Democratic State Representative Sydney Carlin of Manhattan filed for reelection Monday to the 66th District in the Kansas House, according to a press release from Kansas House Democrats Communications Director Heather Scanlon.
Carlin has held the position since being elected in 2002. Prior to that, Carlin was elected in 1993 to a 4-year term as a Manhattan City Commissioner, including serving a year as mayor.
“It is an honor to be able to serve the citizens of Manhattan and the surrounding area as your friend and your advocate,” Carlin stated in the press release.
Carlin, a K-State graduate, advocates for support of universities and lowering the burden of tuition costs for K-State students and families, according to Scanlon, who added revenue shortfalls that followed the 2012 tax cuts saw major cuts in universities forcing program reductions and tuition increases.
“When students leave college financially secure and without major education debt they are in better position to contribute to the economy,” Carlin said.
Carlin has initiated more than a dozen bills in the House that have become law including: the False Claims Against the State Act; Insurance Coverage for Autism Therapy and the Military Child Interstate Education Compact. She sought additional funding for the state’s water resources as the ranking member on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee, and as ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, she has worked to develop policies that improve conditions for pet animals sold in Kansas and this year new criteria for the Noxious Weed Program. Between the sessions, she serves on the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight.
Locally, Carlin is a part of many community organizations and sits on the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Workforce Advisory Board and the Military Relations Committee. She is a member of the KSU Music Theatre and Dance Advisory Council and served on the Leadership Studies Advancement Council during the development of the program and the facility on campus.
“Serving my constituents means so much to me,” she said. “That’s why I filed for reelection. I believe we are making progress on rebuilding our states financial health and I look forward to continuing to work to that end.”
