Occupation: Professor/Social worker
Education: M.S.W. and Ph.D, University of Illinois at Chicago; B.S., University of Pittsburgh
Additional experience:
1. What steps would you take to ensure adequate revenue for essential state programs? Make every effort to increase the efficiency of state services and assure fair return to communities. Consider some increase in the income tax to provide for education and adequate support for our most vulnerable citizens. Longer term, excellent schools and community services will attract high qualtiy jobs to the state.
JUDY BAAR TOPINKA/REPUBLICAN
Incumbent
Occupation: Legislator
Education: B.S. Journalism, Northwestern University
Additional experience: Former newspaper reporter and liaison for American Medical Association; former self-employed public relations person.
1. What steps would you take to ensure adequate revenue for essential state programs? Review of current programs to see if they are working and cost efficient; if not, cut or repeal or make necessary changes. Try to get more equitable distribution of state aid to education. Freeze school mandates. Eliminate unnecessary offices in government. Try planning, for a change, instead of reacting to crises.
2. How would you allocate funds for
the following programs? Osterbusch Topinka
Probation services Increase Same
Prison construction Increase Increase
Elementary/secondary education Increase Increase
Higher education Increase Increase
Emergency food/shelter Increase Same
Community based mental
health services Increase Increase
Public aid grants Increase Same
AIDS testing Same Decrease
AIDS education Increase Same
Job training/retraining targeted to
areas of greatest unemployment Same Same
Tourism Same Decrease
Inspection of landfill sites Increase Same
Mass transit Increase Same
Highways Same Same
3. Do you support the following proposals?
Increased state income tax Yes No
Increased personal exemption No No
Increased reliance on user
fees for state services No Yes
Constitutional limits on taxes/spending No Yes
Constitutional amendment to
provide for merit selection of judges No Yes
Stricter handgun controls Yes No
Financial incentives for
reorganization of school districts Yes Yes
State funding for non-public
school programs/services No Yes
Basing pay scales for state employees
on a system of comparable worth Yes No
Job protection for employees
taking leave to care for family members Yes No
Prohibiting family planning services
in school based health clinics No Yes
Beverage container deposit
legislation (bottle bill Yes Yes
Mandatory recycling legislation Yes Yes
Initiatives to reduce the prison
population through revised sentencing
guidelines and increased use of alternatives Yes No
Increased funding to community based
alternatives to prison Yes No
4. To address the growing economic problems
facing families and reduced federal funds,
would you favor increased state funding for:
Income assistance Yes No
A. AFDC Yes Yes
B. Food stamps Yes No
Job training/job creation Yes No
Affordable housing Yes No
A. Construction/rehab Yes Yes
B. Rent subsidies Yes Yes
Child Care Yes Yes
Medical assistance based on financial need Yes Yes
