Sandy Pickert

Sandy Pickert was born in Salina, Kansas. She graduated from Minneapolis High School. She graduated from the St. Joseph School of Nursing in 1973, earned a bachelor's degree from St. Mary of the Plains College in 1981, and earned a graduate degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2007. Her career experience includes working as a registered nurse.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was raised on a farm in North Central Kansas. I'm the oldest of seven siblings born over a 10 year period, which instilled in me a great work ethic and family values. After my first year in college, I moved to Wichita to continue my education. I have one daughter and became a single mother with the death of her daddy when she was 9 years old. She is happily married and lives in Topeka. I've lived most of my adult life in Wichita and resided in District 88 for the past 29 years. I've come to know many in our Southeast Wichita/Andover community and had the opportunity to help several over the years with solutions to various challenges related to obtaining government, healthcare and other services and becoming involved in our community.

I'm a retired RN with decades of experience serving others during some of the worst times of their lives. I'm a caring servant leader, a good listener and a problem solver. I've used my skills, education and life experiences during my first term in the Kansas House to build relationships and work with other legislators from across the state and across party lines. Together we came up with several solutions for the benefit of Kansans. There's still plenty of work to accomplish for my constituents and all Kansans. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve during the current term in the Kansas House of Representatives and am looking forward to working for you in the next term!

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?

Many Kansans are faced with already tight budgets and rising inflation in the current economy. Along with my peers in the Kansas House and Senate, I fought for tax relief by passing several tax bills which were vetoed. The Special Session tax bill was passed and finally signed by the Governor. The tax bill results: working people will benefit with lower Kansas income tax, no Kansas tax on Social Security for seniors, no Kansas grocery tax as of January 1, 2025 and a slight decrease in Kansas property tax. There's more to be done, especially to decrease property taxes for those on a fixed income. I will continue to work for more ways to decrease taxes to benefit Kansans in 2025.Homelessness is a growing, complicated challenge for many Kansas communities, including District 88. I am working with coalitions and local government to tackle the challenge by providing a hand up for those facing homelessness, often compounded by mental illness, addictions, physical illness, lack of employment and/or affordable housing. The goal is to assist those in need of affordable housing and stable employment as well services to treat other chronic conditions so they can live a productive life and give back to their family and community. I will continue working on the local and state levels to provide solutions for homelessness.Good quality and adequate quantity of water is an issue affecting all Kansans. Water is a necessity of life and is needed to sustain agriculture production, cities and towns of all sizes and industries. While it may seem we have an adequate water supply, the water supply of the future is in jeopardy if major steps aren't taken to conserve water through changes in farming practices, reuse of water, recharging aquifers, decreasing sedimentation in reservoirs and developing a statewide conservation plan for water and other natural resources. I initiated a bill to ensure quality drinking water and supported bills funding decreased agricultural water use through technology and upgrading drinking water systems in cities and towns.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have a heart for the vulnerable in our society, including children in foster care. Sedgwick County has a disproportionately high number of children in foster care. I'm participating in our community to identify solutions to decrease the need for foster care, increase the number of good families to provide foster care, increase the number of adoptive families and provide services to children who are affected by trauma in their lives. I serve on the House Child Welfare/Foster Care Committee and supported several bills, including the SOUL bill, a new option for teens nearing aging out of the foster care system, to lend support for transitioning to healthy adulthood. There's much more to be done for these vulnerable children!

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

It's important for an elected official to be genuine; caring; honest; transparent; live with integrity; be willing to listen to constituents and others, including those who agree and disagree with the elected official; have a quest for learning, especially about topics related to proposed legislation and have a good work ethic. It's also important for an elected official to be humble; and not take himself or herself too seriously, realizing they are not in control, but were elected by the people to represent them and serve them.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have a heart to serve others and care for the vulnerable of our society, I'm a friendly extrovert, I work hard, and I'm persistent and tenacious in finding solutions for difficult situations.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Core responsibilities of a Kansas State Representative include attending and participating in all House sessions, committee and caucus meetings and being available for constituents and others who visit the Capitol or communicate by phone or email. It's also important to attend presentations about various legislative topics to learn about issues. A State Representative should make a sincere effort to get to know every Kansas State Representative who serves with them in the House and on committees. Lastly, but importantly, a State Representative is responsible for communicating regularly with their constituents regarding legislative updates and pertinent issues.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I'd like my legacy to be that I listened well to others, learned about the issues, voted to represent my constituents while following my conscience, and I made a positive difference for Kansans.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that happened in my lifetime was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I was 12 and in the 6th grade when the assassination occurred.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first paid job was babysitting for my neighbors' two daughters, beginning at age 10. I baby sat for many families until I was about 16 when I was hired for a higher paying job.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

There are several challenges facing Kansans in the next decade including the following:

- a potential lack of adequate quality and quantity of water for agriculture, municipalities and industries;

- a need for efficient affordable energy to meet the needs of all sectors and regions in the state;

- the potential of a decreasing population due to young adults, veterans and seniors moving out of the state for "greener pastures" in other states;

- a generation of students are not performing academically at grade level, in spite of increased funding for public education;

- a potential lack of a qualified work force needed for economic growth.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It is beneficial for state legislators to have previous government of political experience, but not essential. There is a fairly steep learning curve for new legislators during their first term.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No, I don't plan to run for a different political office in the future. I will follow self-imposed term limits for at most 10 years in the Kansas House.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I'm currently endorsed by the Kansas Fraternal Order of Police and Kansas Farm Bureau.

What committees interest you?

I'm currently serving on committees that interest me including the House Water Committee, the House Child Welfare/Foster Care Committee, the House Welfare Reform Committee and the House General Budget Committee. I'm also interested in serving on the House Health and Human Services Committee as well as the House Federal and State Committee.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe financial transparency and government accountability is a top priority. Monies budgeted for various government agencies belong to the people of Kansas and should be used frugally and accounted for honestly and with transparency. It's important for each legislator to watch for and report government waste and financial misuse.

Sandy Pickert did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Sandy Pickert did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.