“My neighbors and friends in District 17, and throughout Warren and Butler County, have given me so much. I want to repay their trust and will represent our district with integrity, dedication and principled leadership.” – Steve Sheldon

Bring Economic Opportunities to Western Kentucky

As a pharmacist, I see what politics has done to my patients, their families and our communities.  I want to help families and children get the health care they need at a price they can afford.  I also believe fraud and abuse is rampant in our state and costs millions of dollars a year. If elected, I will help your tax dollars stretch further by eliminating abuses in our health care system.

Provide Government Transparency

Burdensome regulations and overreaching mandates should be replaced with innovative and forward-thinking solutions. Many teachers and state workers are nervous about their retirements, and voters worry when partisan politics get in the way of results. Transparency is the key to answering many of the doubts that our voters have about their government and this can only lead to a more efficient and effective legislative body.

Protect Life and Our Constitutional Freedoms

I believe that we must provide for the safety and well-being of unborn children. Life is both precious and fragile – all life. That includes my values for the humane treatment of animals. If elected, I will serve our hardworking families with the strong Christian values on which I was raised.

It is imperative that we respect the constitutional freedoms we all hold dear in Kentucky.  I will always stand for our religious freedoms, for our constitutional freedoms, and for the liberty to succeed in a free society.

School Safety

Without a doubt, the safety of our children is paramount to our success as a society. While specific measures and solutions remain on the table for future meetings – like the controversial measure for arming classroom teachers – I want to make sure any solution I put forth is in line with the specific needs and concerns of our district.

Opioid Epidemic

Addiction to opioids and prescription painkillers is an epidemic that is ravaging our Commonwealth. No family is immune from addiction. We must recognize that a tragedy of this magnitude cuts across race, region, gender, class, and ideology, leaving no community untouched. This epidemic has torn apart families and overwhelmed medical professionals with the sheer volume of cases they see every day. There should be no stigma attached to seeking help in breaking an addiction and finding a path to recovery.

True solutions to this epidemic cannot be found without an aggressive plan for expanding economic opportunity. Without reliable pathways into good jobs, too many communities will continue to suffer from the hopelessness that often leads to drug dependency.

Support for Stronger Education

Education was a large part of the dialogue during the 2018 general session. Improving education will require a multi-faceted solution and I am prepared to take on a larger role in this discussion. If elected, I will fight to strengthen our schools by better preparing our children to become competitive and engaged citizens of our Commonwealth. Financial literacy was a measure that passed the assembly recently, and will aim to teach our children basic financial skills while in high school. By teaching our children to invest in themselves, we are investing in our future workforce. School safety is another important aspect of education that may require more thought in future sessions. After the incident in Marshall County, we must be open to discussing ways to prevent these tragedies from occurring. Finally, I would proudly work with our local school systems, teachers, and support workers — each of whom are pouring their time and resources into our children.