By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Republican gubernatorial candidate Joy Eakins campaigned in Ellis on Friday, outlining her vision for the 2026 governor’s race.
Eakins hosted a town hall at Dolce Vita, focusing on what she described as a “Kansas comeback” centered on education reform and property tax relief.
"Kansas should be the best place to live the American dream," Eakins said.
Eakins said property taxes are one of the top concerns she hears across the state. She pointed to the experience of Ellen Riedel, a business owner in Ellis, who renovated a deteriorating property into an event center but saw taxes rise sharply afterward.
She said property owners are facing appraisal increases that do not reflect actual market conditions.
"Somebody told me they bought a house and five months later, they got their appraisal, and it was 20% over what they paid for the house. How can that make sense?" Eakins said. "I was in Linn County. Their appraisals since 2020 have gone up 90%. ... It's like that all over Kansas."
Eakins said the problem is tied to government spending, arguing that local and state governments are overspending.
She suggested capping appraisal increases at 3%.
"But I would take it a step further and say, or inflation, whichever is lower," Eakins said.
She also proposes reforms to the appraisal system, including requiring comparable properties to come from similar Kansas communities rather than outside the state, increasing transparency in how appraisers determine property values, simplifying the appeals process, and reimbursing property owners who win those appeals.
Eakins also proposed creating local property tax relief funds to assist seniors, veterans and working families, saying local governments play a primary role in driving property tax increases.
"The locals are making the problem. They should have to fix it too," Eakins said.
Education
Eakins said Kansas cannot improve overall without addressing its education system. She said the state is spending more on education while student outcomes decline.
"We're paying more for education than we ever have. In fact, we are 15th in the country for what we pay per child for education, but our kids are not getting one. They're following further and further behind," she said.
Eakins said current policies reward districts with more struggling students and said the model should instead reward student outcomes and success.
"In the first legislative session, I want to pass a big bill that has everything we need to change education and reform," she said.
Her other proposals include expanding school choice to give parents more options for their children, increasing teacher pay based on performance and strengthening protections for educators.
She cited gender-related policies in schools as one example of teachers being placed in vulnerable situations. Eakins said teachers are being asked to refer to students at school by a different gender without informing parents.
"There's no protection for teachers in those situations," she said.
She added that classroom discipline policies should better support teachers and prevent disruptions from affecting other students’ learning, which Kansans pay for.
Health care and rural hospitals
Addressing concerns about rural hospitals closing, Eakins said Medicaid expansion is not currently a viable option. However, she said a better approach is to focus on Medicaid reimbursement rates as they have not been updated in 15 to 20 years.
Eakins also highlighted workforce development efforts, including a new medical school in Wichita that is sending many graduates into rural Kansas.
Eakins answered further questions from attendees about her platform and campaign. You can learn more about her campaign here.
Eakins has spent the past 16 years building data analytics firms in Kansas, including Cornerstone Data Inc., and previously served on the Wichita Board of Education.
Eakins has been married for 31 years and has two sons, including one serving in the U.S. Air Force. She is a member of River Community Church.