Michael Johnson announced he is running for State Representative for District 13 Saturday morning at Kendall-Perkins Park.
The Navy veteran said because he was born and raised in Owensboro, he plans to be a representative for all people in Owensboro at the state level. In Owensboro, he has spent time working and gathering the people’s concerns in several facets including — he’s the president of local nonprofit Truth Outreach Inc., a trained minister and evangelist, and Vice Chair for Owensboro Public Schools Board of Education, among working with other organizations.
“My heart has always been service to others above all else. I’ve been in public service mostly all my life,” Johnson said. “I’m all about helping people and service to our citizens in a more meaningful way and helping them be successful and helping our economy grow.”
He said his main objective should he be elected is to close the workforce gap by uniting it with a strong education system. By making the education system stronger, Johnson said the schools are producing skilled workers heading into the workforce to fill jobs that are unoccupied.
By working on this initiative, he believes that the crime numbers will drop, and the economy as a whole would benefit.
In his time as Vice Chair for the OPS Board, he has been able to elevate the school system to be the fourth most equitable school system in the state.
“We’ve done the work and I feel confident that the school district is going in the right direction. And that’s why I’m able to say I can now serve the citizens of Owensboro in a much more meaningful way now — at the state level,” Johnson said.
Johnson said growing up on the west side of town, he has been to see the homeless numbers that have developed in Owensboro over the years and he plans to make more affordable housing in the city for them.
Along with affordable housing, he hopes to provide mental health issues and wraparound services to aid them.
When it comes to leading on a financial level, he said his time in the Navy as Chief Petty Officer points to his financial acumen managing a million-dollar budget every year. He said every time he managed them they were fiscally sound, always in the black.
With this, he said he hopes the community knows he is going to be fiscally responsible with the taxpayers’ dollars.
Johnson believes that he can be the one to unify politics and bring parties together and make “sensible” legislation for Owensboro in the process.
“I plan to bring Owensboro’s voices with me,” he said. “I’ll be the voice of Owensboro and what I plan to do is work diligently. I’ve been called a unifier … I believe that I can be able to go in there and unify the parties together.”
