Carol Taylor, Democrat, Candidate for PA Senate 30th District


What is your position on abortion policy?

Roe v Wade was the settled law of the land and did a very good job of balancing the interests of the mother and the unborn. The States are taking away the right to choose, and this is creating a situation where there is a disparate effect on those who cannot afford to travel great distance for reproductive care. It also will create the same dangerous situation that existed 50 years ago, where the limited access caused death and injury. It is my position that every individual has the right to make this very personal, private, spiritual or moral decision for themselves, with their physician. Government should recognize there is some right to privacy that cannot be violated. Forced pregnancy, and forced birth is an anathema to personal freedom. In PA, Senate Bill 106, by way of a Constitutional amendment, states there is no right relating to abortion, nor shall any taxpayer funding be provided. Exactly what the means is not only uncertain, but somewhat omininous. No right "relating to" abortion is patently unclear, and purposely so. The choice to present this as a Constitutional amendment is also one of obvious manipulation of the law. The governor cannot veto it. Secondly, the intent is to get it on the primary ballot no doubt, as it is timed this way, which is May 2023 in Pa. in a local, little attended election. The ratio of Republicans to Democrats in this area is about 3 to 1. It makes passage a certainty if it gets this far, by a minority of people. Most independents will not participate in a primary, since in PA the only reason would be to vote on the amendment. It is open to nominations from the Parties only. With all the confusion over voting rights, it is dubious that they will even know they can show up.

What is your position on voting administration? (ex: mail-in ballots, drop boxes, voter ID, etc.) 

Mail in ballots assist students, older individuals, those in rural areas, those who have disabilities , those with long or odd working hours, those who travel, those in armed services etc. We should be making it easier to vote, not harder to participate in democracy. For this reason, the recent proposals for voter ID are also suspect. There is no reason for this other than to make it difficult for already marginalized populations: the poor, the elderly, those in cities (no license),or even just a forgetful person who leaves it at home, to have another false barrier to voting. ID is already required to register. Again the Senate bill 106 would require an ID every time to vote- including when mailing in a ballot. It is unclear what other regulations and administrative snafu's will accompany this to make it difficult to not make some error that will invalidate your vote. Drop boxes should be convenient and have adequate security. My view is that government should want to encourage voting, not make it an obstacle course.

What are your positions on economic policy and job creation (ex: inflation reduction, taxes, regulations, etc.)? 

I would support small business in this state with the influx of relief in the Infrastructure bill and the Inflation reduction act, as well as the American Rescue plan. The inflation reduction act is likely to create jobs in clean manufacturing, investments in community resilience, jobs to improve infrastructure, clean energy, transportation and agriculture investments. This is an enormous step forward, both for the environment, and for the long term planning efforts on climate action. Our dependence on fossil fuel will keep us captive to this limited resource, and the oil companies greed, and the whims of OPEC. The only way to combat it is to invest in long term planning for growth both beneficial to the environment and our wallets . As for inflation, the overriding factor here is the increase in oil and gas prices. It increases transportation costs, therefore the price of goods. Climate change has made for wild weather patterns, and forest fires have ravaged areas that yield the nations crops. In PA we have more issues with flooding than drought, but a great deal of pain at the store, is the price of food from California or Florida, with resultant increases in cost. We should of course, pursue the oil companies for record profits when consumers are being gouged, and families go hungry. It is important to provide assistance for childcare costs. home care for the elderly and infirm, and to hold Medicare to reasonable costs-- as well as drug costs, and medical care.

I would support tax relief for the middle class and support fair taxation for the wealthy and large corporate interests. We should invest in technology training, and research, providing the talent and expertise to bring our companies into the future with the necessary workforce. Some areas of PA in my district have little to no access to this type of training or post high school level education in the needed fields to fuel our economy. We need to expand the educational resources, available transportation, to provide the impetus for growth in PA that is needed. Regulations for small businesses should be simplified, and streamlined, with the state providing the resources to assist them in the process, while being responsive to their concerns.

What is your position on climate change and environmental policy? 

