(NOTE: The NKyTribune is offering free space to candidates in contested races – 500-750 words sent to nkytribune.com by Nov. 1. None will be published after Nov. 4)
Why should you vote for me, to be the State Representative from Kentucky’s 64th District? The answer is simple: I will represent you, the people of the District. I will listen to you, answer your questions, and do what WE decide is best for you. What I won’t do, is take the orders of the corporations, the rich, the Super PACs. I will never fall into line, dependent on their financial “donations.”
I attended Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. Graduating with a degree in English, I spent several years teaching English. Always looking to follow the advice of my early teachers, I strove to “Learn More, Do More, Be More” – and I went back to college to become an Industrial Arts instructor. While I could write and speak well, and knew more than my fair share about literature, I had never been very good at mechanical things — this solved that. I then spent two more years as a “shop teacher.”
At that point, though, the personal computers were introduced, and yes, I had to go back to school to learn more about those! As a result I spent the next couple of decades in the computer field, both as an applications programmer and an instructor, visiting all but two of the United States.
This sounds like it should be enough on my plate, but in the meantime I became more involved with agriculture and the environment in general. I served almost 20 years with the Campbell County Conservation District.
I learned more about what was affecting our farmers and others throughout the area. Working with various schools and talking to teachers during this time, I became aware of the problems facing our schools and its teachers. To say I became concerned would be an understatement.
What finally pushed me into the political arena was the pension situation. When I found out that many state workers, as well as teachers, were going to have their promised pensions stripped away, I became more than just concerned. I wanted to do something about it. The more I examined the situation, how our schools were being underfunded, how our teachers were often having to work two jobs and buy their own school supplies, and that it looked like public funds were going to be taken from the public schools and handed over to the private, for-profit schools, I became angry.
What could I do to help? I talked to several teachers, and the consensus was: run for office. Help fix the problem in Frankfort.
And that’s what I am doing now.
I want to help all the residents of Northern Kentucky, the farmers, the students, the teachers, everyone.
I want to help the farmers find new crops and new markets.
I want to insure a better education for our students, and adequate pay for the teachers.
I want to do what’s best for all of you. Let me know what I can do for you.
Thank you for your vote on November 6.