APN Questionnaire, Marie Metze, House District 55 Special Election Candidate
(APN) ATLANTA — In Atlanta Progressive News’s continuing coverage of the House District 55 Special Election on June 16, 2015, this article provides questionnaire responses by Marie Metze.
Metze filed her responses after the deadline. APN has now published all seven candidates’ questionnaires.
Tyrone Brooks, Jr:
John Guest:
Shelitha Robertson:
Alysia Brown, Michael Fitzgerald, Raghu Raju:
Metze has served as the Board Vice Chairwoman for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority; co-owner of MetzeAmoco service stations; on the Beltline Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee; as first immediate Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Atlanta branch; and in other public leadership capacities.
Her questionnaire responses are as follows:
DO YOU BELIEVE ALL HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES SHOULD KEEP MINUTES, AND
THOSE MINUTES SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL IDEAS FOR
TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS?
Absolutely. In fact, I believe that any legislative meeting that is funded with public dollars, be it in the form of salaries for legislators to paying for the electricity that is used to power the room where the meeting is held, should contain minutes that are available to the public. Further, I believe there should be a timeframe within which the minutes should be made public. I suggest a maximum of one week.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON NUCLEAR POWER?
I believe nuclear energy is one of many alternatives to fossil fuels that is available, however, given the damage that can be done via cyber threats, I am hesitant to expand nuclear energy. I fully support solar, wind and other clean and non-lethal energy alternatives. Additionally, I believe the State has a responsibility to regularly update the fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleet so that it is consuming less.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS, IF ANY, TO EXPAND WIND AND SOLAR IN GEORGIA?
With the recent legislative action on solar energy, I believe the next step is to strongly encourage adoption of alternative energy. I support providing/expanding tax credits for homeowners who install solar panels, reduced rates for landowners who install panels and/or produce sufficient energy from wind. Within the purview of government, I believe that, where practical, all government buildings should install panels.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT REDUCING PETITION REQUIREMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT AND
POLITICAL BODY (MINOR PARTY) CANDIDATES FROM THE CURRENT ONE PERCENT
STATEWIDE, FIVE PERCENT NON-STATEWIDE REQUIREMENT?
Yes. I am a Democrat who believes in open ballot access. In Georgia it is nearly impossible for an independent candidate to qualify for office. I would go beyond simply reducing the quantity to include the following:
– Reducing the barriers on the forms
– Developing a digital signature to permit participation electronically
– Protecting the ability of candidates to hire canvassers/petitioners who are not registered within Georgia.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT ADDING A VOTER VERIFIABLE PAPER AUDIT TRAIL TO ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS IN GEORGIA?
Yes, I believe this is a must. Given what happened in Florida, noted errors in Georgia’s elections and the ability of hackers to crack just about any government center, I believe we must have a paper audit trail.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE REFERENDUM TO CREATE A STATEWIDE OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO TAKE OVER SO-CALLED FAILING SCHOOLS?
I believe that children should not be trapped in a failing school and parents must have options to give their children better, HOWEVER, I oppose a government take-over of schools.
DO YOU SUPPORT AN EXPANDED MEDICAL CANNABIS PROGRAM (IN-STATE CULTIVATION, FULL PLANT MEDICINE, EXPANDED LIST OF CONDITIONS)? DO YOU SUPPORT DECRIMINALIZATION? DO YOU SUPPORT LEGALIZATION?
I support expanding the list of conditions covered and in state cultivation. I am neutral on legalization.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON CITYHOOD PROPOSAL FOR SOUTH FULTON, AND ATLANTA’S PROPOSAL FOR SOUTH FULTON ANNEXATION?
I support the right to self-determination, be it by vote or petition. I would support giving parents in annexed communities a waiver to keep their children in Fulton County Schools for the duration of their school tenure at the time of annexation. In other words, parents of a 3rd grader would be granted a waiver for nine years, through the completion of high school.
DO YOU SUPPORT GMO LABELING?
Yes.
DO YOU SUPPORT ANY OF THE RECENT PROPOSALS REDUCING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD, OR ALLOWING LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FLEXIBILITY TO REDUCE EARLY VOTING?
NO, in fact I believe in expanding voting options. I believe there should be Sunday voting in every county for every election and I support forming a committee to explore electronic voting. [Georgia’s election systems are already electronic, or E-voting; presumably, the candidate may have been referring to the possibility of voting by Internet.]
(END/2015)
Mami Marie YOU CAN DO IT! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH ! YOU’LL ALWAYS THERE TO HELP PEOPLE NOW YOU DESERVE TO BE VOTED AND ELECTED !