After a career spent showing up for the next generation and raising two successful grownup kids, I’m ready to keep showing up, this time, for all of us.

The thing I hear around District 3 is pretty simple. It’s getting harder to afford to live here comfortably. I’m feeling the same. That’s the lens I bring, from the checkout line to the property tax bill to the services our taxes already pay for. Who is representing people who are just barely making ends meet? We need our representatives in Pierre to put our needs first for a change.

Too many politicians have forgotten what service means, and I never will.

I’m not a politician. I’m an Aberdeen Central HS ’84 grad and I spent most of my career teaching. I showed kids how the government and the economy were set up and how they work. I think my real job was to show up every day and show each of my students how to unlock their unique potential as a human being, as a citizen, as a community member.

Want to know what I learned as their teacher? I learned how the decisions in Washington DC and Pierre land back in our schools and our streets, in our homes and on our farms. I learned that elections matter. I learned that a lot of young people are disenchanted with politicians because they have been ignored or insulted and they know that isn’t right. I learned how young people see their own futures and whether or not they see themselves here in this town or not.

Where I Stand

Making everyday life more affordable

Groceries, gas, rent/mortage payments, insurance, the cost of raising kids all keeps climbing and paychecks aren’t keeping up. I want to stay focused on the things that give families a little breathing room  at the end of the month.

Property taxes we can afford and the things they pay for

People ought to be able to afford to stay in their own homes, and seniors on a fixed income shouldn’t get priced out. At the same time, those taxes pay for the roads, the schools, and the law enforcement we all count on. I want to keep property taxes affordable and keep those services strong. I’m not interested in cutting or spending just to make a point. I want to weigh carefully what our community needs and make sure every dollar is spent fairly and well.

Making sure we pay for what actually works

Before we argue about paying more or less, we should make sure things we already pay for are doing their job. When we fund a service, it should reach the people it’s meant to help and we should know that the service is meeting it’s intended aim. That includes protecting Medicaid and seeing that it’s running well, so our hospitals and clinics can continue providing the best care, so families aren’t worrying about loosing access to medical and behavioral health care. Getting our money’s worth is a huge part of being careful with it.

Our future begins with kids

I grew up in Aberdeen schools, and I’ve worked in schools across the country, so I’ll be straight with you. Our future isn’t somewhere else waiting to be recruited. We shouldn’t wait to be rescued by Pierre or Washington or some huge business. Our future is already here, in our schools, in a pre-K education program (Early Learners Aberdeen) awaiting to final approval to begin training staff and taking in more children and at Northern State. It will help all the people already working across Aberdeen and invite other families to join us here.

You don’t build a strong city by shortchanging its schools, so I’ll push for real school funding to support public, parochial, and homeschoolers alike, for fair teacher pay to keep them nearby, and I’ll continue to be a champion for NSU so the talented people already living here have a reason keep building their lives and to stay.

Wages, childcare and housing that let families stay

Aberdeen should be a place where a working family can afford a home and get ahead. That’s how we keep our young people from leaving. There are practical steps we can take that put families first and they begin with committing to increasing the number of early childhood education spots, supporting affordable high-quality housing and career path jobs with wages that cover the costs of these basic needs our community’s young families face.

Development that starts with the people who live here

Reversing our declining growth in Aberdeen is a goal we all share. I welcome the jobs and investment that new projects could bring. But the smartest development we can do starts with the people who are already living here. Too often we put our energy into chasing outside projects that provide very little guaranteed return and not enough into building opportunity for Aberdeen’s own residents, the students, graduates, and workers. Folks who want to live here would stay here if there is path for them. I want our economic development to work from within first.

Keeping taxes manageable for families who already live here matters most

When the state or city hands out tax incentives to land a big project, those deals should come with something in return, with real protection for taxpayers, including our water fees and electricity rates. Our needs for abundant, clean and affordable water and energy will always come before the newest, shiniest business brought into town. I’m delighted to support development that pays off for our entire community. I’m just reluctant to give tax breaks with no strings, while families carry the load.