It certainly has been quite a week. I finally broke the seal on door-to-door canvassing for signatures, and I started in my own neighborhood. It seemed only right. Then the weather took a turn for the worse again, but that’s ok. We’ll get back out there once all this rain passes. Although I have to admit that this is the first time for me meeting many of them, due to being an introvert, I’m pleased to say that most of my neighbors were very friendly, and receptive to my independent candidacy.
Unfortunately, we did have more than just the weather that set the campaign back. My family and I discovered a small leak this last weekend, coming from the waterline running into our fridge. We’re not sure how long the line had been leaking, but the water was able to get under the flooring and cause all kinds of hidden problems. If you’ve ever found hidden water damage in your home, then you know how much of a nightmare it can be. So, for the next couple of weeks at least, the Brant family is living in a hotel. It’s a bit of an inconvenience, but the Marine Corps taught me to adapt and overcome.
In spite of obstacles, I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to meet with West Lafayette’s Mayor Erin Easter on Wednesday. I met with her with the goal of better understanding the city’s ongoing challenges and priorities. We discussed education, infrastructure, housing, development, and how state-level decisions impact local governments. I appreciated the opportunity to listen and learn from someone working directly with these issues every day.
I was also able to get out to Rosedale, Thursday, to support the friends & family of Montezuma Elementary School as they solicit the support of their neighboring community in the efforts to save their school. So many good points were made, and I was happy to see that progress to a solution was also being made. Once again, if anybody wants to lend their support or help to save a small community’s beloved elementary school, please reach out to Cierra Early at (765) 592-0626, or check out “United for Southwest Parke Schools” on Facebook.
Looking ahead to the weekend, I’ll be working on a couple of ideas that I had that might give the good folks of Montezuma more of an edge in their fight to save their school. I’ll also be posting a short-form video to give a brief general overview of my education stance to hopefully draw in some readers of my updated policy (which you can read HERE). On Saturday, I’ll be attending a Town Hall by the League of Women Voters on the Impact of Property Tax Reduction on Local Government, where I’ll get to hear from local experts about how the property tax reform bill (SEA1) will impact local schools, libraries, and government budgets.
Well, that’s all for now. Friday is Pizza Night in the Brant household, and living in a hotel isn’t about to stop that, either. I think it’s going to be a Mad Mushroom kinda night. Until next time, District 23, have yourselves a better-than-great weekend. I’ll be thinking about ya.
Genuinely,
Joshua Brant
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