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Why are you running for office?
I have a passion for serving the public. I have always served at the local level and have a lot to offer in that capacity. I am a results-oriented person who can bring
people together, identify issues, set goals and work with stakeholders to accomplish tasks. I am described as being a voice of reason when dealing with tough political issues.
My voice is needed to make a difference as we move our community forward.
What experience do you bring to this office?
I served eight years on the Wichita City Council representing District VI; one of the most diverse districts in our city. I also serve on multiple boards including the Wichita Area Technical College, Old Cowtown Museum, Visioneering Steering Committee, Downtown Plan Steering Committee, Red Cross and others. I have been involved in neighborhood and public school issues and projects for over 20 years including heading the successful 2000 USD 259 Bond.
At a time when county revenues are declining, describe your approach to county spending and budgeting.
We must always remember that we serve the citizens of Sedgwick County and the money in the budget belongs to them. By working with citizens, we can develop priorities for programs and their funding. The commission must rely on staff for information and allow them to perform their jobs and make budget recommendations. We must also look for opportunities to work together to find where we can use economies of scale.
Are county property taxes too high, too low or about right? Would you advocate any change in the property tax rate?
It is always good to try to lower property tax. As evidenced by the difficulties at the state level, however, when the money is taken from specific programs there is always a group of people against the cut. Therefore, any change must be carefully evaluated and all citizens and businesses must be afforded the opportunity for input. I do feel that property taxes make up too big a piece of our tax "pie."
Is the county sales tax too high, too low or about right? Would you advocate any change in the sales tax rate?
Sales tax is often seen as regressive because of its affect on lower-income residents. I would support investigating the removal of any additional sales tax on grocery store food items. There are benefits to raising the sales tax. A small increase can be used to offset a significant amount of property tax. It also captures tax on money that people from other areas spend in our area which helps fund county services that they use.
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What do you see as the county's role in creating and retaining jobs in the area?
We must create and retain jobs in order to remain a viable community. We compete for jobs globally and must always keep this in mind when making decisions involving incentives. The county, the state, Sedgwick County cities, private businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and citizens must work together to clearly define the county's role and make it understandable. Our role does need to be flexible enough to address individual cases because every opportunity is unique.
The Kansas Coliseum's Britt Brown Arena has been mothballed after commissioners could not agree on a plan for the future of the complex. The pavilions at the Coliseum remain open through next year. What do you see as the best outcome for the complex?
The county has reached a decision about the future of the pavilions. I support it and would look out beyond their five year commitment. I agree with the idea of optioning land for replacing other land at the site so when a buyer is found, money from that sale can be used to purchase the required replacement land.
Jail overcrowding continues to be a big problem for the county. Do you think it's time to build a new jail or add on to the existing jail? If so, how would you pay for it? If not, how would you cope with overcrowding?
Before spending money on a new or expanded jail, we should ensure that we are providing programs that will keep people out of jail. We must give them the help they need including education, job training, and working with employers on hiring programs for ex-offenders. The mental health pod is something that should be funded in order to save money and help people long-term.
Do you think it's a good idea to send inmates to other counties, separating them from their families and support systems? Housing inmates out of county costs considerably less than housing inmates at the jail downtown. Would you support sending more inmates out of county as an alternative to building a new or expanded jail here?
I support housing inmates where it makes the most economic sense long-term for Sedgwick County. We must, however, consider costs that are harder to identify when making these decisions. This would include tracking offenders to make sure it has no affect on recidivism rates. We would also need to ensure that moving inmates further away is not further harming their families, thus costing our community more in the long run.
The county hired a consultant, Justice Concepts Inc., to try to find ways to reduce jail overcrowding but eventually cut its ties with the firm due to missed deadlines and other concerns. Do you think government relies too heavily on consultants?
The contract that the County had with Justice Concepts was broken. After the first violation, business dealings with them should have ended. Overall, however, consultants bring expertise to a particular situation that staff often does not have. Although consultants cost money, they are less expensive than hiring extra staff to do a short-term project. They provide many services that have been used for years to help move our community forward and assure its continued growth.
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The county is struggling with space issues at its courthouse. Some services have been moved to other locations. How should the county further address this issue?
The county recently had a facilities study report completed. That report should be used to define what space is needed. As that space is acquired, certain parameters need to be met. One would be convenience of the facilities for the general public. Another would be the effect of a change in number of employees in a certain area on surrounding businesses -- especially true as we are trying to revitalize downtown Wichita.
The city of Wichita continues to refuse to pay fees the county began assessing in 2008 to offset the costs of housing inmates in jail on municipal-only charges. As of May 4, the county said the city owed $8.2 million. Do you agree with the court's decision that the county has the right to charge the fees, or do you think, as the city argues, that the fees amount to double taxation? What should be the county's next step?
The County should have worked with all the cities in the county to develop a plan to fund the jail at a level that works for our community. It does no good to our taxpayers to have the county charge cities for this expense. All of the taxes come from the same pockets. Just because one government body can push a tax onto a lower level of government does not mean that they should.
What would you do to improve the county's relationship with the city, which at times appears strained?
County Commissioners must realize that they represent everyone in the county. Commissioners should attend city council meetings, various advisory board meeting, chamber of commerce meetings, neighborhood meetings, and other meetings that give them the opportunity to learn about the issues affecting our citizens. I bring a unique opportunity to the community in that I have an understanding of city council work, especially Wichita's, and have shown that I work well with other elected officials.
What do you see as the county's role in ongoing discussions and actions about revitalization of downtown Wichita?
To recruit and retain businesses, we must care about downtown. Businesses will locate in places where they can attract and keep employees. Downtowns are vital to that. The county needs to take a holistic view and quit looking at boundaries. They are the umbrella government that can help bring everyone together for the good of the whole. They need to be involved in planning for downtown and determining the best way to fund downtown improvements.
Do you support continuing to subsidize the Fair Fares campaign? Would you support a revenue guarantee for Southwest Airlines if requested?
I was on the Wichita City Council when Fair Fares was initiated and have always supported it. I would want to see the package offered to Southwest Airlines including the economic feasibility study, the affect on airlines currently serving our community, and the length and terms of the agreement. If return on investment is as good as what we currently receive for our investment in Fair Fares, I would support a subsidy for Southwest Airlines.
The county has encouraged, but not required, cities to franchise trash service. Some have gone to franchising; some have not. Do you support franchising? In addition, what can the county do to encourage more recycling?
I support creating a good educational program regarding the advantages and disadvantages of trash franchising. This could then be presented to groups and citizens in cities that have not yet franchised. The feedback could be used to move ahead in whatever direction (including doing nothing) that most citizens seem to favor. Most surveys show that citizens want to be able to recycle. The role of government should be to determine how best to do this.
The county hired SMG to manage the downtown arena, which is a public facility. Do you think commissioners should be more involved in decisions at Intrust Bank Arena? What kind of oversight should commissioners and the county have?
The county made the right decision in hiring SMG as the citizens are getting a good deal from their management of the Arena. Government officials do not have the expertise necessary to manage the type of arena that we have. The Commission has the oversight that they were comfortable in accepting in order to provide the best possible financial package for the citizens of Sedgwick County.
Please state, in detail, your position on open records, meetings and openness and transparency in government.
I believe in an open government. While on the Wichita City Council, I led the council in adopting the policy to televise Council workshops. I also led the effort to have the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission meetings televised. These endeavors led to citizens being able to be better informed about their government's proceedings.
