Issues

The Montana Constitution guarantees that all students receive a fair and quality public education. As an educator for the past 30 years in a K-12 school, I have witnessed first-hand the repercussions of inadequate school funding. The Montana school funding formula needs to be changed. The basic financial entitlement for all schools needs to be increased by using state funds. With increased state funding, schools won't need to run levies, therefore reducing the tax liability of our residents. A public school education is the greatest equalizer we have, and we need to work together to preserve it.

Our forefathers wrote in the US Constitution “All men are created equal.” I believe the word ‘men’ represents all humans. Consequently, all rights and protections must be available to all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic, barriers or housing status including our Indigenous People. As your representative, I will be a fierce advocate against proposed legislation that might harm any person's right to equality. We, as Montanans, must treat everyone with compassion and respect. Coming from a 1st grade teacher, let’s get along with each other and if you are going to be anything, BE KIND!

As your representative, I will fight for access to public lands and waters. Your constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment must be protected. Being a lifelong Montanan, I am passionate about keeping our public lands public. One of Montana’s greatest assets is our natural resources. I fear deeply that the soil we walk upon will be taken from our residents and we’ll no longer be able to walk down the center of a river. Part of our surplus of state funds should be used to purchase available land to maintain public access for all Montanans and future generations.

As a legislator, I would propose and support legislation that requires all MT residents to pay their fair share of taxes and state government is held accountable for how our tax dollars are being spent. The money our state collects in taxes must be spent wisely. As legislators, we must not pass laws that are unconstitutional or have unconstitutional elements that send us down the path of litigation. Dollars spent on legal fees should instead be allocated to increase salaries for our law enforcement officers, fire fighters, heathcare workers and other public employees. We need to work together in Helena to find ways to lower our property taxes.