Augusta Math Teacher Seeks Election to Lt. Governor

Justin Miller is a 1999 Bracken County High School graduate and current middle school math teacher at Augusta Independent. Miller earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Morehead State University and Master’s in Mathematics Education Grades 5-9 from Northern Kentucky University. Mr. Miller has joined Republican gubernatorial candidate William E. Woods as Woods’s running mate and candidate for Lt. Governor of Kentucky in the 2019 election for Kentucky Governor. According to the campaign’s official website (mykentuckyfirst.org), the Woods/Miller administration would work hard to defeat veteran homelessness, improve law enforcement resources and fight for better wages and healthcare for first responders. The Woods/Miller campaign has also taken part in the “good fight,” the support for Kentucky educators and working hard to ensure educators receive their deserved and promised pension and benefits. Both Woods and Miller took part in the teachers’ rally for education funding on April 2. Miller’s political career didn’t start as most do. Miller said he was sitting with Woods discussing the fact that due to instability of pensions and healthcare, Miller would possibly end his teaching career. Miller and Woods discussed how elected officials from both parties had damaged the system and how politicians have used the “crisis” for political power. Woods was encouraged by Miller’s views and asked him to be his running mate. Justin Miller is not a career politician, not even close. Miller believes Kentuckians are fed up with career politics. Miller said, “You won’t find us campaigning for anyone. And you can be sure as Governor, William will call out elected leaders in both parties who intend to damage our state. I asked both Miller and Woods their remedy for funding the pension system. Miller said the best way to start is to begin placing tax dollars scheduled for the pension fund into the fund instead of using it elsewhere. Miller included that new revenue options must be explored including gambling expansion and marijuana legalization. Miller also said that the budget needs tightened. “Executive appointments cost us dearly. I don’t see a need for the number of people in Frankfort that make $100,000 plus. Why is the Chief if Staff making almost as much as our Governor? It’s unnecessary.” Woods told me that he wants to make education funding the number one taxpayer funded expense in the state. Woods also supports expanding gambling for casinos and legalizing marijuana. Woods also mentioned that he’d like to see less “for-profit” prisons and more state run “not-for-profit” prisons. Woods said he wants to decrease the investment of taxpayer money into public companies. I encourage everyone seeking more information to view the campaign website and click on the tab named “#kentuckyfirst Agenda.” It’s great to see a local educator wanting to step out of a comfort zone to do something extraordinarily helpful for the working class. Good luck to Justin Miller and to William Woods in their campaign.