HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Healthcare
We need universal healthcare for all. Everyone should have access to a primary care physician to ensure early interventions. Studies from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that improved access to primary care reduces hospitalizations and mortality.
- Hospital Capacity: Freeing up hospital beds by managing health at the primary level.
- Women’s Rights: Complete access to reproductive care and bodily autonomy.
- Vaccine Education: Public health programs to stop the spread of preventable diseases.
Public Safety
Our fire and police officers perform some of the hardest jobs there are, and we need to support them. Through regular training in de-escalation and safety procedures, they can be prepared for the challenges they face daily. Safety is the core of a successful community. We must support our first responders—police and fire departments—with full funding and adequate rest for staff and officers.
- 988 Lifeline: Funding the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline reduces strain on police response times. With well-trained committees and organizations, we can provide the help needed to those experiencing life-altering and overwhelming situations.
- Crisis Response: Mental health teams should respond to mental health crises, allowing police to focus on police emergencies.
- I personally provided insight to the FBI as part of their Citizens Academy around human trafficking, including behavior patterns to look out for from both predators and victims.
Food
Accessible, affordable, safe food is a human right. We must build a sustainable food system that protects our soil and our health.
- Remove harmful chemicals and pesticides from our foods: Research in the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the health risks associated with chemical herbicides.
- Permaculture & Grants: Implementing garden grants and educating on permaculture to empower local food production.
- School Programs: Guaranteed breakfast and lunch for all students. Data shows that students who are fed nutritious meals learn better, and that’s good for all of us. Funding for these programs is imperative, for some children, it’s their only opportunity to eat a balanced meal.
Secure Wages
Being one of the wealthiest countries in the world means we should not be struggling to feed our families or pay our bills. Taking care of our people should be our #1 priority. Having one job needs to be enough to live with dignity.
- Livable Wage: Recent data shows that $30/hr is becoming the standard for a true livable wage in many areas.
- Current Crisis: Our minimum wage remains stagnant at $7.25 federally and Missouri is $15 under the voter-approved 2024 measure, far below the cost of living.
- Missouri must not become a right-to-work state. I will do everything I can to make sure our laborers are protected.
EDUCATED POPULATION
Education for All: A Vision for Public Excellence
Investing in our public schools is an investment in our collective future. By prioritizing inclusive, accessible education, we build a society where every child can thrive from their earliest years through adulthood.
Stronger Public Schools, Not Vouchers
Public education must remain the cornerstone of our community. I advocate for:
- Fully funded public programs that serve all children, regardless of background or ability. Gov Kehoe just signed a budget that leaves an over $190 million deficit in public education, but grants $60 million to private school vouchers.
- Prioritizing public funding for public schools to ensure resources stay in the classrooms that need them most.
- Universal access to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
Early Childhood Foundation (Ages 2+)
Learning begins long before the first day of kindergarten, and there is strong evidence to support it. Expanding public education to start at age 2 provides:
- Early Socialization: Reducing the strain on K-12 teachers by helping children develop emotional and social skills early.
- Specialized Intervention: Immediate access to special needs training and evaluations, particularly for children on the spectrum.
- Customized Pacing: A foundation that allows children to learn in the style and pace that fits their unique neurological profile.
Accessible Continued Education
Postgraduate success should not depend on personal wealth. We must provide clear, debt-free pathways to:
- Higher Education: Trade schools, nursing certifications, and two-year degree programs.
- Economic Mobility: Allowing graduates to focus on finding a career and contributing to the economy rather than managing student debt.
- Entrepreneurship: Encouraging lifelong learning to support the next generation of business owners and innovators.
Dedicated Special Needs Support
The need for specially trained personnel and adequate funding has never been higher. Our focus includes:
- Staff Empowerment: Providing the tools and funding necessary to support educators working with ADHD, autism, and other developmental conditions.
- Proper Evaluation: Expanding training for evaluations to ensure techniques are modern, effective, and humane.
- Community Safety: Data shows that a well-educated, well-supported society experiences lower crime and a stronger economy.
RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT
Transparency
Being able to trust your government means knowing it is transparent and allowing us all to ensure it is actually working for the people. THEY WORK FOR US and should therefore provide us with the information necessary to evaluate their performance. We should demand performance reviews, just like any other job, and consequences for a lack of transparency. We don’t need big government, we need HONEST government.
Adequate Funding
The governor and his legislature want Missouri to move away from the reliably measurable state income tax in favor of a runaway regressive tax on everything, from goods to services to even real estate transactions. Click the MO Budget Project link below for a breakdown. This will be on the ballot this August or November - Know what you’re voting for!
WE MUST VOTE NO TO THE EVERYTHING TAX
Our government spends irresponsibly, gives tax breaks to corporations, and uses any windfall money to temporarily fix permanent budget gaps. We need justification and transparency for what we’re spending, a fair tax structure, and relief for the working class.
Taxation of the wealthy should be the first step in addressing wealth inequality and funding the resources needed for a safe and secure Missouri. Taxing the billions of dollars now controlled by the top 10% is a practical way to re-establish a balanced society. Citizens should not have to live paycheck to paycheck while the ultra-rich are choosing their next yacht or luxury home.
Effective Oversight
Oversight committees have been gutted at an alarming rate, leaving us vulnerable to scams, food insecurity, and fraudulent practices. We must reform oversight committees, both state and national, to alleviate the harm and chaos occurring and to prevent further dismantling of our precious resources and the destruction of our communities. We must protect our wild lands, clean waterways, and natural spaces before ill-conceived plans can do irreparable damage. We must protect our farmers, laborers, and rural hospitals. We must make sure state monies are spent wisely and with the people as a priority. Protect Missouri!
Living Wage
Profits have outpaced wage growth so rapidly that our children can’t afford to live in our neighborhoods, save for retirement, or raise a family. For the first time in our history, our children are doing worse than their parents. We need to change this by renewing our focus on making housing available and affordable, raising wages, and providing accessible, affordable childcare. With two children, some daycare costs can exceed the rent/mortgage payment. Enough corporate kickbacks, it’s time to focus on the families that built this state.
Respect the will of the voters
Missouri has the unique and incredible power of the initiative petition. This allows Missourians to go around their legislature when they feel overlooked and, through their own power, put measures on the ballot. This year, our government wants us to vote to make it nearly impossible to use this power by requiring enough signatures in all 8 districts instead of just 6. We must vote NO on this. Beyond this, our government has consistently overturned the decisions of the people by either passing legislation that nullifies the popular vote or putting our decisions back on the ballot. We cannot stand for this. Missouri has spoken; let us be heard.