 1997 that motivated me to first attend city council meetings, as well as many library board and county meetings through 2006. It took an act of Congress, the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000, for the Camas library in 2004 to finally filter out pornography on computers when used by minors. When the FVRL libraries in Clark, Skamania and Klickitat County decided to filter out pornography on library computers for all ages in 2006, that was a positive change for both visitors and staff, according to the FVRL library director.  Schools follow this standard, and the WA State Supreme Court ruling upheld filtering. It’s overdue for Camas to update library policy to proactively filter out porn on library Internet access to meet our high community standards.

REGULATION OF SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES
4. The U.S. Supreme Court in Young v. American Mini Theaters, Inc., (1976) and Renton v. Playtime Theater, Inc., (1986), concluded that municipalities have "substantial governmental interests" in protecting and preserving the quality of life for its community against the adverse secondary effects of sexually oriented businesses while allowing for "reasonable alternative avenues of communication."  Land Use Studies from cities around the United States were cited in both U.S. Supreme Court cases documenting the harmful secondary effects including 1. Increased Crime - rape, sexual assault, prostitution and illegal drug sales; 2. Decreased Property Values - both residential and commercial; and 3. Urban Blight - people and businesses fleeing the community.  Will you diligently seek and maintain zoning ordinances, licensing procedures, permit requirements and operational regulations which serve to minimize the adverse secondary effects of Sexually Oriented Businesses? 

Yes I successfully advocated for updates to Vancouver laws to insure that XXX businesses can’t locate next to facilities that serve youth like schools and libraries.  WA state law allows for restrictions on time, place and manner for such outlets based on the adverse impacts that have arisen in communities where located. The law helps prevent incompatible uses from being closely placed.

ABORTION
5. Do you believe that it is scientifically accurate to say that human life begins at conception? Yes, and I’ve felt life inside when pregnant as well as seen my babies in the womb via ultrasound very much alive.

6. The 14th Amendment states "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, 1973, stated that "if this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment."  The Court regrettably concluded though that "we need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer."   Do you believe that life begins at conception and that the State has a compelling interest in protecting that life? 

Yes

7.  Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion ever permissible? 

No. If the lives of both a mother and child are at risk, a doctor or midwife should do their best to save life as much as possible. Ultimately, life is a gift from God to be cherished.

8. Do you support parental notification and/or consent before a minor (under 18 years of age) could have an abortion? A judicial bypass of parents would be allowed when necessary.

Notification? Yes     Consent?   Yes

Tragic cases of the death of  young women due to complications from abortions can be prevented through notice and consent. Infection can always occur after an invasive medical procedure, and a parent must be informed in order to adequately care for their minor child.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD
9. Should your city partner in any way with the nation's biggest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, who received over $350 million dollars in governmental grants and contracts, and aborted nearly 305,000 babies?  Should they be contracted with to make community presentations, provide literature, birth control chemicals or devises, and/or abortion services?  

 No, since there are other resources that don’t profit from abortion.

GAMING
10. The recently approved casino off I-5 near Ridgefield would be one of the largest in the nation.  What is your position on the building of this casino?

I opposed this mega-casino at county hearings. A Casino financier heavily bankrolled Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart into office.

“Cowlitz casino developer David Barnett contributed large amounts of money to a Washington, D.C., political action committee that spent more than $86,000 to defeat Tom Mielke in the waning days of last year's Clark County commissioner race. Barnett, his wife and two limited liability companies that have the same address in Seattle each contributed $25,000 to the committee, for a total of $100,000.

His contributions to Progressive Majority were made in late October, at roughly the same time the group was spending more than $86,000, primarily on negative mailers, to defeat Mielke and help elect Democrat Steve Stuart, who won by a narrow margin. …The general election was Nov. 7. But because of a loophole in state campaign finance disclosure laws that exempts out-of-state contributors from meeting some state reporting deadlines, the contributions from Barnett to the Progressive Majority were not reported to the PDC until Nov. 20, 13 days after the election.”    See Columbian, Feb. 22, 2006 

When a casino was proposed in the Camas Washougal area a number of years ago, it was reported that Camas City Hall received hundreds of contacts opposed to it, more than most issues.

 The Washington State Wire has more:  Nothing required the state to give the tribes a dime ... Yet for some reason the 2007 legislation gave the tribes a cut of the state's gas-tax revenue, an amount equal to 75 percent of the gas-tax money that is generated through sales at tribal gas stations. Supporters, including Gov. Chrstine Gregoire, called it a "settlement." ... In 2008 and 2010, Washington tribes contributed $1.5 million to political campaigns, 95 percent of it to Democrats. Gregoire was the biggest recipient. }

Just like the generous "gambling compacts" that Gregoire handed the tribes. Tribes are "sovereign nations", outside the jurisdiction of state courts, taxes and regulation. Accordingly it should also be made illegal for tribes and their corporations to donate to state political campaigns.