Nate Stout focused on better education, healthcare, economic development

Indiana government no longer works for the people. That is Nate Stout’s view. Corporations call the shots, and small communities and businesses pay the price. As a candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives District 38 seat, he hopes to change that.

“I want government to work more efficiently than it does today, and it should be working for the people, not for the corporations,” said Stout

Stout, a lifelong resident of Howard County with a career in sales, is seeking election as a Democrat, and he holds education, healthcare, and economic development as his top priorities for communities from Tipton to Flora and Walton to Russiaville.

Saving public schools

When it comes to education, Stout is concerned that students and tax dollars are being funneled out of the public school system and into private hands, leaving the larger public system struggling to operate.

“The voucher system may have been created for the right intentions, but it has gotten out of control,” said Stout. “We have to fix that. Either the public or the private schools need to find an alternative way of funding, but public education has to be one of our top priorities for investment.

“I think the vouchers themselves, if you had the right qualifications, might make sense. But if we invested in public education the way we should, there would not be all this desire to move to other districts or into the private school system. I have a suspicion that there’s a lot of sports-related revenue driving a lot of this.”

In support of this view, Stout noted how public school systems across the state invest heavily into sports facilities while educational attainment slowly erodes. And the current taxation system encourages the practice, leaving property tax revenue available for capital improvements and transportation while limiting their use for actual education.

“I’m not sure those dollars are being invested in the most wise way,” said Stout.

Access to healthcare

Stout’s second priority, if elected, is to address access to healthcare, particularly for rural areas of the state.

“With private control of the medical system, they’re going to make decisions based off of dollars and cents, not off of what the local network needs,” said Stout. “I want to find a way that we can ensure rural Hoosiers don’t have to drive an hour for standard medical services, and especially maternal health care.”

Stout particularly supports the expansion, adoption and support of virtual healthcare. Barring a situation where physical contact or testing is necessary to administer treatment, online medical examinations and guidance provides answers and peace of mind to those who might not be able to easily access healthcare otherwise.

“I think virtual visits for most of us, could be an answer,” said Stout. “I’m a melanoma survivor. How convenient would it have been for me to use my phone to do a body scan instead of driving into town?

“We need to leverage technology when it comes to healthcare. Access to consultations solves a lot of issues. If you live in a community like Flora, you’ve got a 40-minute drive to get to a doctor. And at a time when we rank third in the maternal mortality rate, we have to improve that.”

Stout insists that affordability is part of the healthcare equation. Access to health insurance remains a challenge for many, he believes. If elected, he wants to push for legislation that expands access to healthcare in such a way that choices don’t have to be made between healthcare and other living expenses.

“The states around us that are excelling in in health, why aren’t we learning from them?” asked Stout. “Why aren’t we trying to borrow some of their strategies? That’s what I plan on doing, if elected.”

Supporting small business

This third priority Stout holds in his bid for election is economic development. He wants to promote incentives for small business development and the exploration of development opportunities outside of manufacturing.

“Indiana looks at a small business as having fewer than 150 employees,” said Stout. “As someone who has been in sales most of my life, I know one of the most important things you do when managing a region is segmenting your customers, understanding that they have unique wants and needs.

“A 55-person concrete producer is a lot different than a 120-person fulfillment center. We shouldn’t be using the same strategies for both. We need to provide for a wide range of business, and also think about non-manufacturing opportunities. We’re attractive because of our land, but with all of these really great small towns, there’s infrastructure available to bring in more small businesses.”

Stout wants to promote legislation that allows small grocers, restaurants, and retailers to thrive in their communities, “propping up” the small businesses that keep towns running. Those incentives, he believes, will provide a larger return on investment than the next big factory, especially when it comes to preserving smaller rural communities.

Alongside this priority is Stout’s desire to protect Indiana’s natural resources, particularly its water supply. As server farms and artificial intelligence operations proliferate across the country, the availability of fresh water is becoming a concern.

“Fresh water is a finite resource,” said Stout. “We’ve obviously come a long way with how we can treat water, but water is critical. Farmers have noticed ditches that aren’t flowing the way that they once did. Maybe that’s recency bias, but I want to make sure that the water we’re pulling out isn’t going to have a negative impact.

“I worry about access to fresh water. I worry about our people having access. I worry about wildlife. Water is a finite resource, and we need to treat it as such.”

Getting people involved

However, for Stout to achieve any of these priorities, he needs voters to participate in the process. Indiana’s voter turnout rates are among the lowest in the entire nation. This disenfranchisement allows a very small minority of people to dictate policy for the entire state.

“When I tell people I’m running for office, it’s amazing how many look at me and say, ‘I don’t really vote,’” said Stout. “We have to fix that. The more seats at the table, the better. If you’re unhappy with the results, you have to come to the table.

“I think most people are disconnected from how their government works. Why do your property taxes go up? There is going to be new local income taxes. Showing people the reasons why this is happening is important. Nothing should go through without constituent support, but what happens most of the time is that things go through without anybody really knowing. And by the time public comment happens, the ship has sailed.”

Stout advocates for mandatory public town halls at regular intervals, forcing public officials to face the electorate and explain their actions. That interaction, he believes, will keep the public engaged and officials focused on the needs of the voters rather than monied interests. In his view, it’s all about accountability.

“I have to do better every year at my job, and I have to hit certain metrics to keep my job,” said Stout. “Why aren’t we holding leaders that spend our tax money to that same standard? As a guy who’s been in corporate America most of my life. I understand how to drive results. I’ve made a living growing businesses, and now I want to take that energy and that knowledge and try to turn Indianapolis around.

“I want us all to have the foundational things that we need. I want us to be happy to live here. I want good school systems that draw families in. I want good access to healthcare. I want Indiana to be a place where people want to raise a family. That’s my mission.”