Meet the Candidate

Lois Bower-Bjornson

Running For:

REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

District:

Political Affiliation:

Democrat

Age:

Occupation:

Self employed/Southwestern Pennsylvania field organizer w Clean Air council

Education: (click to expand)

Biographical Info: (click to expand)

Why are you running for office? (click to expand)

Note: We only surveyed the candidates in contested primaries in state legislative races. For the majority of candidates on your ballot, we have simply provided their campaign information for your research and education.

Survey

Response Legend

YYes
NNo
UUndecided
−Declined to Respond / Position Unknown / Unclear
*Comment
†Declined to respond, Position based on citation

Question	Response	Comments/Notes
1. Should elective abortions be paid for by taxpayer dollars?	U*	Choosing to have an abortion is a decision that is made by the individual, not others that had no part in the pregnancy. Planned parenthood has received funding, that they can use for services that are needed. I feel that no one has the right to tell women what they should be doing in regards to their pregnancy. This is a slippery slope. If organizations and government continue to insert themselves into women's lives for political gain then we run the risk of turning back to the days of marital rape and back door abortions.
2. Should all voters be required to show identification before voting?	U*	The solution to this ongoing problem is to require every United states citizen to work the polls. By doing this others will see that there is no election fraud and if there is someone who needs to show their ID the registrant will say so. If you are registered to vote and only U.S citizens can vote then your name and address will populate in the voters list, along with your signature on file you are able to be identified. That being said I see no issue with showing I.D.
3. Should public schools allow males who identify as females to compete in girls’ sports?	U*	Growing up I remember those boys and girls who matured faster then others. Making the boys seem like men and the girls like woman at least physically, therefore giving them an advantage that others did not have. I also remember femine boys and masculine girls. Any competing athlete boy or girl already have an advantage from those students who do not play sports. There bodies are stronger, they are more muscular, faster and agile than others. I think choosing to focus on if a child is transing is the wrong focus. First of all puberty blocking drugs do exactly that they block puberty. So there are no men playing girls sports. Signaling a child out at an already difficult time (again this is a family decision not the schools) is cruel and unnecessary. The focus should be that they just want to play sports.
4. Should marijuana be legalized and sold commercially for recreational use?	Y*	Direct vs. Indirect Causes Research consistently shows that marijuana itself rarely causes fatal overdose. Unlike opioids or alcohol, there are no well-documented cases of death solely from marijuana toxicity. Most deaths associated with cannabis use occur due to indirect factors, such as impaired judgment leading to accidents, cardiovascular stress in vulnerable individuals, or interactions with other substances. Case reports exist, such as deaths linked to cardiovascular complications in individuals under the influence of marijuana, but these are extremely rare and often involve preexisting health conditions. Legalization and regulation: States with legalized recreational marijuana have slightly lower rates of marijuana-involved overdose deaths compared to states where it remains illegal I have had my own personal experience with alcoholics. Relatives and friends have died, developed diabetes. I have watched lives be destroyed due to alcohol. Families and business's lost. I know of no one that has died from recreational marijuana use. According to the CDC in the United States In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 178,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use. These deaths result from both chronic conditions (e.g., liver disease, heart disease) and acute events such as binge drinking, accidents, and alcohol-related injuries. Approximately two-thirds of these deaths (117,000) are from chronic conditions, while one-third (61,000) are from binge drinking or acute alcohol-related events. CDC Daily, this translates to roughly 488 deaths per day in the U.S. due to excessive alcohol consumption. Men are disproportionately affected, with 119,600 deaths annually, compared to 58,700 deaths among women. Most deaths involve adults aged 35 and older, though about 4,000 deaths occur each year among people under 21. CDC
5. Should Pennsylvania increase the minimum wage?	Y*	Absolutely!!!! Paying people a living wage enables them to live and contribute to society.
6. Should schools post curriculum online for review by parents and taxpayers?	U*	When you enroll you child in school you are told what the curriculum is or at least you should be.
7. Should the state gas tax be repealed?	Y*	Pennsylvania is the second largest energy producing state, yet we have some of the highest gas prices in the country, both at the pump and in our utilities. In states such as Texas the first energy producing state the taxes from industry pay for the states schools, public services, roads, etc. In Alaska every person including an infant receive 1,000 every year for their lives for the extraction of their natural resources. Pennsylvania should be adopting similar legislation. Instead of giving our natural resources away for free.
8. Should Pennsylvania taxpayers pay for surgical procedures, cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers for minors wishing to present as the opposite sex?	U*	As a parents we all want the best for their children/child. That being said seeing your child in pain, depressed or bullied is awful and can contribute to teen suicide. Something that should be avoided at all cost. As parents who know your child/children you know what is best for your child. This is a private decision that should be made within the family.
9. Should increases in state government spending be limited to the rate of inflation plus population growth?	U
10. Should Pennsylvania opt in to the federal tax credit program under the Educational Choice for Children Act?	U*	Education has changed. Children and young adults of all ages learn differently than we did. It is necessary to acknowledge this change instead of fighting it. All educational systems are not perfect, however those that are doing better are incorporating new teaching methods, and understanding that not every child is the same, each child has different interest, desires, and learn differently. Therefore instead of villainizing the different school systems we should be working together to make a better school for all children.