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PVA 2001 Election/Candidate Information ~ Louisville
This page contains candidate respnses to PVA's candidate questionnaire for a municipal election.

Please note that responses are given exactly as they were written. Spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors were not corrected.

Candidate questionnaire scores
1a. Did you grow up with animals? Yes/No
1b. If so, what kind?

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes/Dog
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes/Dogs
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes/Dogs, rabbits, horses, sheep
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes/Dogs/cats
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


2a. Does your family have animals? Yes/No
2b. If so, what kind?

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes/Dogs, cats, guine pig, turtle
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes/Dog, cat, 2 guinea pigs.
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes/2 dogs, 1 horse
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes/Dog
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


3a. Do you feel that animal control issues are within the purview of the City Council? Yes/No/Undecided
3b. Would you be likely to support related humane legislation at the municipal level? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes/Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes/Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes/Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes/Undecided - "Depends on nature of legislation"
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


4a. Do you feel that animal protection issues are within the purview of the City Council? Yes/No/Undecided
4b. Would you be likely to support related humane legislation at the municipal level? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes/Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda No/No
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes/Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes/Undecided - "Depends on nature of legislation"
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


5. Were you aware that animal abuse is often a precursor of child abuse? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany No
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


6. Would you be willing to meet from time to time with representatives of one or more animal-protection groups to discuss their concerns? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


7a. Were you aware that almost all baby chickens and ducks purchased as Easter "gifts" die within a year? (PVA mistake - no answer choices were given for this question)
7b. Would you be likely to support legislation prohibiting the sale and purchase of baby animals as Easter "gifts"? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein No/Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt No
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


8a. Which statement is closest to your position on the use of animals in entertainment (racing, circuses, etc.)? Please select one:
(a) Animals should not be used in entertainment.
(b) It's OK to use animals in entertainment but they should be protected from cruel treatment, regardless of the money that might be brought into the state by such an event.
(c) I think the status quo is all right.
(d) Wild animals, such as elephants and tigers, should not be used in entertainment but it's OK to use domestic animals, such as horses and dogs. The animals should be protected from cruel treatment, regardless of the money that might be brought into the state by such an event.

8b. Would you be likely to support a city or county ban on acts, such as circuses, that use wild animals? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany (b)/Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda (d)/Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein (b)/No
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt (b)/Undecided
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


9. Would you be likely to support a city ordinance to require dog and cat owners, except licensed breeders, to spay and neuter their cats and dogs? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Undecided
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt No
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


10. Would you be likely to support a city ordinance specifying a maximum amount of time animals are to be tied or chained per day? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Undecided
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt No
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


11. Would you be likely to support a city ordinance requiring cat licensing? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes - "The treatment for cats should be the same as for dogs."
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Undecided - "Enforcement would be very difficult."
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


12. Many people object to cats' running loose off their owners' property, because of (1) the dangers to the cats themselves from vehicles, other animals, and human beings and (2) the fact that cats often kill birds on other people's property, defecate in other people's yards and flower beds, and defecate in children's sandboxes. Some other cities have enacted ordinances requiring that cats, when loose outdoors, be kept on the property of the person responsible for them. Would you be likely to support such an ordinance here? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Undecided
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Undecided
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


13. It is well known that being in a parked, unventilated vehicle can lead to brain damage and to fatal heat stroke in animals. Several cities have passed legislation protecting animals from this abuse. Would you support such an ordinance here? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided - "Probably - would need more information"
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Undecided
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


14. Do you think more public education should be provided about dog and cat over-population in our area? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


15. Would you be likely to support legislation prohibiting the sale, purchase, and keeping (other than in a rescue context) of traditionally "wild" animals (e.g., rabbits, ducks, chickens, pot-bellied pigs) as pets? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Undecided
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


16. Would you be likely to support a city, county, or state ban on greyhound racing? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Undecided
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


17. Would you be likely to take animal-protection issues to county and state officials? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt No
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


18. Are you in favor of making cruelty to animals a felony, as opposed to a misdemeanor? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Undecided
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Undecided
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


19. Would you be likely to support a city, county, or state ban on dogs' riding in open beds of trucks? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


20. Would you be willing to consider factual documentation supporting PVA's position on a specific issue? Yes/No/Undecided

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Yes
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Yes
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Yes
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Yes - "Thorough understanding of the issues is essential in formulating policy at any level."
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond


Please add any other comments ...

Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany None given
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda None given
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein None given
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt None given
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond
Candidate questionnaire scores
Ward 1 John "Jay" Keany Overall Questionnaire Response Score = 56%
Ward 1 Bob Muckle Did not respond
Ward 2 Barbara J. Escajeda Overall Questionnaire Response Score = 78%
Ward 2 Garrett Mundelein Overall Questionnaire Response Score = 76%
Ward 2 Steve Palius Did not respond
Ward 2 Michele Van Pelt Overall Questionnaire Response Score = 41%
Ward 3 Arnold E. Levihn Did not respond

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