1. Why did you decide to run for this seat? I will to be of high service to my community and I am tired of waiting for someone to stand-up and not stand-down to special interest groups. My business background in market planning will introduce a unique grouping of skill sets to the legislature that will build consensus and offer the citizens of the 10th district and Kansas a forward thinking altruistic leader.
What would be your top priority if elected to the Legislature? Energy self-reliance is one of my primary objectives and the private sector is the catalyst for seeing this vision to fruition. The crux of this energy initiative is to leverage our existing energy resources through the private sector to stimulate economic activity; this activity will generate incremental revenues for the treasury that will enable the legislature to resist new taxes.
The second half of this initiative would be to enact a comprehensive energy tax credit and earmark a portion of this revenue to promote energy efficiency in existing homes and buildings through the installation of roof top and small wind systems, solar panels and high efficiency windows etc.. Each property converted will save and or generate energy truly turning Kansas into a “Green State” a model that other states can emulate. It’s not enough to simply convert to renewable resources we need a paradigm shift that helps to minimize our citizens reliance on the energy grid.
2. Do you support the construction of two coal-fired power plants in western Kansas?
I would have supported the coal-fired plants if Sunflower would have agreed to use a percentage of Kansas coal at their plant. Crawford and Cherokee counties in the southeast corner of our state are our coal producing counties and have some of the highest unemployment levels in the state and are losing population. The loss in populationharms families and places additional hardships on the counties to provide good schools and basic services. I don’t care if they sell the energy to another state as long as they stimulate and create jobs for Kansans somewhere in our state.
3. Would you support an increase in the cigarette tax? I have no problem with increasing the tax on tobacco products as long as the tax is used to support families and seniors that can’t afford healthcare and require services. However to high a tax like in New York at $10 a pack simply promotes illegal activity and drives individuals to cross nearby state line to purchase their tobacco products.
4. Would you support a statewide ban on smoking in indoor, public places? No, we as citizens don’t need to have the state take up these types of issues deciding what light bulbs we should use etc. considering all the work that must be done. We should look to our own backyard and not the state. I consider this a local matter with local jurisdiction and it should be put to a vote of the people.
5. What areas of the state budget should be reduced? Our budget is so large it surely contains waste. The individuals working for the state know where the waste is and are most able to have an impact. I would offer a financial incentive to individuals within each department to expose waste rewarding them for making the state agency run more efficiently. In the past these agencies did not want to come in under budget because they could loose funding in the next cycle. They are employed by the citizens of the state and we should reward them for providing equal or better services for less money.
6. Would you support a no-growth state budget for public schools and higher education? I wish I could say yes but it is not possible with our current education structure and funding methodology. We have a responsibility to ensure that each child has an equal opportunity to excel. In addition, we must recruit and retain quality teachers. We can build state of the art facilities; but the foundation of our educational system isn’t cement or the brink, nor has it ever been. It is the heart and soul of the individual who has a passion to learn and more importantly has the ability to spark the “spirit of learning” in others and in so doing inspire the next generation to fulfill the aspirations of the present. I would like to establish a “spirit of learning” account for every teacher that will award an annual voucher that can be applied to furthering their education, their child’s education or to pay down their student loans.
7. What should be done on the state level about illegal immigration? The immigrants that come here without permission are trespassing and uninvited. They may have the same dreams as our forefathers but they do not respect the law of our land and therefore the citizens of this nation. They are stuck between two worlds and belong to neither. Since they are uninvited they have to watch over their shoulder so they can’t make a commitment to become an American and the financial obligations to their loved ones in their home country keeps them here destroying families. It is a federal responsibility but since the policy in place is a failed policy we should strengthen fines for businesses that willingly hire illegal immigrants. To gain compliance the state should be willing to run the employers employee database through the federal system alerting them to any questionable employees. Business and government should work hand in hand to insure there is a labor pool to replace the immigrants they loose.
8. What should be done on the state level to reduce gasoline prices? This is simply supply and demand but our enemies are fomenting concerns driving up speculation. The revenue transfer of U.S. dollars to other nations is zapping our country’s wealth and domestically funneling too much revenue into the oil sector harming retail, restaurants and tourism. To lead on the economy Kansas must increase its energy output, oil production, our ability to refine and harness the wind and sun adding these renewable resources to our state’s energy mix.
On petroleum for instance a Nov.1993 OSTI geological survey of Kansas reserves estimated12 billion barrels, mostly heavy crude, financially feasible to extract at $35 generating an annual production of 57m barrels with the economic activity resulting in +$110m for the treasury. Oil at $140 moves the incremental tax revenues closer to $418m and this is just one resource. What happens if we exceed 100m barrels add coal and a refinery? In the mid-sixties Kansas petroleum production was at its peak at over 90m barrels. From 2000-2006 Kansas delivered on average 33m barrels to the market and last year in 2007 only 17m. The State needs to promote oil retrieval and exploration and if necessary get out of the industries way so they can leverage the high price of this commodity to add more oil to the market while creating new revenues for the state that can be directed to education, conservation and healthcare.
I am 51 years old, a market planner for a local accessibility manufacturer that services the senior and disable market providing accessibility solutions like wheelchair lifts and stair lifts. I am responsible for new product development, market analysis, database management and forecasting. My family moved to Shawnee in 1999 we joined Sacred Heart Catholic Church and my son has grown up in the Desoto School District. I am the 3rd of 7 children grew up in Overland Park and graduated from the University of Houston with a B.A. in Political Science. I am an adult Scout and serve as a volunteer for Beta Theta Pi fraternity’s college mentor program for KU, KSU and WSU. I am a fiscal conservative and a life long member of the Democrat party. I am new to politics and offer the citizens of Shawnee a fresh viewpoint to consider. I believe Kansans are still rooted to the ideals that government be accountable, its people self-reliant and that the pioneer spirit of enterprise still propels our citizens and economy today. If elected I will do my utmost to promote these ideals and will use them as guide posts in all my deliberations.
My web site is and my e-mail is .