It has been my honor to serve the past eight years as District 22 State Senator.  I ran on a platform of:

                          Good Schools  ***  Good Jobs  ***  Fair Taxes

These are still my cornerstone Legislative  work values.   Today the Covid-19 crisis places us in unchartered waters where all legislators will need to work closely with our Governor to solve the unprecedented health and economic problems facing our state.   I believe strongly, as I have as a teacher, counselor and administrator that our public schools and higher and post-secondary education opportunities are the keys to the success of our state.  Along with early childhood education, this is the foundation for our young people and their future productivity.  To that base, we will need to look at our budget and available resources, make some difficult and smart decisions, and chart a new course for the future.

This campaign of 2020 will be a unique one when we assess what we are up against and the best path forward. That is why I decided to run for re-election. I believe we need experienced leadership from people who know the Manhattan/OGDEN, Clay Center and Junction City communities as well as our state. I am a life-long Kansan who has lived and worked in Manhattan as a teacher, counselor and administrator as well as a private businessman for over 50 years. Serving in the Legislature for 14 years, I now serve as ranking member on the Senate Ways and Means Budget Committee and have learned how complex our state financial situation is and how to set priorities and fit all of the complex pieces together. Coming out of our current crisis will take all of the knowledge and skill, along with bi-partisan relationships to create a stable future for our state  

I will be eager to get back to Topeka in January and start to work on fixing the budget, funding our schools, and putting commonsense policies in place to create and support jobs in our state. I still believe in bi-partisan cooperation and work hard to find common ground to work on the problems in my committees with all of my colleagues.  That will continue to be my mode of operation in all future Senate Legislative sessions.  I appreciate all of the past support and hope I have gained your support and vote in this upcoming election.

Sincerely,

Tom Hawk

Civility Project:  One of my efforts this year has been to work on the “Joint House Senate Bi-Partisan Planning Team” to promote civil discourse among all members of the Kansas Legislature. In addition to regular meeting and programs, we have also implemented a “Word if the Week”. Below is this week’s word:

Civil Discourse WORD OF THE WEEK

April 6, 2020

The Word of the Week for Week 7 is HOPE

HOPE:  What is hope?  Hope is an optimistic state of mindthat is based on the belief of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. It is a feeling that you know everything is going to be okay and you still believe it…..even when life is at it’s hardest. Hope is a survival instinct.

In our jobs as legislators, hope allows us to approach problems or challenges with a positive mindset focused on finding successful solutions.  Legislators who have hope have the will and determination to achieve their goals and are open toworking with others and trying different strategies.

For our constituents, in this time of COVID-19, we give them hope by our actions and our words as they see us offering help, navigating government bureaucracy on their behalf, and supporting the institutions that support them and their families.  We build hope and trust in government when they see us do what is right and our actions are based on a hopeful picture of the future…..of what can be and will be.

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." Desmond Tutu

Civil Discourse WORD OF THE WEEK

April 27, 2020

The Word of the Week for Week 10 is Courage

Courage:  Courage is the quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous or painful even though they may be afraid. They do not withdraw from the situation. There are many kinds of courage…..physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, hardship, even death or the threat of death.  Moral courage is the ability to do the right thing in the face of popular opposition, shame, discouragement, or personal loss.

As legislators, we face the challenge of political courage which looms larger than ever before. Our lives are becoming so saturated with the tremendous power of mass communications that any unpopular decision or unorthodox course we choose to take may arouse a storm of protests.  The pressures we face by special interest groups, our constituents, our own political parties, all take on new meaning as we face those courageous decisions in the glare of the public spotlight. We need courage to engage our differences constructively and to see each other as human beings not as competing political positions.

Courage has a unique role in the context of civil discourse as discourse itself may produce heated and somewhat impolite debate at times. However, civility is the courage to disagree with someone and have an open, face-to-face, and engaged discussion that argues facts, not personalities. It is invitational and conciliatory. At times, real courage might be quiet and thoughtful…….not bold and boisterous.

“Civility is borne by those who will be courageous enough to invite everyone to the table.” – David Adkins, Exec. Dir. Council of State Governments

Civility and Civil Discourse caucus of the Kansas Legislature -
WORD OF THE MONTH
JUNE, 2020
PURPOSE

Purpose: Purpose is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. It is a person’s sense of resolve or determination. Your purpose can be your intention or objective, but it’s not just thought about, it’s both felt and known. It might even answer the question: Why on earth are we here?

How does purpose relate to civil discourse?

Civil discourse is conversation with a serious purpose. It is conversation that looks to find shared opportunity, not conflict. It is conversation that looks to remove barriers, not build new ones. It is a conversation that instead of becoming paralyzed by our disagreements, uses them to propel creative solutions and alternatives.

To live life purposefully, means being present in the moment, asking incredible questions, listening well, and making sure you understand what you are hearing. Living a life with a sense of purpose allows you to thrive in this world by doing less for yourself and creating more for others. It allows you to build a strong foundation in life by enhancing the reasons for the actions you take that launches you forward with a sense of resolve or determination.

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” ―Winston S. Churchill

Paid by Hawk for Senate, Katha Hurt Treasurer