Belinda Johnson
Republican | Utah
Candidate Profile*
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Belinda Johnson
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 35
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Bachelor, 1999
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Utah High School Activity Association, Board of Trustees, UHSAA Foundation
Board Member, Murray Education Foundation, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Murray City School District Board of Education, 12
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (2)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
*Patriot Parents
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Abortion should only be allowed in circumstances where a mother's life is at risk, or incest or rape but even in these cases the mother's decision should be well informed and handled by professionals.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Neutral
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Tax code like everything in government should be simplified.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
I believe every department of government could be streamlined. We find ourselves spending money over time that is more by habit than necessity, this is often money that could be better used elsewhere.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
There are many opportunities post high school for students. I am a strong believer in helping kids find that path which may include the military, trade school and/or college. It is not appropriate to have tax payers pay for the tuition of those who have chosen to go on to advanced degrees or decided to incur debt to complete their schooling.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
It is never appropriate for the government to shut down a church. If a church is part of illegal acts that needs to be handled through the justice system.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
C, is what aligns the most with my views. However, Medicaid and Medicare could be improved to help people when needed but not become a crutch.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
I am not opposed to proven vaccinations for our school children that have been proven to mitigate diseases such as polio and measles. However, I do believe that it is a parent's right to opt children out based on their own beliefs. This also holds true for adults in work settings and is especially true for unproven vaccines that we have seen recently.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
On this subject I do not feel qualified to address specifics but I do believe in strong forgein policy that aligns us with strong allies. A strong defense policy includes a strong military force and that has been forgotten under this administration. We must give our troops the most advanced tools to protect our country and give them the pay and benefits they deserve.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Neutral
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
There are many people who have come to our country to seek the "American Dream." They see all the freedoms America has to offer and work hard to give them to their own families. The road to becoming a citizen is difficult but every day many immigrates work towards it. Those who take the legal steps to come to our country through visas, green cards, and other means should be allowed to stay as long as they are living within the laws and the constraints of their current status. In this, there is a place for refugees and others who are seeking safety. There is no place for people to come over our borders illegally with the intent to do harm through drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other illegal activities.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Agree
I believe in school choice and a parent's right to choose the education that is best for the child. These options include local public schools, homeschooling, private schools, and charter schools. I think any voucher programs need to be looked at carefully because of the amount of money it will take away from local schools and put into the private sector without oversight.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Agree
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe our faith affects all of the decisions we make in our lives, my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been fundamental in my life. The fundamental right to religion and faith belongs to everyone and we must each fight for these rights for each other.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
In my opinion, Utah has seen some success with mail-in ballots. I appreciate the ease of receiving and ballot in the mail but also the ability to study issues as I feel out my ballot. But it is discouraging how many ballots are mailed out and never filled out. For this reason and to avoid ballots being filled out fraudulently I would propose that we could have mail ballots only go out upon request. These requests could be verified with an ID like many other websites and services.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Recently our country has become more divided than ever, and strides that had moved us forward are being erased. As I watched my own children when they were small I loved how they played with anybody without a thought. This included children of other races, cultures, or abilities. But now as adults, they are being deemed racists just for the color of their skin not because of any of their own actions. This is incredibly discouraging and I am not sure what the answer is to this backsliding we have done as a country but I do know that dividing us further as the government is doing is not the way to improve our country.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
A is definitely closer to my views. I think we can each do our part to take care of the earth and the environment. The government stepping in with strong-armed policies is not the way to improve our world. Yes, some regulations are needed but companies that have been making great strides to meet these regulations are now being punished for not falling in line with the left-wing agenda.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Agree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The purpose of the government should be minimal. Upholding the Constitution and the rights outlined within it is foremost. Most policy and decision-making should be done at a local level where elected officials should be closely connected to their communities. There are important matters that are best overseen at a federal level including defense, interstate agencies, and foreign affairs among others. But it is not the government's duty to step in and provide for people in every aspect of their lives, citizens need to be self-reliant and independent to build a strong country.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
N/A
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
I do not come into this race with an agenda or with pet projects. I want to continue to represent the people of my area and serve the public to the best of my ability. I am a bit unusual as I am a conservative that is a supporter of public schools. Often legislation involving our schools is well intended but does not achieve the anticipated outcome when actually rolled out, I would like to support legislation that makes public education stronger for our children and their future. I am also a strong supporter of Utah's farmers and ranchers, military members, and police officers. Legislation that supports these groups would be important to me.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Agree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
I am not in favor of diverting funds from our police to other programs involving mental health but I would support funding that gave our police departments more tools to care for those in mental health crises.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Current policies involving background checks and age limits are appropriate to me. Law-abiding citizens have the right to gun ownership.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
