Issues

Our families, neighbors, and communities need us to fight for the common good.

Schools

Supporting our public schools is something we can all agree on. Our school system in District 140 is not only our largest employer; it is a great source of pride in our community, and a significant driver of our property values. Our public schools are critical in developing the future leaders of Christian County and beyond.

Our students should have access to free, dependable, public education. Our teachers should be able to make a living wage and feel respected as the professionals they are. Our students' parents should feel engaged as partners in the school community. As your representative, I will work to ensure that we fully support our commitment to our kids, teachers, and community to continue providing quality public education.

Affordability

We all feel the burden of rising costs. Whether it be groceries, utilities, childcare, housing, or healthcare, our day-to-day expenses are continually growing. I know that Missourians want to work, but many jobs are not offering livable wages. Missourians deserve necessities that don't eat entire paychecks.

I will work to ensure a stable economy that allows everyone to thrive, not simply survive. The state budget needs to be balanced, that much we know, but I will work to do so by advocating for my constituents' needs, not the needs of corporations.

Safe Communities

A community is made safe in many ways. Emergency services are essential to our community's safety. Firefighters, paramedics, and police officers are the first on the scene for any emergency, putting their lives at risk for our safety. For that, they deserve our respect and support. On top of that, communities are safe when leaders invest in long-term efforts that prioritize violence prevention, crisis response, and community-based programs.

As state representative, I will work to support our emergency services while looking to expand other community safety programs. In order to truly enhance safety, we must look to address and prevent crime and violence rather than only react to it.

Conservation

Christian County, like much of Missouri, is home to beautiful nature and wildlife. We are lucky to have areas like Busiek State Park, the Finley and James Rivers, Mark Twain National Forest, and more right in our backyards. Conservation is not only important from an ecological standpoint, but also for recreation, tourism, and the economy. Through conservation efforts, we are able to keep these areas clean and thriving, which ensures that Christian County is not only a desirable place to live but also to visit.

Conservation is important as ever, with new data centers popping up in our state. Data centers are known polluters who increase energy costs for residential consumers and deplete the water sources in surrounding areas. As state representative, I will work to safeguard our parks and waterways to ensure that Missourians are the ones benefitting from our nature, not facilities like data centers.

Endorsed by Springfield Central Labor Council

I'm proud to have received an official endorsement from the Springfield Central Labor Council. Missourian's deserve to have politicians who work for them, and I will do just that for the hard-working people of District 140.

411 Voter Guide Q&A

The League of Women Voters has put together a nonpartisan Voter Guide for the general election to help voters review information and candidate choices. Listed below are Julia's answers to the survey questions.

Visit the website here to register to vote or check your voter registration, preview your ballot, or volunteer with your local LVW.

How will you gather input from residents and ensure their concerns are reflected in legislative decisions?

I strongly believe that engagement with residents should be an ongoing process. Holding town halls and sending out updates via video and email are ways to stay in-touch with and include as many residents as possible. I will also work to ensure that my staff relays all resident concerns that come into my office. This process would be ongoing with team meetings.

As a state legislator, how would you reach across the aisle to promote more non-partisan collaboration and legislation?

Missourians deserve a government that works for them. In order to reach this goal, legislators face a challenge to get results that benefit as many people as possible. I would begin by working to build bridges and personal connections based on respect. A great place to start would be to find common ground on issues we agree and can build upon, like lowering costs, creating jobs, and working as a team for our local districts. I recognize that I am there to help my district and help their government work better for them, not to gain individual victories. I believe working together for swift and real change which improves the lives for our citizens is a win for everyone, most of all the people that we represent.

How would you balance the need for public services with responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars?

Missouri is facing hard decisions regarding its current financial state. Public tax dollars should benefit taxpayers and work as an investment to improve the lives of the people who pay such taxes, not as a political tool. It will take courage to make the difficult decisions ahead of us. I believe that it will require long term planning by balancing immediate needs with long term outcomes. In order to show transparency and accountability it's important to allow citizens to easily find and see where money is going, how much is actively being spent in real time and if that budgeted item is running out of funds and when. Reducing costs, fraud, and waste can be accomplished through a transparent process as well. Conducting reviews before money is spent can identify overspending, repetitive steps that squander time/resources, and review outcomes that show success or the need for improvement.

What experience has prepared you to make decisions on state budgets, infrastructure, and public services?

I have worked in healthcare at many different levels, from the patient's bedside to management and advocacy. I've witnessed firsthand what happens when policy is created with and without involving all of the stakeholders. Success, whether it's balancing a budget, building roads, funding schools, or supporting services for seniors, all depend upon the inclusion of all the interested parties from local officials, professionals, businesses, and taxpayers. Policy won't work unless those involved are those affected by that policy, budget, or project. I've spent my 35-year nursing career protecting patients in their most vulnerable moments. I will bring that same commitment and moral courage to our district, placing the needs of our neighbors above any political agenda.

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