1. WHY are you running for the House #98?

 

At this point in my life, I want to give back. Kentucky and specifically the 98th is my home and I am tired of seeing development going else where and our part of the state being ignored or made fun of in the medial We have abundant resources, beautiful land, and great people in the 98th and we need to help Frankfort and the whole nation see that.

 

2. What Legislation would you first try to sponsor and/or endorse?

 

There are many bills I would like to see passed and would put my name on. Restoring a woman’s right to reproductive health care would be toward the front.

 

3. How would you try to get more Jobs here? How else would you help with Poverty.

 

This is a bigger problem than a junior legislator on the minority party can handle on their own. It will take collaboration with regional legislators, our county and municipal partners, our neighboring states, and others.

 

I wish I could wave a wand and make 1000 highly paid jobs appear out of thin air. It will take all of us working together to make this a reality.

 

Poverty is also a very complex issue. A family can not eat or clothe their children on two minimum wage jobs. We need as a society to look at several factors including: food, housing, education, transportation, child care, jobs, addiction, ….

 

It will take local, regional, state and federal...

 

4. What are 1 or 2 of the biggest challenges in our Schools and how would you combat those?

 

As a college professor I see many students who do not have the ability to succeed in higher education. I do not know if it is worse than it was 20 years ago. Students have changed, but so has technology and society.

 

We all know that a 4 year degree is not for everybody. We need to strengthen and fund our vocational, technical, community college, and post-secondary job training. Plumbers, electricians, welders, green energy technicians, health and home care workers, paraprofessionals in the schools… The list goes on and on for jobs that exist and will in the future.

 

We also need to stop distributing State funds to K-12 charter and private schools. This has been billed as school choice where actually it allows a school to choose who they want and leave most students behind. Especially those without significant family resources and rural students without transportation.

 

5. How do you feel about a woman's Right to Choose?

 

I absolutely and completely support a woman to make medial decisions with their medical provider. The state has no business or right to interfere in the private matters of a person’s body. A neighboring state (Ohio) passed a constitutional amendment enshrining the right to an abortion until fetal viability. I would fully support such an amendment or law that restored the rights a woman had under Roe.

 

6. What is one of the biggest infrastructure problem we have and How would you improve it? How would you adjust taxes, if at all?

 

Tax:

 

The wealthy seem to get richer while the middle class keeps getting pushed closer to poverty. In our economy, wage growth among “average” people have not kept pace with the extreme wealth growth of the richest . I support returning to a graduated tax system that asks those with significant wealth and earnings to contribute more.

 

Infrastructure:

 

The 98th has river and rail transportation along the North edge and has access to an interstate highway to the south. We need to increase our ability to connect to markets.

 

I would love to see a push to develop the I-73/74 corridor across Appalachia from Columbus/Cincinnati to the Carolinas. It may require a bridge or two to be upgraded.

 

7. How can we better fight the Drug Addiction crisis?

 

Addiction is a disease but it is like no other disease, it destroys communities, families, and children. As a disease it is complex and there is no single cause. Poverty, lack of mental health care, generational issues, and many other things push individuals into addiction.

 

THERE IS NO SINGLE WAY OR SIMPLE WAY to solve the crisis.

 

WE CAN NOT JAIL OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.

 

We need to invest in health care, mental health care, poverty reduction, education and more.

 

8. How can we urge more folks to Vote? Why do you think many aren't voting or registering?

 

In a national study from 2022 by Tufts University:

 

• 42% of youth that didn’t register said it wasn’t important or that they didn’t have the time.

 

Of registered young voters:

 

• 38% forgot or were too busy

• 32% didn’t think it mattered.

 

https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/youth-2022-concerned-about-issues-neglected-campaigns

 

We need to make it easier to register. Maybe make it automatic (with opt out) when you have a driver’s license, StateID, apply for Medicate, or register for other State services. Many states already do this!!!!

 

https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/automatic-voter-registration

 

We need to teach voters and non-voters that they are voting against their best interest.