Three Policy Pillars

Every child in Indiana deserves access to a great public education, no matter their ZIP code, family income, or background. Over the past decade, too much of our education funding has moved away from public schools and been redirected to private and voucher-based programs, many of them affiliated with religious institutions.

Public dollars should serve the public good. When we underfund our local schools, we undermine our teachers, hurt our students, and weaken our communities. We are seeing growing class sizes, fewer resources for special education, and districts forced to rely on referendums just to cover the basics.

Here is the path forward:
• Fully fund our public schools first. Private and voucher programs should never take priority over the system that serves the vast majority of Hoosier children.

• Raise teacher pay and restore respect for the teaching profession. Teachers are the backbone of every community, and they deserve more than words—they deserve real investment.
• Support rural and small-town schools. Many of our rural districts are losing students and resources because state funding formulas do not reflect their reality.

Strong public schools mean strong communities. It is time to put our money where it belongs—back into Indiana classrooms.

Further Reading:
• “Indiana private school voucher spending tops $497 million” – Indiana Capital Chronicle (2025)
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/07/01/indiana-private-school-voucher-spending-tops-497m-as-enrollment-slows

• “Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program explained” – WFYI
https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/indiana-private-school-voucher-program-choice-scholarship-report

• “Proposed bill would shift more dollars from traditional publics to charters” – Indiana Capital Chronicle
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/02/21/indiana-bill-to-shift-more-dollars-from-traditional-publics-to-charter-schools-earns-senate-approval

• “Study finds no measurable effect on student achievement from Indiana’s voucher program” – Cato Institute
https://www.cato.org/research-briefs-economic-policy/effect-indiana-choice-scholarship-program-public-school-students

Every Hoosier deserves timely, high-quality healthcare, no matter whether they live in a city, a small town or on a farm. In our rural House District 38, the reality is that access is eroding, and federal changes are making matters worse.

As hospitals face decreasing Medicaid reimbursement rates and federal funding cuts, local facilities are being forced to reduce services or even close key departments such as labor and delivery. In Indiana more than a dozen obstetric units have shut down in recent years, creating so-called “maternity care deserts” and placing pregnant women at elevated risk. The Indiana Lawyer+2Indiana Capital Chronicle+2

Meanwhile, proposed federal legislation would reduce federal Medicaid spending in rural areas by tens of billions over the next decade, worsening the funding gap for the hospitals and clinics that serve our rural families. American Hospital Association+1

Here is our plan of action:
• Strengthen rural hospitals and clinics so they remain open and fully-staffed. When residents drive long distances for basic care it drains time, money and health outcomes.

• Expand maternal and neonatal care access in our rural counties. Indiana has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, and we must reverse that trend by keeping obstetric services local. The Indiana Lawyer+1

• Protect our Medicaid program and fight funding cuts that hurt rural health systems and families. Rural clinics cannot absorb large reimbursement cuts without cutting services, which leads to longer travel times and worse outcomes. WFYI Public Media+1

Strong rural healthcare means strong rural communities. It is time to ensure that our neighbors, our farmers, our children and our mothers receive care close to home—in towns like Carroll and Tipton, not just in the cities.

Further Reading:
• “Rural hospitals issue warning in wake of federal cuts” – WFYI
https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/rural-hospitals-issue-warning-in-wake-of-federal-cuts
• “‘They cared about us’: More rural Indiana communities losing access to labor and delivery services” – Indiana Capital Chronicle
https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/they-cared-about-us-more-rural-indiana-communities-losing-access-to-labor-and-delivery-services
• “Indiana’s nurse practitioner rules hurt rural health care” – IndyStar
https://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/jacob-stewart/2025/08/06/rural-nurse-practitioner-healthcare-indiana-medicaid/85424368007

Our small towns once stood on their own two feet. Local grocery stores, hardware shops, service businesses, and Main Street gathering places kept families rooted and communities strong. But today too many rural areas face food deserts, retail flight, and economic drift that drive our young people away.

In counties like Tipton and Carroll, we have the opportunity to rebuild that foundation. Affordable grocery retail is not just about food. It supports jobs, keeps money in town, and lets families choose to stay or move in. When a small town loses its market, the shop closes, the family moves away, and the community shrinks. That creates a cycle of decline.

At the same time many small-town residents worry that growth means losing what makes their town small. That fear is real and valid. But revitalization does not mean losing identity. It means laying a foundation that helps retain families instead of losing them. It means encouraging local entrepreneurs, attracting modest new retail that meets resident needs, and supporting the service businesses that make a town welcoming to new families while preserving its character.

Young graduates and families often leave because there is nowhere to land. One analysis of Indiana noted that our "brain drain" is real and urgent. (Indiana Economic Digest, Oct 14, 2024)
https://indianaeconomicdigest.net/Content/Most-Recent/Education/Article/OPINION-Indiana-s-worsening-brain-drain/31/77/117576

Here is our plan of action:
• Encourage small-town grocery retail and local service businesses that serve the everyday needs of rural families so residents do not have to drive far or lose community connection.

• Support main street renewal that balances growth with local character, inviting new families while honoring the town’s identity.

• Work with local chambers, municipal leadership, and developers to secure grants, incentives, and infrastructure such as broadband, roads, and placemaking so growth is viable, measured, and community-centered.

Healthy small towns mean vibrant rural regions. It is time to invest in the businesses and families that keep our towns alive, welcoming, and thriving in communities like Carroll and Tipton counties.

Further Reading:
• "Small town spirit: How Indiana’s rural communities are working to reverse population losses" – Indiana Capital Chronicle (March 10, 2025)
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/03/10/small-town-spirit-how-indianas-rural-communities-work-to-reverse-population-losses

• "OPINION: Indiana’s worsening brain drain" – Indiana Economic Digest (Oct 14, 2024)
https://indianaeconomicdigest.net/Content/Most-Recent/Education/Article/OPINION-Indiana-s-worsening-brain-drain/31/77/117576

• "Tackling economic development in rural areas" – Building Indiana (Sept 10, 2025)
https://buildingindiana.com/stories/tackling-economic-development-in-rural-areas%2C47554