I am a Physical Therapist, an owner of a small business (Equality Engraving), and a retired firefighter/EMT. I serve on the Johnson County Board of Health and am President of the Johnson County Public Library Foundation. Service is inherent in each of these experiences as is leadership, problem solving, and collaborating with many different stakeholders. I find that the best leaders listen first and when treating patients, working with clients, or leading a non-profit, I listen first, ask questions, and welcome feedback. That is the nature of being a representative of your community-acting on behalf of the people.
Most importantly, I would be active during state legislative sessions. In each of the last two sessions I have closely followed the potential bills and called my reps in support of some and in opposition to others. I believe county councilors should be informed and active during state sessions that impact the local level. I look forward to the opportunity to chart a new, proactive course that will eventually eliminate the need to be reactive to decisions at the state level that negatively impact our community.
The best communities are safe and provide opportunities for enrichment for their residents. Prioritizing police and fire, excellent roads and trails, and a strong public library system will serve current residents and attract entities for economic development thus increasing local tax revenue and offsetting our loss in property tax income due to recent state legislation.
Typically, tax abatement is a local government incentive that reduces or eliminates property taxes for a specific period, to encourage development, business investment, or renovations. Tax Increment Districts are public financing tools used by local governments to spur redevelopment in specific areas by freezing property tax revenues at a baseline level. To be clear, in a year when we're facing decreases in property tax revenue for county operations, both tax abatements and TIDs freezing tax revenue would only add to the problem that we face in funding our county operations--salaries, roads, libraries, police and fire training and equipment, etc.
I am an active resident in Johnson County - serving on the Board of Health, helping to run a non-profit, and owning and operating a small business. I am visible in the community and, during previous campaigns actively engaged with anyone who called, emailed, texted, or wanted to have in person conversations about what is best for our community. As a county councilor, I would invite constituents to contact me with any concerns as well as encourage the community to attend and actively engage in Council meetings.
Local governments should educate themselves on the many drawbacks of data centers so that they are able to communicate with residents why the government officials oppose data center development. Data centers have an immense consumption of local resources, high noise pollution, and limited community benefits. They consume vast amounts of electricity and water, driving up utility bills and straining power grids, while operating 24/7 cooling systems that disturb nearby residents. The negatives far outweigh the benefits.
