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Philadelphia County, PA November 4, 2008 Election
Smart Voter Political Philosophy for Babette Josephs

Candidate for
State Representative; District 182

This information is provided by the candidate

Issues

Advocate for Philadelphia

  • Supports reducing the burden of taxes paid by city dwellers
  • Supports adequate Public school funding
  • Brings home resources and funding for libraries
  • Dedicated to finding a dedicated, long term, reliable source of monies for mass transit
  • Originated the "Philadelphia Weekend" which brings members of the General Assembly to Philadelphia to see what a beautiful, vibrant city we are
  • Invited the members of the Agriculture Committee to Philadelphia to tour Saul Agricultural Public High School, the port, and the food distribution center.

Crime Prevention

  • - Promotes responsible gun control including a one gun a month limits
  • - Advocates for alternative sentencing for youthful, first-time, non-violent offenders
  • - Works to aid families of missing loved ones
  • - Brings home grants for neighborhood town watch groups
  • - Brings home funding for police district advisory committees made up of citizens who work directly with police to improve police/community relationships
Education

  • - Supports increased funding for Philadelphia School District
  • - Opposes tuition vouchers
  • - Opposes the privatization of Philadelphia public schools
  • - Voted for charter schools
Neighborhoods

  • - Works along side neighborhood organizations to close down nuisance bars
  • - Brings home funding for and promotes town watch groups
  • - Supports community improvement groups and local small business associations
  • - Serves her district by providing efficient, prompt, and friendly constituent service
Public Transportation

  • - Fights for permanent public transit appropriations
  • - Supports funding for public transportation and "green" transportation through alternative modes of transit.
Civil Liberties

  • - Only House member to vote against forced flag pledging and mandatory prayers in public and private schools
  • - Advocates for reproductive privacy
  • - Favors equal rights for lesbian women and gay men, supports same sex marriage
  • - Stopped English Only legislation
Environmental

  • - 100% vote record for the environment as rated by PennEnvironment
  • - The only member of the General Assembly who does not own, lease, or even drive a car. Babette depends on public transportation to get everywhere
  • - Working to make and keep state buildings green
  • - First elected official to join PhillyCarShare
Health Care

  • - Opposes using tobacco settlement monies for non-health related purposes
  • - Fights for mental health insurance parity
  • - Supports more stringent state control over managed health care entities
  • - Works for affordable prescription medication, especially for seniors
  • - Advocate for increased PACE PACE/NET program funding
  • - Champion of HIV/AIDS prevention, research and treatment
  • - Supported expanding CHIP to cover all Pennsylvania's children
Campaign Finance Reform & Government Transparency

  • - Advocate for campaign finance reform
  • - Favors lobbyist disclosure
  • - Supports increased openness in government
Economy

  • - Supports an increased minimum wage
  • - Delivers funding to the arts industry yearly
  • - Friend of the small business owner; has helped small businesses transverse the city bureaucracy.
  • - Favors expanding unemployment compensation
Disaster Recovery and Emergency Preparedness

  • - Would give governor power to declare emergency and designate a state agency to respond as lead agency
  • - Votes for improved public health system
  • - Supports restoration and maintaining of universal surface transit
  • - Favors gun control to keep weapons out the hands of terrorists
  • - Works for expansion in power of Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to promote civil tranquility
  • - Promotes energy independence through recycling, renewable energy sources, and "green" buildings
  • - Wants to see comprehensive emergency preparedness planning on a national scale starting at the local level.

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The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any candidate or political party.
Created from information supplied by the candidate: June 5, 2008 12:59
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