San Diego Tribune: 2024 primary Q&As: Meet the candidates for California’s 77th Assembly District
VOTE HENNY
2024 primary Q&As: Meet the candidates for California’s 77th Assembly District
In the San Diego Tribune today, my candidate interview shows how I will vote on March 5
Link to 2024 primary Q&As: Meet the candidates for California’s 77th Assembly District
Do you personally support Proposition 1? Why or why not?
Vote no on Proposition 1. The county is blamed for not spending public funds to tackle what the state considers a problem. We cannot inter people in psychiatric hospitals and pat ourselves on the back that billions have been invested in their care. A consumer-driven strategy embraces the notion that getting individuals and families out of homelessness and into permanent housing before addressing related problems has a greater likelihood of success, than a ‘problems first’ approach. This proposition overlooks the family model, where reunification may initiate a shared housing situation for 1 in 4 people in distress. When developmentally disabled people were forcibly deinstitutionalized, their relatives became eligible to get paid a minimum-wage for live-in protective supervision. For the other 75% who cannot benefit from family reunification, spending $750,000 for each of the 8,000 beds would lead to healthcare bankruptcy with no evidence-based solutions in place.
Do you support or oppose stricter gun laws and background checks? Which, and if you support them, to what extent?
Declaring safe zones or sensitive zones infringes on a civilian's right to experience the land to its fullest through forced compliance. A Justice Department survey of criminals who use handguns showed that 93% had obtained their guns in ways other than buying them at stores where waiting periods are imposed. Forcing stricter rules for responsible gun owners is unreasonable and infringes on their right to protect themselves. I am a member of a Jewish community here in San Diego, where senseless crimes occurred when shooters entered a synagogue during a high-holiday service. Our rabbis now carry guns, and I support our right to protect each person for themselves as well as representatives of a group or family. I also believe that all humans should have unfettered access to shooting practice in the event that their lifestyle requires hunting and gathering.
Do you support or oppose asking voters to roll back elements of Proposition 47, by which they recategorized some nonviolent crimes as misdemeanors 10 years ago? Why or why not?
This is a troubling proposition. As the police force has been defunded, retail stores have no police presence, nor a response for calls for help. Expecting prosecutors to aggregate, or add up charges so that a third misdemeanor could become a felony and a fourth could come with prison time, would accomplish nothing if there is no police presence to deter people from repeating crimes. Downgrading crimes, such as personal drug possession, will hinder crime prevention, as counties can't properly supervise the reintroduction of misdemeanor offenders into mainstream society. There is no research to accurately predict that rehabilitation of retroactive felons can significantly reduce recidivism. If kids in NYC go to Juvie for stealing lipstick, and NYPD protects Macy's, then we have a proven model to replicate here.
Californians will vote this year on whether to repeal Proposition 8, a 2008 same-sex marriage ban that has been unenforceable since the Supreme Court ruling legalized same-sex marriage but that still remains on the books. Will you personally vote for or against repealing Prop. 8?
We must repeal Proposition 8 amendment to guarantee constitutional equity for all. Children from intact families fare best in adulthood, and the happiness of thriving couples boosts the economy. Since the advent of civilizations, unionizing has promoted harmonious living with consolidation of domestic tasks. There is no reason to restrict love and success to a bible verse of a highly specific religious sect. There is no harm to any religious group to practice their faith while lovers are wed in their state. I was born and raised in a highly restrictive religious group where I was denied my civil freedoms. I was forced into an arranged religious marriage to a stranger when I was a teenager. We must promote the human right to exist and flourish, with informed choices about our liberties without restriction or consequence.