Party: Democrat
Age: 63
Profession: Equipment Operator
Community involvement: not given
1. Why are you running for the Kansas House?
I’m running for office because our constituents deserve transparency and accountability from the state Legislature.
2. What do you think is the top issue facing the Legislature in 2027?
The top issue facing my constituents is affordability.
3. What would be your top priority in Topeka if elected?
My top priority in Topeka will be affordability, which includes health care, property tax relief and fully funding public education.
4. Higher education institutions across the country are seeing enrollment declines. How would you support higher education, including capital needs, while keeping tuition affordable? Would you support state funds to save the Sternberg Museum?
Eliminating higher out-of-state tuition for non-residents would be one way to increase enrollment at our state-funded public colleges and universities.
I would also make it easier for people who fund scholarships or contribute to college and university foundations to receive tax incentives for their generosity.
I also believe that corporations can help by funding capital improvements by offering a tax incentive to do so.
Lastly, I support state funds to help the Sternberg Museum because it is a public good, not a corporate “need” such as the new Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium, which is partly funded with our tax dollars.
5. How do you think the Legislature should address property taxes? Do you support the cap that failed to become law last session? If you support a different plan, what is it?
The property tax laws in Kansas need a major overhaul. It would be wise to look into states where property taxes are less burdensome and apply those principles to Kansas.
6. Do you think the K-12 funding formula needs to be changed? How? Would you support more state funding for special education?
The K-12 funding formula is adequate as is, however, more money must be spent per student to help academic inequalities that we see across the state. Teacher salaries are abysmal and less talent is entering the workforce as a result. Special education must be fully funded in order to keep students engaged.
7. Do you think the state needs to ban or further regulate data centers?
In response to my opponent, Barbara Wasinger, data centers DO NOT make our cell phones work better. That’s what cell phone towers do. Data centers are touted to bring instantaneous results when one queries a database.
Google has been doing it well enough for over 20 years and the speed is certainly quick enough and better than “Ask Jeeves” in the late 1990s. We don’t need massive processing speed to answer questions. I believe in an outright ban of any new center proposed in our state.
8. What if anything, do you think the state should do to promote cyber security? Do you think the state needs to regulate AI? If so, how?
Promoting cyber security by having an actual punishment for identity theft and scam artists would be a great start. I propose actual prison time of 10 years or more for a first offense.
I don’t know how any state can regulate the use of AI, but we have found students who use ChatGPT for their class assignments. It was easy to spot it because their answers were absolutely and hilariously wrong. It can be a useful tool, but it’s just that, a tool.