Issues
Agriculture, Energy, and Infrastructure
Agriculture and the
businesses that support it are crucial to District 24.
As a farmer I know firsthand the issues affecting rural
North Dakota. Legislation that benefits North Dakota’s
farmers and ranchers and creates an environment for
farmers and ranchers to thrive now and in the future
will be a top priority of mine.
The high cost of
energy has just begun to do its damage to many of our
pocketbooks. Even the price of asphalt has doubled and
will make it difficult for highway departments to
improve and maintain roads. With the largest available
crude oil deposit in the United States here in North
Dakota, we need to make sure that it gets to the
marketplace quickly and efficiently. State Government
will receive a huge windfall from oil production and
some of that money can be used to relieve income and
property taxes and help build transportation
infrastructure vital to growth.
Economic Development
Without development
of new business in our district and state our children
will be more likely to move away. The fiscal policy of
the state needs to secure the future of existing
businesses and attract new ones by creating an
environment where business can thrive by removing
burdensome regulation and giving appropriate incentives
for growth to increase the opportunities. I will work
closely with local and statewide officials to ensure the
counties in District 24 can attract quality businesses
and industry and maximize one of the district’s biggest
assets in tourism, the Sheyenne River Valley.
Education
We have reason to be
proud of the academic performance of North Dakota's
students. As a parent of school-aged children, I know
how important it is to continue to ensure that our
students receive the best possible education. On the
public school level, I will support increased funding to
keep smaller schools open as well as better pay for
qualified teachers. I will also encourage increased
parental involvement and academic excellence that puts
more control back at the local level.
I believe the
availability of educational options are of paramount
importance to the educational spectrum in the state.
Quality educational choices are a strong incentive for
families looking for a good place to settle and raise
their children to choose North Dakota.
Valley City State
University has much to offer our community in the form
of quality jobs, student population, and excellent
graduates ready to make their mark on the world. I'd
like to see more VCSU graduates choose to make our
district their home, and as a legislator I will
encourage a greater interaction between the university
and local or prospective businesses looking to locate in
the area. I would also like to improve the funding for
research projects that will help VCSU become another
premier research university in North Dakota.
Service to Our Country and Human
Dignity
There is nothing as
precious as a human life, and in the human community
those of us that are able need to support and protect
those who are vulnerable. That is what our military men
and women in uniform do every day for each one of us.
For this reason, I believe that the veterans need our
support. The new Veterans' Home in Lisbon is an example
of what we can do to ensure great care for those who
have served.
