Spencer: A small-business owner with health care on the mind

SPENCER — May is a busy month for Laurie Shultis.

As a co-owner of Spencer Floral at the center of town, she and her business partner have plenty of customers who buy flower arrangements this time of year.

“We just got off Mother’s Day,” Shultis said. “This weekend we’ve got a dance recital. And then of course the next weekend, we’ve got Memorial Day.”

Despite all the spring foot traffic, the Roane County resident still found time to vote early in this year’s primary election.

Voting is important to Shultis. Her husband died in 2005, leaving her to raise twin 7-year-olds by herself. Her experience of being both a single mother and a small business owner still shapes the way she thinks about political candidates.

“We vie for every dollar out there,” she said. “I like to see business people run for office, because they know how to make things work.”

Mountain State Spotlight reporters are traveling around the state, asking West Virginians what’s on their mind this primary election day. To read other stories from this series, click here.

Aside from improving state support for small-business owners, Shultis hopes West Virginia lawmakers address health care reform next.

As a 62-year-old, Shultis is too young to sign up for Medicare, and she makes slightly too much money to qualify for Medicaid.

“It’s very hard for us, and there’s several of us in this position, to find an insurance that is comparable to what we would like to have at a good price,” she said.

One bill she would love to see state delegates and senators pass is a law that creates a low-cost health insurance program for people in her situation. It’s a policy that West Virginia lawmakers have previously proposed , but has never made it into law .

Shultis is hopeful next year’s politicians will address these issues and improve the quality of life for her and her neighbors. And she’ll be watching to make sure no one breaks promises they made along the campaign trail.

“I’ll tell you one thing, they won’t get my vote again,” she said. “Word of mouth is pretty strong in these parts.”

Spencer: A small-business owner with health care on the mind appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight , West Virginia's civic newsroom.