Roger Reitz filed Thursday for re-election to the Kansas Senate. A lifelong Republican, Reitz has represented the 22nd District, which includes Riley and Geary counties, since 2005. He is a doctor with Medical Associates of Manhattan and previously served as a physician with the U.S. Army both in Turkey and at Ft. Riley.
“We’ve worked tirelessly as a community to build the 22nd district into one of the best places to live, work and raise a family,” said Reitz. “It’s been a privilege for me to be a part of those efforts on the local level, and to be our voice in the Kansas Senate, protecting what we’ve worked so hard to build. I’m running for re-election because we must continue to have a strong voice in the Senate who will stand up for the things that matter most to our region, including our economic, education and military interests.”
Reitz said his priorities include job growth, education, fiscal responsibility and resources for our state’s soldiers and military installations.
Economic & Job Growth. Reitz has a strong track record of economic development and job creation for the Manhattan-Junction City region. In the Senate, he helped secure some of the region’s most effective economic initiatives, including funding for regional air service out of Manhattan; transportation projects that have improved access to the region; and the investment by NBAF, which will bring up to 500 research and professional jobs to the region. This year, Reitz co-sponsored the “Kansas Works” plan, which gives Kansas a competitive edge over other states in attracting good-paying jobs in manufacturing, technology, pharmaceutical, bioscience and other emerging sectors.
Education. Reitz has worked tirelessly in the Senate to protect funding for K-12 schools, K-State and Manhattan Area Technical College. He championed legislation last year that will help K-State expand its engineering program and meet the state’s workforce demand for trained engineers. This year, Reitz helped restore $43.7 million in school funding; he supported a plan that will help more Kansas high school students gain technical certification in workforce shortage areas; and he supported a plan that will protect the long-term stability of the KPERS retirement plan for our teachers, faculty and other public employees.
Military Resources. With nearly 5,000 soldiers and their families living in the 22nd district, Reitz said the state must ensure these families have the resources they need while their loved ones are on active duty, as well as opportunities that will encourage them to make Kansas their permanent home upon discharge or retirement. Reitz supported a plan this year to grant in-state tuition to active duty military and veterans; he helped increase voting access for military personnel serving overseas; and he supported development of a disaster aid fund to ensure the availability of adequate emergency management and Homeland Security resources for our state.
Fiscal Responsibility. Reitz says taking a responsible approach to taxes and spending in Kansas is a top priority. He has voted for a balanced budget while protecting essential services, like education. In the Senate, Reitz has helped eliminate the inheritance tax on Kansas families, eliminate the corporate franchise tax on Kansas businesses, and eliminate income taxes on Social Security benefits for seniors. This year, Reitz pushed for a property tax relief plan that would have helped reduce our local property taxes by $180 million.
“We can’t run up a deficit in Kansas and push the costs down the road. I’ve helped balance our state budget every year I’ve been in the Senate, and I look forward to making sure we continue to take a pragmatic and responsible approach to taxes and spending.”
Dr. Reitz is a graduate of K-State and earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to education and economic development. He is a past president of K-State Alumni Association, a member of Rotary, and former president of the USD 383 School Board. Reitz served the citizens of Manhattan as mayor/city commissioner, then served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004 before being elected to the Kansas Senate. In the Senate, Reitz chairs the Local Government committee. Reitz is a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church, having taught Sunday school there for more than 40 years. He and his wife, Virginia, have five children.
Bob Reader and Joe Knopp have also filed for election to the 22nd District Senate position.
