Currently holds the office of Kansas House of Representatives - District 66 until January 13, 2025.
Candidate for Kansas House of Representatives - District 66 in 2024 Kansas General Election.
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Get StartedThe state’s K-12 school formula has been debated, tweaked and abolished over the past decade. After years of legislative and courtroom battles in the Montoy vs. Kansas decision, we finally managed to pass and fund a fair and equitable budget for K-12 Education that met the approval of our courts. At the same time, recognizing the hardships the state has endured under the severe tax cuts of 2013-2017, the Court is allowing us time to get our revenues back up before imposing any new requirements. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to meet this education funding level. I advocate that we find a way to maintain the funding plan for schools. Learn more
Our Universities were cut in 17 million in 2016 and 34 million in 2017. In 2018 we were able to restore 11 million and in 2019 we added another 15.9 million. The Regents schools are still trying to recover. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee I have supported Governor Kelly’s budgets for increased funding of our Regents institutions and major construction projects on our campuses. I will continue to work to restore our universities and open them up once again to our students. Learn more
Many students are being forced out of public college education. I see education as a path out of poverty and believe we should provide our Kansas students with the best. Learn more
I support the right to a high-quality, free, public education for the Citizens of Kansas. The ever-changing, technology-based economy of this century requires changes in equipment and training for our educators and must be supported by the state. And now, with the current crisis in education brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic schools and families need support for broadband internet service in order to provide enough bandwidth for everyone in the family to use computers at the same time. Budgets can always be trimmed and made more efficient, constant cutting of public education has had a very negative impact in Kansas. Our educators and school board members have worked tirelessly to minimize this impact and I applaud those efforts. Learn more
As a State Representative from Manhattan, home of Kansas State University, I advocate for the students, faculty and staff. I believe in Higher Education as the opportunity for individuals to learn how to succeed in this ever-changing global society. It is imperative that we avail ourselves of every chance to study and grow even as we are in the work world. Learn more
We must require transparency in our agencies, too. For example, when a person is in state custody the state is responsible for their care. If there is mistreatment, injury, abuse or death, accurate information needs to be available to the public to serve justice. Besides prisons, this includes any agency such as the foster care system and our mental health facilities. Learn more
Live streaming of committee meetings by audio only. We are working to make the legislative process more accessible by eliminating anonymous bills, recording all votes, and limiting other maneuvers used to avoid transparency. Learn more
In August 2020, a Medicaid Expansion referendum in Missouri passed; it passed by referendum in Oklahoma, Nebraska and is in place in Colorado. This makes Kansas the lone holdout in this region. We will lose population because of this. Attempts to vote on Medicaid expansion have been blocked by procedural moves in both the House and the Senate at every turn. I am working to find a solution and I support Medicaid expansion. Learn more
The U.S. Supreme Court decided in the South Dakota internet sales tax decision that states could collect sales tax on internet purchases. Once Governor Kelly took office the Kansas Department of Revenue gave notice that it would start collecting tax on internet sales – except for 3rd party sales (i.e. On Ebay). It has been a tremendous boost to state income by about 40-50 million per year or more, and certainly has helped to stabilize state finances and level the playing field for local and Kansas owned businesses. This is not the time to make more changes in tax policy. Learn more
I support a fair and balanced revenue policy that derives its funds from three major sources; income, sales and property ownership. These three sources ensure that everyone who benefits from the services of the state are paying their fair share of the costs. Learn more
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