One of my largest concerns is recruiting and rentaining great teachers in the state of Nebraska. As a substitute teacher at Two Springs and Peter Sarpy Elementary School, I understand the current obstacles that educators face and the support that they need to do their jobs. They deserve the tools and resources necessary to meet their students’ needs, provide a high-quality education, and set them up for success. We must ensure teachers are paid a quality raise and are given the trust and respect they deserve. Education is the foundation of our community and I am a strong supporter of public schools.

The solution to fix Nebraska’s contaminated waterways is not a quick fix. First, we need to find short-term solutions to those who do not have access to safe drinking water. Nebraskans who have contaminated water because of high nitrate levels, lead pipes, or other problems, must have access to the appropriate filtration systems in their homes. There have been numerous proposals in recent years to address this need. Long-term we need to incentivize best conservation practices, such as cover crops, prevent soil erosion, and other agricultural practices that lower nitrate levels. My door will always be open to experts and the community on how to address this topic and increase the standard for our public health.

The top issues that I hear from voters are high property taxes and economic opportunity. With the rise in valuations and property taxes, people are being priced out of their homes. The price of home ownership has risen dramatically and we must do more to bring our residents, especially those struggling the most, real property tax relief. With a Bachelors in accounting and financial management skills as a Budget Officer at Offutt Air Force Base, I have the expertise to fix our broken tax system and work to keep more money in people’s pockets. Additionally, we must ensure that Nebraska promotes high-quality jobs that support our work force and their families. I would support expanding workforce development and skill training programs.

The reduced level of student aptitude to perform at or above grade level in primary subject areas. Seek community supported programs and public-private funding opportunities to implement tutorial programs to improve individual student performance/aptitude.

Regularly assess safety of water sources, implement public notices of concerns detected, implement a contamination containment/clean up program immediately with education to mitigate future sources of concern from emerging.

Property Taxes - Immediate CAP on annual increase of the tax assessment of no more than 3% per year. Roll back the basis for the start of this cap at 2022 levels, before they unexpectedly increased by an average of 30-50% in 2023, then implement the annual tax increase cap.