Kubacki Accounts for Votes
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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As a representative I realize the impact of my votes and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. Listed are a few of the bills that have generated the most interest and an explanation for my votes.
Right to Work - House Bill 1001
I never cast a vote without thoroughly researching the issue. I also use results of surveys sent to constituents. In this case the survey showed 60 percent were in favor of right to work and I voted accordingly. I would like to put to rest the notion that my mission is to bring down unions. My mission is to bring down the unemployment rate in the state of Indiana. Indiana has done well in bringing jobs to the state, but if our unemployment rate is 9 percent it isn’t good enough.
The cornerstone of my campaign was getting people back to work. I believe passing RTW will give us a competitive edge over non-RTW states and put us on a level playing field with other RTW states to aggressively go after jobs. As much as union members dislike hearing this, we have to work together.
What good is a strong union when you have to lay off workers because people are not buying your product because they have no income? When we get people back to work they buy what you produce, you hire back your employees and we all win. Indiana wins.
You won’t find a harder working group of people than Hoosiers. Hoosiers want jobs. They are hungry for jobs, I intend to fight to get them jobs. If an opportunity to bring a union company to Indiana presents itself, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to do whatever it takes to bring them here.
Strong union members will remain strong union members because they are being well represented by their unions. Legislation does not change that. Your salary is negotiated by your union representative based on how well your company does and what the profit margin is, not by legislation. When the dust settles everyone will realize that our goals are exactly the same and that is getting all Hoosiers back to work.
Smoking Ban - House Bill 1149
I was a no vote on this one. It is not that I approve of smoking or that I don’t recognize the dangers of smoking. It is a matter of personal freedoms. There is no law that says any establishment or community cannot be smoke free if it chooses to. If we are truly going to be smoke free that means everyone and not cherry picking which establishments will be given a pass. The legislation as it was written would put local family-owned restaurants at a disadvantage to those who got exemptions.
Hunting Preserves - House Bill 1265
I am not a hunter and don’t pass judgment on those who hunt. Whether this type of hunting is fair game is a discussion for those more knowledgeable than myself. My “yes” vote was based on facts when it came to bill 1265. There are currently four hunting preserves in the state of Indiana.
The Department of Natural Resources approved these hunting facilities in 2005. The owners of these facilities invested heavily to establish them. When the DNR changed leadership, attitudes changed and they took a negative position on the hunting preserves. The investment had already been made and I felt it unfair to now cause them financial harm by closing them down.
If someone disapproves of this type of hunting they shouldn’t support it. Let the free market work. There was concern about chronic wasting syndrome. Deer farms are subject to regular inspection by the State Board of Animal Health. There is no history of CWD cases in the state. Every animal that dies in captivity is tested and none has been found to have tested positive for CWD. Farmers who can no longer make a living farming have chosen to raise deer as a source of income. We can’t put blame on someone who does what they have to do to feed their family. This bill will increase the acres required from 100 to 200 acres. I felt a little better when I found out most of the hunters paid to have the deer dressed and donated them to local food banks. I don’t think this bill will get much traction in the Senate so this may be a moot point.
I hope this has been helpful and gives you a deeper understanding of the bills.
Rebecca Kubacki
Syracuse, via email[[In-content Ad]]
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As a representative I realize the impact of my votes and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. Listed are a few of the bills that have generated the most interest and an explanation for my votes.
Right to Work - House Bill 1001
I never cast a vote without thoroughly researching the issue. I also use results of surveys sent to constituents. In this case the survey showed 60 percent were in favor of right to work and I voted accordingly. I would like to put to rest the notion that my mission is to bring down unions. My mission is to bring down the unemployment rate in the state of Indiana. Indiana has done well in bringing jobs to the state, but if our unemployment rate is 9 percent it isn’t good enough.
The cornerstone of my campaign was getting people back to work. I believe passing RTW will give us a competitive edge over non-RTW states and put us on a level playing field with other RTW states to aggressively go after jobs. As much as union members dislike hearing this, we have to work together.
What good is a strong union when you have to lay off workers because people are not buying your product because they have no income? When we get people back to work they buy what you produce, you hire back your employees and we all win. Indiana wins.
You won’t find a harder working group of people than Hoosiers. Hoosiers want jobs. They are hungry for jobs, I intend to fight to get them jobs. If an opportunity to bring a union company to Indiana presents itself, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to do whatever it takes to bring them here.
Strong union members will remain strong union members because they are being well represented by their unions. Legislation does not change that. Your salary is negotiated by your union representative based on how well your company does and what the profit margin is, not by legislation. When the dust settles everyone will realize that our goals are exactly the same and that is getting all Hoosiers back to work.
Smoking Ban - House Bill 1149
I was a no vote on this one. It is not that I approve of smoking or that I don’t recognize the dangers of smoking. It is a matter of personal freedoms. There is no law that says any establishment or community cannot be smoke free if it chooses to. If we are truly going to be smoke free that means everyone and not cherry picking which establishments will be given a pass. The legislation as it was written would put local family-owned restaurants at a disadvantage to those who got exemptions.
Hunting Preserves - House Bill 1265
I am not a hunter and don’t pass judgment on those who hunt. Whether this type of hunting is fair game is a discussion for those more knowledgeable than myself. My “yes” vote was based on facts when it came to bill 1265. There are currently four hunting preserves in the state of Indiana.
The Department of Natural Resources approved these hunting facilities in 2005. The owners of these facilities invested heavily to establish them. When the DNR changed leadership, attitudes changed and they took a negative position on the hunting preserves. The investment had already been made and I felt it unfair to now cause them financial harm by closing them down.
If someone disapproves of this type of hunting they shouldn’t support it. Let the free market work. There was concern about chronic wasting syndrome. Deer farms are subject to regular inspection by the State Board of Animal Health. There is no history of CWD cases in the state. Every animal that dies in captivity is tested and none has been found to have tested positive for CWD. Farmers who can no longer make a living farming have chosen to raise deer as a source of income. We can’t put blame on someone who does what they have to do to feed their family. This bill will increase the acres required from 100 to 200 acres. I felt a little better when I found out most of the hunters paid to have the deer dressed and donated them to local food banks. I don’t think this bill will get much traction in the Senate so this may be a moot point.
I hope this has been helpful and gives you a deeper understanding of the bills.
Rebecca Kubacki
Syracuse, via email[[In-content Ad]]
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