Nate Anderson
Submitted
By Lacey Watt | The Times-Post
GREENFIELD — After running for mayor and getting to speak with the public on issues that need to be addressed, Democrat Nate Anderson said he wants to take what he has learned and his experience to the state level, running for Indiana State Representative in District 53.
District 53 includes Pendleton.
Anderson said that while there are several items and ideas that have led him down this path, working as a school resource officer and a combat veteran, he’s been able to see firsthand what Hoosiers are facing.
“I think we need representation that is going to fight on the behalf of the working class and the common man to provide assistance and resources and a great statute in law that is going to better our community in a positive way,” Anderson said.
With current State Rep. Bob Cherry announcing his retirement, Anderson said he felt this was a great opportunity to build upon the momentum gained in the mayor’s race.
“Even if — just like with the mayor’s race — we didn’t win, we didn’t become mayor, but it showed Mr. Titus and city council that there are tractions on a lot of these issues,” Anderson said. “A lot of the issues I was representing with my platform did mean something to folks that call Greenfield home.”
Anderson said he hopes Titus and the council can incorporate some of the policies and platforms for Greenfield and, regardless of who wins the seat for representative in November, they see there is traction with these issues.
“At the end of the day, it’s still going to be a win for us, especially if they are able to take that kind of platform — being a little bit more focused on the working class, trying to revitalize our very lack of child care programs, stuff like that — hopefully they can push that at the legislator’s office.”
Anderson said he is future-focused and plans to support and push forward legislation that focuses on childcare programming, bringing pre-K to public schools, ensuring teacher pay raises and that school districts are getting funding needed in order to be successful.
Anderson said that he sees these issues every day as he works as a resource officer for Franklin Township Community Corporation.
“There is such a lack of child care in the state, and I think with having pre-K in public school systems, that’s really going to alleviate a lot of the pressures and get some of these parents back to work or back to working full time, and that’s a huge win-win,” Anderson said.
Anderson would also like to empower local governments, such as Greenfield’s.
“If we could put a release on that burden and allow them to operate based off of what the people of Greenfield, or that municipality, wants I think it would be better,” Anderson said.
An example Anderson provided would be how fire territories are managed. Anderson said they can’t increase their funding sources and that is becasue of state legislation — based on population, how much they can get from property taxes, etc.
Anderson’s press release announcing his candidacy for the District 53 seat stated that Anderson is a combat veteran, serving almost 20 years in the Army National guard and has a record of leadership and integrity as he was a senior ranking officer. The press release also said that with his background in military operations, it makes Anderson well-equipped to tackle complex problems and find effective solutions.
“We’ve given our friends on the other side of the aisle 20 years. They’ve had supermajority, they’ve controlled the governor’s office and both chambers,” Anderson said. “We kind of can see where our state is currently at. I know we can do better, and I just hope that folks in our community can look past and beyond party lines and choose the candidate that best fits the needs of our community.”
On the Indiana Secrtary of State’s election candidate list, Anderson in the only Democrat who has filed for the seat. Three Republicans are listed: Brian Evans, Ethan J. Lawson and Kevin S. Mandrell.
