I am running for senator to ensure that the Kansas Family has the resources to thrive.
-Richard Smith, Candidate for District 30 Kansas State Senate
ABOUT ME
I am running for District 30 State Senate. I have lived in Kansas for over 30 years, and lived at the same address in District 30 for over 20 years. I graduated from the University of Tulsa with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and hold a previously earned Bachelor of Science in English. I grew up tagging along behind my father in the oil patch, which included living 4 years in North Africa. I interned one summer in the old field as a roustabout for Mobil Oil in Healdton, Oklahoma. When I graduated from college, I moved to Wichita, Kansas and went to work for Boeing because I love airplanes. I worked as a stress engineer for the last 15 years of my career in aerospace engineering, and made multiple trips to Leighton-Buzzard, United Kingdom, to support engineering certification. I have had a private pilot airman’s certificate since 1983.
I first served in the Kansas Air National Guard as a F-16 and ld-4 Crew Chief. Subsequent to a transfer to Everett, Washington, I was deployed to Rhein Main Air Force Base with the 36th Aerial Port Squadron from McCord Air Force Base during Desert Storm. During the height of the build up to and the time of hostilities, we completed an entire Berlin Airlift every 3 days, albeit with much improved technology. In between loading and unloading airplanes, I achieved the rank of Buck Sergeant, which no longer exists in the Air Force enlisted ranks, studied for and passed the test for the Air Transportation skill code,I earned an award for Airman of the Quarter.
My wife had a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and specialized in treating children with Adverse Childhood Experiences. That specialization led her to study child play therapy with Rick Gaskell. During the last year of her illness due to skin melanoma, she achieved supervisory status for certifying child play therapists, before she passed in 2014. I not only had the honor and privilege of being married to a lady of great valor; I learned a lot about how displaced and abused children are cared for, and not cared for, in Kansas.
I have served once as president of the Mid Kansas Jewish Federation and twice as president of the Hebrew Congregation. I currently serve on the board of the Wichita Grand Opera, and play lead trombone in the Great Plains Jazz Orchestra. I believe in supporting the arts.
I am running for senator to ensure that the Kansas Family has adequate resources to thrive. Families need healthy and robust businesses for livelihood, whether they own that business as an entrepreneur or work for the businesses. Their children need access to education, from early childhood through adulthood, to maximize productivity and quality of life, as well as their parents as they face career transitions. All families need access to affordable healthcare, and the 150,000 families without access to healthcare need to be supported with Medicaid Expansion. Business and family both need the transportation infrastructure to the logistics that provide businesses with the supplies they need for production and the means to deliver what they produce. Families need reliable, energy conscious, and affordable transportation to maintain their family relationships, travel to work, and play. The State of Kansas needs to lobby for high speed rail routes, maintain our highways and bridges, and support the existing rail system. I am for government that yields good return for the taxes we pay, government that pays its bills, and government that lowers taxes where possible.
I was proud to serve our country during the First Gulf War. With your help and support, I look forward to once again raising my right hand to take an oath of office, to serve the people who live in Kansas State District 30.
Sincerely,
Richard Smith
Candidate for District 30 Kansas State Senate
KEY ISSUES
Education: Public schools need to be fully funded. While great strides have been made to support vocational training in Wichita, Wichita State University has languished. Doctoral programs are thinly staffed and have too few students. Academic positions for Arts and Sciences, and History are not being re-staffed as professors retire. The health of our community and businesses depend on this vital resource.
Children: Early childhood development supports the strength of the family and businesses alike. Children with developmental challenges must be cared for. It is far cheaper to treat children with adverse childhood experiences while they are still children than it is to wait until they enter the criminal justice system. We must ensure that displaced children are properly cared for.
Infrastructure and Energy Resource Management: We need to maintain our existing roads and bridges, and support rail transportation as companies maintain their tracks, build high speed rail, and make the transition to more efficient energy technology. We need to get a future high speed rail line from Oklahoma City through Wichita to Kansas City. Likewise, there must be western high speed rails to join the Kansas City metro area and Denver, and Wichita to Amarillo, Texas and/or Albuquerque, New Mexico. We must support our existing oil industry and start ups as we transition our dependence on fossil fuels to renewable resources. Someday, as fossil fuels become more and more expensive to extract, gas at the pump will hit $8.00 per gallon. It could arrive faster than we anticipate. We must be ready to support our livelihoods with lower cost, energy efficient transportation. We must leave our children with a safe and healthy environment to live in.
Reproductive Healthcare: The people of Kansas have spoken. We need to hold the line on the assault on women’s access to reproductive healthcare services, and their right to make that decision for themselves.
Violence: Violence has no place in Kansas society, whether it is domestic abuse or active shooters in our public schools or political rallies. We must ensure that every eligible citizen can cast their vote in any Kansas election. It is imperative that we show our children the example of accepting the electoral decisions of Kansas citizens. We must not attempt to dismantle our government because we may not like an election outcome, or discriminate against blocks of eligible voters. Our children deserve a better legacy than that.
Criminal Justice Reform: Our prison population has grown exponentially since 1980. If it keeps growing, its expenditures will soon exceed $500 million. This must be seen as an opportunity to reduce government expenses and improve the lives of our citizens. We must assess the success and viability of how we currently control the use of illegal drugs.
DONATE
Together, we can do great things for Kansas. But I need your help.
THANK YOU!
Send your checks to:
Richard Smith For Kansas State Senate
P.O. Box 782422
Wichita, KS 67278
​​Contribution Rules:
1) I am a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident of (i.e. green card holder).
2) I am at least 18 years old.
3) This contribution is made from my own funds, and funds are not being provided to me by another person or entity for the purpose of making a contribution.