With our Kansas and National economy generating less tax revenue and many people losing their jobs, homes and savings, we must face financial reality while making sure that our top educational priorities are achieved.  I will do my best to help build a broad coalition of teachers, parents, business and labor leaders, school administrators and elected officials to make sure our kids keep getting a quality education. 

Like all sectors of the Kansas economy, educators must do a better job of managing the taxpayers' money.  Only after cost controls are implemented to assure that dollars spent are actually going to educate our kids will I support any proposal to raise taxes. 

A quality education includes teaching each K-12 student practical, employable skills so they can earn a living wage once they graduate from high school.  If the Kansas economy is to remain strong, future generations must be able to compete with workers around the world.

As a business owner, I know how to “Do More With Less”.   I learned these skills through years of experience managing people, resources and budgets.  I have completed projects in 16 states and 5 foreign countries.   I have also helped host trade delegations to Kansas from Russia, Hong Kong, China, Korea, India and Africa.  In addition, I have taught high school Science, been on the faculty of 3 universities and 2 colleges and was elected to a school board where I helped coordinate the district budget.  So, I know what it takes to control costs while getting the job done.    

Over $5.5 billion of our State tax dollars are spent each year by Kansas school districts.  Unfortunately, less than 1% of these funds pay for vocational education.   Plus, the drop-out rate in some high schools is as high as 40%.  These kids leave without a diploma and no job skills to earn a living wage.   As businesses and tax payers, we continue to pay for these under employed and uneducated citizens through various social services or jail.

We can and must do better.  The Kansas SBOE has many major decisions to make about how we educate our kids while cutting duplicated costs wherever possible.  Millions of dollars can be saved each year through better management and put back into instruction.   Much of these funds need to be invested in vocational/career education. 

Here is a brief YouTube video on why I feel that it is important to control education costs and reduce property taxes in Kansas.

THANK's for your support!!