Question and Answer
“Do you support increased taxpayer benefits for private school donations?”
I do not. While I believe that we are fortunate to have outstanding public and private schools in Nebraska and support a parent’s right to choose the type of education their child receives, diverting taxpayer funds to private schools by implementing a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for this type of donation is neither fiscally responsible nor a strategic way to improve educational outcomes for all students. The cost of similar programs in other states has ballooned out of control with no proven benefit. I empathize with families who have not found a good fit for their child in their neighborhood school despite their best efforts. For those families, there are many options to enroll in a neighboring public school district, homeschool, and already well-funded scholarship programs if private school is beyond their reach financially. I encourage anyone struggling to reach out and we can come up with ideas together.
“Why are you a registered Independent?”
I changed my party to independent after the 2020 election due to a genuine fatigue of party politics. I believe that we are approaching a crossroads as a country. We can either come together as a nation or face being ripped apart. I truly believe that the two-party system will lead to the downfall of our nation. The best thing I can do as a candidate, is reject political division and approach every issue with an open mind. I want everyone who supports me to know that I will not support a bill unless I have read it thoroughly and agree that its implementation will do the most good for Nebraska.
“What is your policy on taxation?”
I think we need a comprehensive revamp of our tax priorities. I can personally attest to property taxes really putting a strain on my family’s finances. TEEOSA has not been functioning as designed and it results in an increase in property taxes without a clear positive impact on public schools. It also inadvertently pits taxpayers against the public school system. We need to stop pulling money out of TEEOSA in order to balance our budget. There is supposed to be a state-funded portion of TEEOSA that hasn’t been fully committed since the 2008 recession. If we can’t find a solution, we may need to explore moving away from basing K-12 funding on property valuation.
“Do you believe climate change is something Nebraskans need to worry about?”
Nebraska has experienced climate change through events like flash floods in 2021 or flooding along the Missouri and Elkhorn Rivers two years before, long periods of drought, wetter winters, drier summers, dangerous thunderstorms and extremely inconsistent weather patterns. Additionally, we experience migration into the state when other states experience climate disasters. As a community, we need to be focused on water sustainability, energy efficiency and public transit. We should encourage the everyday use of renewable energy sources and limit fossil fuel consumption.