Paul Lentz

Paul Lentz earned a high school diploma from Parkway West High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri in 2009. His career experience includes working as a business manager.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m an accountant, data engineer, and I run a small business with my dad. Parkway and Mizzou grad. I'm running because I am tired of watching establishment politicians and mega-corporations strip-mine Missouri for profit and killing our democracy while working families foot the bill.

The anonymous ultra-wealthy of this state get rubber-stamped tax breaks from their loyal establishment politicians, meanwhile, us normal Missourians are being crushed by the cost of healthcare, groceries, and housing. Our public schools are being deliberately starved, leaving our teachers the second-lowest paid in the nation. It doesn't have to be this way.

We need simple, practical solutions that put Missourians first. In Jeff City I will unapologetically fight for a state that guarantees dignity for all of us. Lowering healthcare premiums and the cost of healthcare. Fully funding public education and paying our teachers an actual living wage. Investing in clean, public energy to slash utility bills and create jobs. Taking on tech monopolies to protect our data, privacy, and utility bills. Municipal fiber internet to lower internet bills.

Restoring the democratic will of the people that establishment politicians have repeatedly ignored and overturned for us. Expanded paid sick leave, raised minimum wage, and guaranteed full access to life-saving healthcare. My values were shaped by Missouri: Parkway, Mizzou. I want my states politics to live up to the values this state gave me.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Healthcare is too expensive. Missouri should have a public health insurance option like Colorado, Nevada, or Washington state. If the government is so bad at everything private health insurance companies should have no problem competing against a State option, right? Capitalism thrives on competition. With this in place premiums for everyone will go down even if you're not on the plan. Cost of healthcare goes down. The free loader effect of people without insurance using the ER as their healthcare decreases. This is better for employers, employees, and retirees. Unless you personally own a private insurance company I don't know why you wouldn't want this.We need a balanced budget and higher teacher pay and fully funded public schools. When I went to Parkway in 2005 I had great teachers because they were well paid. The amazing public schools made my neighborhood a desirable place to raise a family. I want people to move to Missouri for the high quality of life combined with the low cost of living. Not to flee the state the moment they can. When I went to Mizzou my annual tuition as about $6,000 a year. I can't imagine what it will be by the time I have college aged kids. I want my kids to go to school and stay here. I want them to have great teachers. The only way to get top talent and keep them is to pay them more.Data centers are here, more are coming. We have no idea who the end users are or what they're doing with our data. They want your water, your electricity, your data, and the loyalty of your elected official. They are doing very, very well on this front. They will poison your air, increase your water and electric bills. And you won't be able to sue them, this is currently happening in Memphis, TN for example. I'm a big data engineer. You need someone who knows about tech and AI who understands the difference between a sales pitch and a fact about what these things are and what they want. You want your elected official fighting big tech on your behalf, not fighting to get their money for their PAC money to fund their reelection.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about restoring the democratic will of the people and protecting the rights of Missourians from being stripped away by a corporate-captured government.

Economic Dignity: Fighting for a living wage, paid sick leave, and lowering the cost of essential goods like groceries and healthcare.

Public Infrastructure: Fully funding our public schools to ensure teachers are paid a thriving wage, investing in clean, public energy to lower utility bills, and expanding municipal fiber to ensure affordable, high-speed internet for everyone.

Corporate Accountability: Protecting consumer privacy and data from tech monopolies, and ensuring our land and water are not exploited by extractive industries.