Who is Will Jobe?
I am a husband and father of three young boys, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a minister for over 20 years, and a public service attorney whose mission in life has always been to serve my country and community.
I have been married to the love of my life, Erica, for ten years, and we have three sons. I am a 4th generation resident of Independence, Missouri, and I count it a privilege to raise a 5th generation in our community, as well.
Like my father and grandfather, I am a veteran of the Armed Forces. I enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2003, leading troops in Ar-Ramadi, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I served at home and abroad for nine years.
I have been a minister in my church for over 20 years. As such, I have come to recognize the value of listening and working to understand all sides of an issue, and of advocating for all people.
I attended UMKC School of Law after separating from the Army. Almost immediately, I began my career of public service as an attorney for the Missouri State Public Defender, working in the Kansas City Trial office representing members of our community who needed an attorney but could not afford one. After several years in that position, I transitioned to the Jackson County Family Court where I worked as a Guardian ad Litem representing the needs and best interests of children in the system. In the nearly ten years that I have been an attorney, I've never charged my clients a fee.
While I can't promise that we will agree on everything, I can and do promise that I will always listen to and consider the thoughts of constituents who reach out to me, and I will do everything I can to make sure your concerns and values are represented well in Jefferson City.
Ready to make calls? Click HERE. Want to know more? Scroll down to see where Will Jobe stands on the issues.
Education
As the son of a lifelong educator, I support our Missouri public schools. The formula we use to determine the amount of funding public schools receive hasn't been updated for almost twenty years. I believe we should update the foundation formula from the 2005 numbers, and then we should fully fund it. We should also increase the salaries of those who choose to give their lives and talents to the education of our children. Economic development begins in kindergarten. I will oppose school vouchers while supporting expanded school choice.
Jobs and Economy
A strong economy is one that works for everyone. As your state rep, I will fight for those who build up our economy—our workers—for the wages, benefits, and protections they deserve. I stand with labor unions because I stand with and support the people who live and work in our community.
I will work towards implementing a state Child Tax Credit, universal paid maternity leave, and increased FMLA protections to make sure the companies that operate in our community adequately value their workers and the labor that they provide.
Veterans
I have personally lost friends and battle buddies to both combat and suicide on the other side of the world and at home. The assistance we offer to those who have laid it all on the line for us in service to this country is personal and close to my heart.
I will do everything I can to ensure that we provide help and support to our veterans in need and make sure that NONE of them find themselves alone, without support or help, mistakenly believing that they have no way out.
Regardless of what happens in November, if you or someone you know find themselves in this situation, contact me anytime, anywhere.
Mental Health
In the years I spent as a public defender in Jackson County, I saw firsthand how undersupported and overwhelmed the professionals and public servants that offer mental health services are. Far too often, those in desperate need of mental health assistance are overlooked--until their struggles lead them to get crosswise of the criminal justice system. Even then, after a judge orders an evaluation, they will sit and wait for months in the county jail just for the evaluation to occur. And then they will wait in jail for months more for a spot to open up at the Department of Mental Health.
By the time they finally arrive at the Department of Mental Health, they have been waiting--in arguably the worst possible place for a person's mental health--for a year or more. We have to do better than this, and I am committed to expanding the resources available to those people and families struggling with mental illness and increasing support and funding to the Department of Mental Health and other mental health providers.
