Incumbent, unopposed
Occupation: legislator
Education: B.A. from Tennesse State University
Other experience: former state representative, chairman of senate`s committee on public health, welfare and corrections, a position once held by her late husband, Fred J. Smith, who was dean of senate prior to his retirement
1. Which of the following do you
support to address the
state`s fiscal crisis? Smith
Raise income tax rate Yes
Enact a graduated income tax Yes
Increase the sales tax No
Increase user fees No
Allow more legalized gambling No
Impose a tax on services No
Eliminate the tax credit for property tax No
Tax pension income No
Reenact an inheritance tax No
2. State spending: Would you increase (I),
decrease (D) or maintain (M) the level
of spending in the following areas? Smith
Public aid (families with children) I
General assistance (single adults) I
Incentives for business investments I
Job training (Opportunities/Project Chance) I
Energy assistance for poor I
Community mental health programs I
Public transportation I
Environmental protection
Prisons M
Probation services I
Early intervention for at-risk children I
3. School funding: Do you support: Smith
Statewide sharing of a portion
of property taxes? No
Local/regional income tax for schools Yes
Reducing mandates for schools Yes
Public funds for private school vouchers No
Substantial increase in new revenue
for schools Yes
No new money for schools No
4. Social issues: Do you support: Smith
Job protected family and medical leave Yes
Earned income tax credits Yes
Tighter restrictions on eligibility
for welfare benefits Yes
5. Environment and natural resources:
Should the state: Smith
Set higher recycling goals? Yes
Regulate the use of pesticids Yes
Increase groundwater protection Yes
Increase protection for wetlands Yes
Control municipal landfill
and incinerator siting Yes
Set recycled content goals for packaging Yes
6. Health care: Do you support
legislation that would: Smith
Provide Medicaid for all
below the federal poverty line Yes
Assign Medicaid patients
to an HMO type health care plan Yes
Give incentives to health care
professionals to work in underserved areas Yes
Expand insurance coverage
of mental illness Yes
7. Reproductive choice: Do you support
legislation that would: Smith
Keep abortion legal
with no additional restrictions Yes
Require parental consent
for a minor`s abortion No
Require parental notification
before a minor`s abortion No
Allow Medicaid to pay for abortions Yes
8. Other: Do you support: Smith
A ban on semi-automatic assault weapons Yes
State legislation overriding
local gun restrictions No
Community service for
drug possessors (not dealers) Yes
Term limitations for state legislators No
Merit selection of judges
instead of elections No
A blank space indicates the candidate did not reply to the question or the answer was in a form other than the choices provided.
