The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Post or Eagle Media. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.
By: RENEE DUXLER
When I came to Salina in 2020, I quickly learned something people here already knew: this community does not wait around for someone else to shape its future.
Salinans roll up their sleeves and build it together.
During my time with the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, first leading economic and workforce development and later serving as President and CEO, I had the privilege of working alongside business owners, educators, local officials, nonprofit leaders and residents who shared a commitment to this community
Together, we worked to recruit and retain businesses, strengthen our workforce, support entrepreneurs and tell the rest of the country what those of us who live here already understand: Salina is a remarkable place to build a business, raise a family and create a life.
That work taught me that economic development is about much more than cutting a ribbon or announcing a new project.
A business cannot grow if it cannot find workers. A worker cannot take a job without reliable childcare. A family cannot move to a community where it cannot find an affordable home. Young people will not remain in a place where they cannot see a future for themselves.
Real economic development means connecting all of those pieces.
That is why our work in Salina included supporting housing and childcare initiatives, strengthening entrepreneurial resources, marketing our community and building partnerships among employers, schools and higher education institutions.
It is also why projects like the Kansas Artificial Intelligence Research and Entertainment Studio (K-AIRES) matter. By bringing together local leaders, K-State Salina, the Salina Airport Authority and state partners, our community helped attract a major investment in augmented and virtual-reality technology that is expected to create more than 100 jobs.
That did not happen because one person or one organization had every answer. It happened because people with different responsibilities and perspectives were willing to sit at the same table and work toward the same goal.
That is the Salina model, and Kansas needs more of it.
Too often, our state treats housing, childcare, education, healthcare and workforce development as separate challenges. Families know better. These issues collide around the same kitchen table.
We will not address our workforce shortage unless Kansans can afford to live near the jobs we are creating. We will not keep young people in our state unless they can find meaningful work and vibrant communities. We will not help small businesses grow unless we listen to what they actually need and make state government a partner rather than another obstacle.
I am running for lieutenant governor alongside Ethan Corson because he understands that lasting progress begins with listening and partnership.
Ethan has spent his career bringing people together to solve difficult problems. He knows that the best ideas do not all come from Topeka, and he understands that communities like Salina should help shape our state’s economic agenda rather than simply receiving decisions made somewhere else.
Together, we want to take the lessons I learned in Salina and put them to work across Kansas. That means supporting locally driven economic development, investing in housing and childcare, strengthening our schools and workforce programs and ensuring communities in every part of the state have the tools to compete.
Salina is thriving because people here believe in this community and are willing to work together on its behalf.
Kansas can thrive the same way.
Ethan and I are ready to bring people together, focus on practical solutions and build a state where every community has the opportunity to grow.