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Kansas House candidate Mark Shockwich outlines rural priorities to Ellis County commissioners
Summary
Mark Shockwich, a candidate for Kansas House District 110, introduced himself to the commission and discussed priorities including Medicaid expansion, preserving rural hospitals and proposing a rural sovereign wealth fund to stabilize county revenues and address workforce shortages.
Mark Shockwich, who is running for Kansas House District 110, introduced himself to the Ellis County Commission on July 4 and outlined a multi-point platform focused on rural health care, property-tax relief and new revenue models.
"My name is Mark Shockwich. I'm running for the, Kansas House District 110," he told the commission, explaining the district makeup and his ties to Plainville and Hays. Shockwich urged state-level action on Medicaid expansion and said cuts at the state level threaten rural hospitals, citing lists circulated by advocacy groups that suggest Hays Medical may need to reduce services and Norton County's hospital could be at risk of closure within two years if current trends continue.
He proposed state support for constructing new nursing homes and suggested exploring USDA Community Facilities loans and the creation of a rural sovereign wealth or permanent fund that could provide recurring revenue to counties. Shockwich also urged revisiting property-valuation methods and reviving ad valorem relief programs to relieve pressure on local taxpayers and make communities more affordable.
The commission thanked him for the presentation; no action was taken. The remarks were delivered during the agenda's public-introduction segment rather than as a formal public-comment hearing.
What happens next: Candidate engagement with county officials may continue as the campaign proceeds and the candidate indicated plans to meet with other county commissions in the district.
