State Representative Dave Younger stopped in for an enlightening interview Thursday, July 27, at The Ulysses News.
For the summer, Younger has been spending his time traveling throughout the state to visit his children and grandchildren. The former USD 214 Superintendent was happy to discuss activity at the Capitol and the present and future of Grant County.
Younger was last heard from in April when the Legislative Coffee welcomed the public to Bear Creek Coffee to listen to and speak with Younger, Senator John Doll, and Dr. Bill Clifford regarding their votes during the 2023 session.
Younger faced negative feedback after his vote against House Bill 2238, a bill prohibiting transgender female students from participating in female student athletic teams. Younger shared a personal experience with an acquaintance to explain his stance further.
“He called me out of the blue to tell me he appreciated my vote," Younger said. "He told me his son was transgender. She was going to kill herself that night,”
Younger continued to explain, as he became emotional.
“He drove to Kansas City to be with her," Younger said. "Can you imagine that as a parent? Kids want to fit in. They need a friend in the classroom. For them, it’s not about winning state championships. They’re just looking to fit in somewhere.”
Younger also gave input on the projected school bond for USD 214.
“I’m very much in favor," he said. "When I was superintendent, we were gearing up for it and on the verge of getting it kicked off.”
Younger recalled the day he, along with former USD 214 Board President Margaret Nightengale, headed to meet with architects.
“We were coming into Garden City when they canceled the Big 12 Basketball Tournament because of COVID, and everything just stopped,” he said.
Nightengale and Younger traveled to Scott City, Goodland, and Brush, Colo. to visit campuses that have undergone renovations and additions.
“I talked to the administration to ask how it worked with seventh to 12th-grade students,” he said.
The administration explained the middle school and high school students were separated within the school.
Younger acknowledged the concerns residents have shared about the cost and decreased enrollment numbers.
“Do we want to watch everybody go past us or do we want to try to do something and make it a better community?", he asked. "I think we need to make it better. I don’t like to pay taxes. Who does? I question it sometimes. I wish it were more equitable, but we have to have good schools, we have to have good roads, we have to pay for things. I own a home.
"It’s going to raise my taxes," he continued. "I’m willing to pay for it. If we don’t pass it, it just puts us another step behind.”
Younger mentioned he offered a helping hand to Superintendent Corey Burton through the bond process.
“I was a superintendent for 11 years so there are people who aren’t happy with me," he said. "As a legislature for one year, there are people who aren’t happy with me. I’ve lived that life and I understand it. I don’t want to do anything to harm what they’re trying to do. I just want to be a supporter.”
Younger offered clarity about House Bill 2350 that created the Crime of Human Smuggling and Aggravated Human Smuggling.
Grant County has a large Latino population that has expressed concern and fear over the bill. Younger explained there is a criterion that must be completely met for the bill to apply.
The criteria are as follows:
Crime of Human Smuggling
The bill defines the crime of human smuggling as intentionally transporting, harboring, or
concealing an individual into or within Kansas when the person:
νKnows, or should have known, that the individual is entering into or remaining in the United States illegally;
νBenefits financially or receives anything of value; and
νKnows, or should have known, that the individual being smuggled is likely to be exploited for the financial gain of another.
The bill makes the crime of human smuggling a severity level 5 person felony.
Crime of Aggravated Human Smuggling
The bill defines aggravated human smuggling as human smuggling that:
νIs committed using a deadly weapon or by threat of use of a deadly weapon;
νCauses bodily harm, great bodily harm, or disfigurement to the individual being smuggled; or
νCauses the individual being smuggled to become a victim of a sex offense, or human trafficking, or causes the person to commit selling sexual relations, all as defined in statute.
The bill makes the crime of aggravated human smuggling a severity level 3 person felony.
“I voted for it, but I struggled with it,” admitted Younger. “It’s for smuggling. It’s not just for people living here. Southwest Kansas needs everybody out here working. You’re not finding a guy like me busting my tail the way these guys do. Honestly, I don’t care, because they’re putting food on people’s tables.”
Before exiting, Younger spoke about the likelihood of running for reelection.
“If I run again, I’ll have an opponent. I know that. That’s okay, too,” assured Younger. “At the end of the day, I sleep well at night. I’m trying to do what’s right for everybody. That’s who I am and who I’ve been.”
Younger was also asked to list what is most concerning for our state and country at this time.
“The inability to have a conversation," he said. "I’m trying to get leadership to talk to education leaders. Let’s try to understand each other. I think we have more in common than we realize. Maybe we could start building a relationship with people and having a conversation. But it doesn’t happen. That is what bothers me.”
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