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Gov. Mike Braun touts first 100 days, highlights property-tax and health-care priorities
Summary
At a Lawrence event marking his first 100 days, Gov. Mike Braun celebrated a restructured eight-member secretarial cabinet overseeing 57 agencies and pushed priorities including property-tax relief, health-care cost controls and encouraging public idea submissions to his cabinet.
Gov. Mike Braun used a public gathering in Lawrence to mark his first 100 days in office and press a policy agenda that he said will focus on cutting property taxes, lowering health-care prices and making state government more accountable.
"Buckle up. I'm looking forward to the journey," Braun said in a roughly 20-minute address in which he recounted his business background, his years in the U.S. Senate and his decision to return to state government. He framed the administration's early actions as a mix of fiscal restraint and organizational change, saying the state entered his term in a stronger financial position and that he has emphasized reserves and a "rainy day" fund.
The event included introductions from State Sen. Kyle Walker and Rep. Chris Judy. Walker praised the governor's first months and credited an "openness and collaboration" with the legislature that he said helped advance priorities this session. "He truly understands how to roll up his sleeves and get to work," Walker said.
Suzie Jaworowski, identified as the secretary of energy and natural resources, described Braun's creation of an eight-member secretarial cabinet that, she said, oversees 57 agencies and offers a direct path for constituent concerns to reach the governor's office. "The Governor very wisely put together a cabinet of eight people to oversee 57 different agencies," Jaworowski said, adding that cabinet members have been asked to streamline operations rather than seek additional resources.
Braun emphasized health-care costs as a pressing problem and said the administration will push for more competition and consumer engagement in the sector. He characterized the provider lobby as powerful but said the legislature and administration made progress this session toward reforming high costs and improving outcomes.
On taxes, Braun said property-tax reform was a central focus of recent legislative work and acknowledged the final package left some constituents displeased even as he characterized the result as a "solid package." He also highlighted operational fixes in state government, saying agencies such as the Bureau of Motor Vehicles have been improved during his term and that the cabinet structure should speed problem reporting and resolution.
Braun closed by inviting residents to send ideas to the cabinet and to the governor's office: "Get them coming to us — the great ideas. We'll look at the ones that make sense. Get them into this next legislative session." He said his administration will continue to press on education, infrastructure and fiscal prudence as it advances its agenda.
The celebration was framed as a look back at early accomplishments and a forward-looking appeal for public engagement rather than a forum for formal votes or binding policy changes.
