Catholic Groups Question Candidates – Part 3
Questions for state candidates focus on children, vulnerable people.
Published: 07.18.08
The Florida Catholic is one of four statewide Catholic entities that participates in the Candidate Questionnaire Project, soliciting and disseminating responses from congressional and state legislative candidates on questions important to Catholic voters. This is the third in a three–part series in which the Florida Catholic Conference, which drafts the questions, explains what was asked and why.
ORLANDO | Though Florida is known for its retired population, about 2 million of the Sunshine State’s residents are elementary school–age children, according to the U.S. Census.
Perhaps that is the reason three of 10 questions for would–be state legislators in the Candidate Questionnaire Project focus on issues concerning children.
“It’s cliché to say the children are our future, but it’s true,” said Michael McCarron, executive director of the Florida Catholic Conference. “Issues of education and appropriate health care for children are important issues for Florida’s families and the Catholic faithful.”
The Candidate Questionnaire Project began two decades ago and since then, it has been a cooperative effort between the Florida Catholic Conference, Florida Catholic newspaper, the Florida Council of Catholic Women and the Knights of Columbus Florida State Council. Candidates’ answers to the questionnaire will be available in late July through this site and at www.informedcatholicvoter.com.
— Jean GonzalezEach election cycle, the conference, which serves as the lobbying arm for Florida’s bishops, develops one set of questions for Florida’s legislative candidates and another set for congressional candidates. State and congressional candidates for the offices of representative and senator are offered the opportunity to answer the conference’s questions through the Candidate Questionnaire Project.
This year’s state legislative questionnaire for candidates on the ballot for the Aug. 26 primary and Nov. 4 general elections includes three questions relevant to children — two that center on education and one on health care. Four questions, which covered topics present on both the Florida legislative and U.S. congressional questionnaires, were addressed in the first installment of this series. And the three other questions cover three different topics — farmworkers, persons with disabilities and the death penalty — but each topic focuses on fundamental issues of protecting the vulnerable and establishing justice in society, McCarron said.
“We are the fourth most populous state in the United States, and because of that we have many needs and issues that are critical to our state’s most vulnerable populations,” McCarron said. “We start the process with 15 to 20, but because candidates are inundated with so many questionnaires, we believe limiting a poll to 10 questions improves our chances of candidates answering and also allows us to inform them of issues of concern to the church.”
McCarron said the conference also takes into account general concerns based on Catholic social teaching and issues expected to arise in the upcoming legislative session. Before questions are sent to candidates, various others within church leadership have an opportunity to help refine the questions.
CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE
Florida legislative question: Do you support or oppose providing adequate funding to cover all children eligible to participate in the Florida KidCare health insurance program?
Florida KidCare is the state’s children’s health insurance program for uninsured children under age 19. It includes four parts, or programs: MediKids, Healthy Kids, Children’s Medical Services and Medicaid. Children are eligible based on age and family income.
While the program has its advocates, there are those who say it costs too much money and others who say it does not cover enough children. Michael Sheedy, the conference’s associate director for health, said the conference believes offering children access to health benefits is a justice issue. Florida KidCare provides subsidized health insurance for children under 19 up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (which is a portion more than $40,000 for a family of four). The federal government pays for more than 70 percent of the costs. Families pay monthly premiums between $15 and $20 per month.
“Accessible health care is foundational for a healthy society, and KidCare is a cost–effective program for working families living just above the poverty line,” Sheedy said. “It’s a bargain for the state, and a great investment in our kids and our future.”
DEATH PENALTY
Florida legislative question: Do you support or opposed requiring a unanimous jury recommendation before sentencing someone to death?
This question has been on the questionnaire in years past. Those opposed to the death penalty may consider the question too “soft” on the issue of capital punishment. So why doesn’t the conference just ask candidates, “Would you abolish the death penalty?”
Changes in law on controversial issues such as abortion and death penalty usually take several years, one step at a time, according to Sheila Hopkins, associate director for social concerns/respect life.
“The church opposes use of the death penalty since society can be protected from the aggressor and there is the option of life in prison without possibility of parole,” Hopkins said. “Looking at incremental change, unanimous jury would be a step forward from the current practice of only a simple majority jury vote required for a death penalty sentence.”
FARMWORKERS
Florida legislative question: Do you support or oppose mandating pesticide safety training for farmworkers before commencing work in order to reduce the detrimental effects of exposure?
Farmworkers contribute to Florida’s economy by providing the labor to harvest crops and work in nurseries, many times exposed to dangers posed by use of pesticides, Hopkins said. Current law allows employers up to five days to train workers about pesticides so they can and do begin working with no training.
“It is unjust to place workers lives in danger as they toil to put food on our tables,” she added. “Requiring training prior to working in the fields or nurseries will give them information on proper use of equipment and practices such as hand washing after exposure to pesticides.”
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Florida legislative question: Do you support or oppose increasing funding of services to eliminate barriers and enable persons with disabilities to live independently in the community setting of their choice?
Some questions might seem like no–brainers, as if to say, “Who would oppose this?” But many times it is a word or two that makes a difference. In this case, it is the word “choice.” There are persons with disabilities who can function independently with help such as personal care attendants to assist with basic hygiene.
“Funding to allow these people to live in the setting of their choice when they are capable with some help is a matter of respect for the dignity of the human person,” Hopkins said.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOW–INCOME NONPUBLIC STUDENTS
Florida legislative question: Do you support or oppose increasing the amount of Corporate Tax Credit Scholarships to more closely reflect the actual cost to educate children in K–12 nonpublic schools?
The Corporate Tax Credit Scholarships program provides an income–tax credit for corporations that make eligible contributions to nonprofit scholarship–funding organizations, which award scholarships to students from families with limited financial resources as demonstrated by the student qualifying for free and/or reduced–priced school lunches under the National School Lunch Act. The scholarships are used at Catholic and other private schools, according to Larry Keough, the conference’s associate director of education.
“Eligibility for these scholarships is generally limited to students presently enrolled in public schools,” Keough said. “It is our great hope that one day this program will be based solely on need, and not what school a child attends.”
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Florida legislative question: Do you support or oppose providing special–education services for eligible nonpublic students at the school of their parents’ choice?
Special–education services are available at public schools, but what are children of nonpublic schools — which could include charter schools, private schools and Catholic schools — to do? Should those students be able to obtain those state services despite not attending a public school?
Do students have a right to those services based on the fact that they are Florida residents and not based on what school they attend? Or would that be too much money for Florida to afford? In its advocacy for disabled children, the conference said it pursues policies that will allow children who are physically, emotionally or learning–disabled to receive educational services based on need and in the least restrictive environment, which is generally in the school they attend, not at another site.
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