Climate change is already having it's effect on crop production, water availability, air quality, rising seas and flooding. We need to be proactive in taking the steps to reduce carbon emissions but also to invest in natural carbon reduction. For example, the growth of hemp in PA would result in carbon reduction. It is sustainable and powerful carbon converter. If we utilize the knowledge we have and provide the expertise to make the environment more hospitable to the ecosystem. Forests, coastal wetlands, restorative agricultural practices for the soil all help. We can decrease greenhouse gases in transportation. Pa can lessen our use of coal in this state, while supporting workers to transition to other jobs. We depend on fossil fuels to heat our homes, and transport our goods. We can decrease this and look to renewable sources of energy.

What is your position on immigration policy? 

There needs to be a clear path to citizenship for dreamers. While there needs to be order in processing those who cross into our country, we should be treating those who do come here at border crossings legally with respect for their human dignity. Spending time in incarceration without access to counsel, or a hearing , without any process, is not the American promise to which we had aspired. We can prevent to some extent, the flood of immigration by assisting with humanitarian aid to countries in need. Immigration is fueled by the need to escape extreme poverty, hunger and violence. Noone wants to leave their home. However, they are driven to do so at great risk due to circumstance so dire, they are willing to risk everything to cross the border.

This country has let less and less into the country legally and put a lot of barriers to immigration, at a time where there is a severe shortage of labor. It is not a coincidence that we are lagging in production of food, and transport when we adopt a policy restricting immigration from certain countries. This is not advocation of "open borders" but a policy based more on the intersection of humanitarian issues and the needs of our country. As a state senator, the role is rather limited in this area.

What is your position on LGBTQ rights? (ex: marriage, adoption, sports participation) 

LGBTQ community should have the same rights to equality and respect as everyone else. I am against the transgender bill proposed by my opponent to prevent participation in women's sports. Such actions aren't about preserving "the integrity" of women's sports, but set a dangerous message to u individuals that it is acceptable to treat them as less than, as unworthy of the freedoms those who are not LGBTQ have. Equality along sexual orientation should be extended to everyone.

What is your position on criminal justice reform? 

It is necessary to reform the criminal justice system. We have one of the largest incarcerated percentages of our population in prison. One in two American adults has had a family member incarcerated . This is unacceptable. Addiction has ballooned the numbers of those incarcerated due to this disease. Prisons are unable to deal with the mental health issues, the medical issues and the trauma inherent in the environment outside prison for the addicted . Prison further traumatizes the individual. The focus should be on rehabilitation and support, not incarceration. with every probation violation for small infractions, the hope for a better life diminishes. Pa needs to focus on community-based solutions, alternatives to incarceration and a police force that has mental health professionals to assist. Police need to be trained in recognizing the situation and having the resources to refer the individual to for further assistance, and not incarceration. To do that, there is much needed resources to refer individuals to, for mental health. As of the present time, there is a gap in resources for those with serious mental health issues, short of hospitalization. We simply do not have any place for them to go to be treated.

It is important that the racial disparities in the system be recognized and fairness in sentencing and pretrial procedure instituted. We can do this by utilizing what we know in The privatization of prisons has incentivized high rates of incarceration. It is a recipe rife with conflicts with justice. I support decriminalizing small drug offenses that have no intent to sell. I support decriminalizing cannabis.

What is your position on gun ownership policy? 

We need common sense gun reform. Universal background checks for all firearms regardless of the length of the barrel. Eliminate loopholes in the law. Ban assault rifles and high capacity magazines as was the ban federally for 15 years. During that time mass shootings We should take reasonable measures to prevent those with a history of violence from obtaining weapons. In Pa there is no waiting period. There should be. You can own a handgun or long gun at 18 in this state, it should be 21. Unfinished lower receivers that require further milling, drilling or machining, are not considered firearms. While an 18 year old may own a handgun that is a gift, they can't purchase one under federal law. However they can buy the components. Gun kits and 3D printer made firearms are not regulated . Homemade firearms or "ghost guns" without a serial no. are not registered. Inaction to correct these inconsistencies in the law is not defendable. Gun violence , especially that threatens our children makes it inconceivable that the legislature is more about restricting voting than gun violence. I support red flag laws.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?