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Governor-Elect Names
Cabinet Secretary Nominees
to serve on Economic Growth Team
Topeka - Governor-Elect Sam Brownback
(R-Topeka) introduced today cabinet nominees and budget director
who will lead his Economic Growth Team during a news conference at
the Kansas Statehouse.
"Our Economic Growth Team
is heavy on experience and offers fresh perspectives on the
challenges that we face," Gov.-Elect Brownback said.
"They bring to state government a blend of private and public
sector experience that will produce results. You will recognize a
few of the faces, but a couple may be new to you.
This team brings together eastern and western Kansas; private and
public sector backgrounds; and all ranges of the political
spectrum."
The Economic Growth Team members announced
today are:
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State Sen. Karin Brownlee as Kansas Secretary of Labor
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State Rep. Pat George as Kansas Secretary of Commerce
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Former State Sen. Nick Jordan as Kansas Secretary of Revenue
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Secretary Deb Miller as Kansas Secretary of Transportation
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Dale Rodman as Kansas Secretary of Agriculture
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Steve Anderson as Governor's Budget Director
"During the campaign, Jeff and I pledged
that our top priority would be to grow the state's economy and get
Kansas' nearly 100,000 unemployed workers back in the
workplace. We laid out in detail our Road Map for
Kansas that highlighted how we would create a globally competitive
business environment through improved regulations, controlled
spending, and lower tax rates. Our Economic Growth
team will be the tip of the spear in designing the policies that
will get us there," Brownback said.
The governor-elect said his administration's
policies will acknowledge the industries that have helped make
Kansas great-industries such as aviation, agriculture,
transportation, and energy development - while pursuing development
in the state's high growth industries such as the biosciences,
technology, and services. He said they will not
forget that more than 80% of Kansans are employed by small
businesses that make our state tick. He pledged their
policies will be fair to all; focus on wealth creation; and attempt
to recognize the value of both large and small
enterprises.
Brownback acknowledged serving in his
cabinet during the next few years won't be easy for the
nominees.
"Our state budget faces a nearly
half-billion dollar deficit. We are going to need to
make some very difficult decisions. But know those
decisions will be well thought out and made together, and I thank
them for their willingness to serve their state in this critical
time," Brownback said.
Before opening the news
conference to questions from the media, Brownback reiterated he
viewed his Economic Growth Team as a team, saying Kansans expect
nothing less of their government leaders.
"No one position is more
important than the others, and we won't achieve our goals without
cooperation. You can't have growing commercial
industrial or agricultural enterprises without the proper labor
markets, tax structure, and transportation systems," Brownback
said. "And all of these things can't work if we don't
control government spending. I look forward to being
in the trenches during the next months and years with each of these
folks as we focus on growing on our economy and get our people back
to work."
Brownback's cabinet
secretary nominees must be confirmed by the Kansas Senate when the
Kansas Legislatures convenes in January.
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Pictures available upon
request.
Economic Growth Team Bios
Economic Growth Team Statements
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