Dave Taylor, a Republican, is running for Leavenworth County Commission in the Third District.

Moderator

Hello. This is Jonathan Kealing, online editor here at LJWorld.com. We’re cosponsoring this chat with TonganoxieMirror.com, so it may look a little different than a usual chat.

Most of the questions will be moderator questions because they were posted on the Mirror’s site. The answers, however, are from Dave Taylor. We’ll be getting started shortly, but there’s still time to post questions.

Dave Taylor

Thank you for having me on the chat

Moderator

Here comes the first question.

Moderator

User michael0922 would like to know what you see for the future of Southern Leavenworth County.

Moderator

We are having some technical issues, but Dave will be replying shortly.

Dave Taylor

I see more homes being built, economic development, and this will ease the tax burden. But I am talking about a smart economic growth.

Moderator

ttown321: There is plenty of commercial and residential growth in the county. How would you manage that growth, if elected?

Dave Taylor

First of all you must be very careful how you manage growth. When your children graduate and leave the area with growth there is less reason for them to move away and leave the hometown where they grew up because there will be more job opportunities right here. You can’t pick and choose the businesses you want to move here. I would like to see businesses who want to locate here will meet with the commissioners and say I can do business with Leavenworth County.

Dave Taylor

First of all you must be very careful how you manage growth. When your children graduate and leave the area with growth there is less reason for them to move away and leave the hometown where they grew up because there will be more job opportunities right here. You can’t pick and choose the businesses you want to move here. I would like to see businesses who want to locate here will meet with the commissioners and say I can do business with Leavenworth County.

Moderator

ttown321: If elected, there are two major projects that you would be dealing with once you take office, the communications upgrade with the sheriff’s office and the County Road 1 project. How would you like to see these projects handled?

Dave Taylor

Regarding County Road 1, the contracts have all been signed for work to proceed however I would like to be able to keep some farmland and land for city parks. As for the communications upgrade I believe if the federal government is going to bail out these trillion dollar debts of the mortgage companies they should fund this upgrade. As the new commissioner I will ask these questions.

Moderator

We continue to welcome questions for Dave. In the meantime, could you tell us whehter you have any top priorities for Leavenworth County?

Dave Taylor

The two surrounding counties have eliminated rock roads I feel it’s time for Leavenworth County to do the same. We should stop talking about it and take action. Rock roads are a hardship for everyone who uses them. Not only will the people who live on these roads benefit but the entire county will benefit by this very important upgrade.

Moderator

Roads certainly seem to be a major issue in Leavenworth County. Taxes, of course, are as well. What are your thoughts about the mill levy? Do you envision keeping it where it is mill levy where it is, or do you have other proposals?

Dave Taylor

We should always strive to lower the countys mill levy. We need to be deligent how the taxpayers money is spent especially now with the hard times of fuel costs. This effects us all in trying to budget.

Moderator

That’s all the questions we have here. I want to thank Dave Taylor for joining our audiences on LJWorld.com and TonganoxieMirror.com. I’d also like to point out we have another chat at 1 p.m. with a Leavenworth County Commission candidate.