I want to work to build a stronger community for everyday Kansans that prioritizes these key, interconnected issues.
I believe healthcare is a right and will fight for every Kansan to have access to good quality medical treatment and insurance. Healthcare access and rural hospitals are critical services that drive a robust economy. It’s hard for people to stay here, start a business, or choose to move here if we don’t have a thriving healthcare system.
Rural Kansas needs jobs that pay well and enable people to put down and maintain roots. I believe that rural life and being ambitious are not incompatible. We must encourage people to create new opportunities rather than attracting out-of-state businesses with tax-breaks.
The time has come to give our small farmers and food producers a leg up. As farming has gotten big, many small farmers have gotten out. We need to help farms of all sizes who want to diversify. Lack of access to fresh meat and produce is another major issue, especially for our seniors, and forces many of our community members to drive long distances for groceries. Let’s drain the “food swamp!”
Properly funding and expanding educational opportunities in our region is critically important to attracting and keeping young families and teachers. Strong support for schools says we believe in the future of our community, and that it’s a good place to put down deep roots.
Our rural infrastructure is often left behind. If you live here, you know about the many delays for road widening projects, as for many years our road fund was raided to support damaging tax cuts. Investments in rural infrastructure will give our towns and communities a fighting chance to grow and thrive, and to be competitive with other parts of Kansas.