Joshua Fredrick
Mr. Frederick did not respond to our request for an interview.
Paul Hamelink
Mr. Hamelink did not respond to our request for an interview.
Dan Lonowski
Dan Lonowski did not respond to our request for an interview.
Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith was born and raised in Hastings, Nebraska. She has owned her business, Sunrise Inspirations PC, since 2014. She provides quality mental health therapy to people in Hastings and surrounding communities. Smith is running for the legislature because she is dedicated to being a voice for the people in District 33.
Smith said the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is the lack of mental healthcare resources and healthcare resources in general. She stated that she wants to be a voice for addressing these issues both in her district and state-wide.
When asked what public services she has personally used, Smith said that she used Medicaid throughout her pregnancy and while her son was young. The public service jobs that she believes are lacking are mental health facilities. She stated that we need more juvenile justice and adult probation programs. To ensure public services and programs are fully funded, Smith said the legislature needs to develop a plan for a realistic and balanced tax reform in Nebraska that is fair and equitable to everyone across the state.
Smith opposes the privatization of state services. She believes that taxpayer money should be put toward State of Nebraska employees and programs and that communities are best served by the people who live in them.
Smith stated that she supports the right of Nebraska State Employees to unionize and collectively bargain the wages and conditions of employment. She also said she anticipates that she would support a bill extending collective bargaining rights to legislative and judicial branch employees, but that she would have to read any such bill.
If a bill was introduced to take away public sector collective bargaining, Smith stated that she would oppose it.
When asked about legislative procedure, Smith stated that she believes committee chairs should be chosen by secret ballot and she supports the current filibuster rules.
Smith stated that she is the best candidate for District 33 because she is the only one who was born and raised there. She knows the people and is connected to the community. She wants to be a voice for all of them, especially the most vulnerable.