Kelly Thompson is Running to Represent District 22
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Don’t call Kelly a politician! She will roll her eyes and sigh, “I am not a politician. I am just a woman, wife and mother who cares and is willing to work hard for my neighbors and yours.”
Kelly married her high school sweetheart, Mike, 36 years ago, and together they have raised their six kids in North Webster, while running their own concrete contracting business. She graduated 2nd in her class at Tippecanoe Valley High School, and then attended Christ College honors program at Valparaiso University. After moving to Florida for Mike’s job, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. And then, 25 years ago, she and Mike moved home to Indiana to raise their kids.
10 years ago, when a suicide crisis hit our local schools, Kelly sprang into action to share hope and love by starting Crossover, a Sunday evening meeting for teens to hear the message that they are loved and not alone. Crossover grew to 70-80 kids each week from South Bend, Warsaw, Mentone, Syracuse, North Webster, and more. This grew into a non-profit coffee house, The River, which became a community family room.
She has spent the last decade working with local teens and their families to navigate the twists and turns of life. In this work, she has learned a lot about the challenges that Hoosiers face every day. After trying to address those issues on a local level through her non-profit work, she decided that Kosciusko County needed someone in the State House who understands the issues and will work hard to address them.
Top on her list are the issues that make life hard on our local families and hinder our local businesses: affordable housing, affordable quality childcare, and supporting our local public educators.
The Covid crisis has only amplified these issues. State revenue is down and she has a plan to increase it to support our budgetary needs.
“We need to attract and retain new businesses. Not one of the nations top 10 fastest growing industries exist here in Indiana. We have to ask them the question ‘Why?’ and listen to their answers.
“We already know we have an affordable housing and childcare crisis in this district. And we as a state are losing our teachers at an alarming rate because we refuse to pay them what they are worth. Teachers can make, on average, $7,000 and $11,000 more in Ohio and Illinois, respectively. It is not a mystery as to why our teachers are choosing to teach elsewhere.
“When businesses look for states to call home, they look for quality schools, safe affordable housing, and a qualified workforce. If we don’t solve our childcare, housing, and education issues we will be taking Indiana off the list of possible places for businesses to open. We must address these issues.”
Kelly has done her research and knows that we as a state have been short sighted in our financial goals. “It’s great to have a large savings, unless our people are suffering as a result. We have real health issues in this state. Our infant mortality rate is the 7th highest in the nation, and our maternal mortality rate is the 3rd highest! Yet we are proud of the fact that we spend less than half the national average on public health. This is an outright shame. Especially when we realize that the ROI on public health spending is $4.5:1. We can afford to do the right thing. In fact, we can’t afford NOT to.”
While this time is hard, she is motivated, “I am looking forward to working together in Indianapolis to support our Hoosier families and their businesses. We are a people of integrity and have a strong work ethic. We want to earn our own way. We just need our government to stop making our life harder. Our tax dollars need to be spent in OUR best interest, not theirs.”
Kelly plans to bring her courage, experiences, hard work, and cooperative spirit to Indianapolis to really work for the people of District 22.
“When was the last time you knew that your representative really understood your life? Isn’t it time for that to change? Please vote for me, Kelly Thompson, so that together we can create an Indiana that works for ALL of us!”
Please visit her website at: KellyforIndiana.org
Her Facebook: Kelly for Indiana House District 22
Her Instagram: KellyforIn
Her YouTube: Kelly Thompson
Paid for by the Kelly for Indiana 22 Committee.