Our rural public schools are underfunded and understaffed. Small districts can not compete with bigger districts on teacher salaries. We have a high percentage of non qualified teachers and teacher interns in the Panhandle because of this. Amarillo has a high turnover rate. School voucher proposals only hurt our rural communities more. They threaten to pull resources out of the very schools that hold our communities together. Public schools are often the heart of a rural town, such as Dumas. We often have to train in house because we can not compete with bigger cities on teacher salaries. As a district employee I know first hand the strain it puts on our school district and our teachers. When schools struggle, families leave, local economies weaken, and kids lose opportunities close to home.

I will

Fight for full, fair funding for rural public schools

Oppose voucher programs that harm small districts

Support competitive teacher pay and retention programs here in the Panhandle

Property taxes keep rising while wages stay the same. Families, seniors, and farmers are being priced out of their own homes and land. Families who have lived in our small towns their entire lives can no longer afford to stay in their homes. Owning a home or farm should not become a burden. We know first hand how the rise in local property taxes affect our families in the Panhandle. Many families have had to move in order to afford housing, further affecting our small towns and schools. Property taxes should not punish people for staying in the communities they love. We need to strengthen the communities in the Panhandle in order for it to thrive.

I will

Push for meaningful property tax relief. Make the state pay their fair share for public education as it once was. This is an easy fix to lower property taxes.

Support relief for seniors, working families, and agricultural landowners

Rural hospitals are closing or operating on razor-thin margins. When hospitals close, emergency care disappears and lives are put at risk. In rural areas, distance can be the difference between life and death. Access to healthcare should not depend on your ZIP code. The Panhandle is so geographically large, it is crucial to have accessible hospitals and emergency care.

I will

Fight for stable funding for rural hospitals and clinics

Support incentives to attract and keep rural healthcare professionals

Protect emergency and maternal care in rural communities

Veterans in rural areas often struggle to access healthcare, mental health services, and employment support. Too many fall through the cracks once they return home. Funding for our closest Veteran’s hospital in Amarillo is getting cut constantly. My husband is a veteran and the VA hospital has been crucial for his health. The doctors are trained to treat veterans and understand the struggles most veterans face. I see first hand how cuts to funding affect the accessibility our Panhandle veterans get to appropriate healthcare. Our veterans kept their promise to serve this country. We must keep our promise to serve them when they come home. It is not by providing choice, but by strengthening our Veteran’s hospitals. The staff in our Veteran’s hospitals are trained to work with our veteran’s specifically on their needs.

I will

Expand access to rural veteran healthcare and mental health services

Support job training and employment pathways for veterans

Ensure veterans’ benefits are protected and accessible to all veterans

Farmers are facing rising costs, unpredictable markets, water challenges, and policies made by people who have never worked the land. Agriculture is the backbone of the Panhandle economy. The majority of our friends survive on agriculture because it has been their livelihood for generations. They do not want to leave the Panhandle because it is home. When farmers struggle, the entire region feels it. Austin does not care about our small town farming communities and it hurts our small towns tremendously.

I will

Defend farmers against unfair regulations and land grabs

Support water conservation and rural infrastructure here in the Panhandle

Ensure farm families have a seat at the table in Austin