Current Public Office, dates held
None
Past Public Office, dates held
None
Military experience
US Marine Corps
Volunteer experience
Teaching self-defense for those who could not afford classes and to the disabled. I have also mentored teenage boys who came from tough economic and social backgrounds.
The state not honoring parents rights and teaching material that we don’t want taught. School vouchers would provide choice and competition.
*Nebraska is one of just a handful of states without school choice options like charter schools, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), tax-credit scholarships, and school vouchers.
Fund allocation for updating old piping and assistance with digging wells in rural areas.
Property taxes causing retirees to leave the state and relocating to a more tax friendly state.
Education
Studied Political Science at University of Nebraska
Current Public Office, dates held
n/a
Past Public Office, dates held
n/a
Military experience
n/a
Volunteer experience
I am an Eagle Scout and have volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America. I also serve as President of the Nebraska Young Democrats and currently is a national officer for the Young Democrats of America.
Ensuring we direct appropriate public dollars to public schools is my top priority. Voucher schemes like those passed last year put our public education system at risk. We must focus our funding on making our public schools the best they can be for students no matter where they live - not finding ways to enrich private schools with public dollars. We must also work to solve the teacher shortage crisis by both recruiting more people into teaching and fixing the reasons that cause them to leave the profession.
Ensuring residents have clean water is a top priority for me. In the short term, we must incentivize best practices and provide programs for Nebraskans to ensure they can do things like replace lead pipes and filter out nitrates in their water. In the long run, we must work with our agricultural community to ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep our waterways clean, including soil erosion prevention and a reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers.
I see several challenges that we need to address, including funding for our public and higher education programs, a broken property tax system, and an affordable housing shortage. Schools and property taxes are tied together as the vast majority of property taxes go to funding our education system. To solve both problems, we must examine funding structures and make sure the state is paying its fair share to support students. For affordable housing, we must incentivize more construction housing at every price point and incentivize homeowners to move up a tier, when possible, to relieve pressure on the market.
Education
St. Bernadette, Gross Catholic High School, University of Nebraska - Lincoln (B.A, Political Science, minors in Asian Studies & Economics), New York University (Master of Urban Planning specialization in Economic Development and Housing Policy)
Volunteer experience
AmeriCorps/VISTA Alum with Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, current volunteer grant writer.
My foremost concern is the long-term sustainability of school finance. In Nebraska, our school finance model results in property tax disparities, with only 26% of districts receiving equalized state aid. This leads to divisions and an over-reliance on property taxes. Instead of the Governor's proposal to allocate an additional $1 billion for tax relief, enhancing state funding for K-12 education would more effectively reduce property taxes. By boosting state aid to schools by $1 billion, we could lower the local effort rate to .32, enabling 99% of districts to qualify for aid. This would significantly cut property taxes for many—by up to 60%—and give schools greater flexibility to enhance teacher salaries and benefits.
I've played a pivotal role in setting up the Lead Service Line Cash Fund, aimed at replacing 16,000 lead pipes in Omaha to ensure homes have access to clean water. My focus has been on aligning state policies with federal funding to effectively tackle this issue. Furthermore, I am committed to enhancing water quality through advocating for natural solutions to reduce nitrate levels and have actively worked on legislation to safeguard our water resources.
In confronting the pivotal challenges facing our state, it's imperative to prioritize workforce development and pathways to employment, safeguarding against the risk of Nebraskans becoming our primary export. We must equip our youth with the skills and opportunities, particularly in STEM fields, essential for flourishing within Nebraska's dynamic economy. Simultaneously, fostering a robust innovation ecosystem will drive economic growth and mitigate the outflow of talent. By attracting and retaining individuals, we ensure that Nebraska remains a destination for prosperous careers and vibrant communities. This proactive approach fortifies our state against the threat of losing its greatest asset: its people.
Absenteeism; More career training earlier; Stress math and English; More pre-college prep/counseling; More introductions into careers outside of college.
I hear that the largest aquifer in the state is lower than in previous years. I think we need to continue compacts with Wyoming/Colorado to ensure access to water.
Racism; We simply have to acknowledge that the state is no longer all white. Immigrants and other people of color have to be assimilated without threats to their security and provide them access to jobs and training.
