City commission candidate survey
* indicates an incumbent | What is your position on the city’s use of tax abatements? | What is your opinion of the city manager’s performance? Is City Hall adequately user- friendly? | How do you rate the current city leadership in managing Lawrence’s growth? | Given a choice, should taxes be raised or services be cut to balance the budget? | Should the city’s decision to ban private use of fireworks be revisited? If so, what stance would you take? |
Zach Bassin Washburn Law School student
2001 W Sixth St., Suite: E-13 |
Tax abatements can be a great tool for a city when properly used. The companies should provide full-time jobs with benefits. | The city manager has done a fine job in these trying times. City Hall is more than user-friendly. |
It is now time for a change. The new leadership must not only manage the growth, but also help to shape (it). |
Taxes can be raised, but on certain areas like creating higher development taxes to offset the cost imposed upon the city by the same new development. | The ban on fireworks is a step in the wrong direction for Lawrence. The private use of fireworks in the city is a tradition. |
Greg DiVilbiss Real estateleasing 1948 Carmel Drive |
Abatements can be an important economic development tool but should be evaluated individually, ensuring the return for the community justifies the abatement. | When I’ve needed information, Mike (Wildgen) has been cordial, professional and helpful.Yes, (City Hall) is user-friendly. However, a city should always try to improve. … | I believe in designing master plans for areas to allow commercial, residential, office and green space to work together to create attractive and functional sites. | Difficult decisions need to be made after all areas of government are reviewed to determine a balance between cuts and taxes. | The ban should be readdressed with community discussion on the issue. Keeping safety as a priority, I would support private use of fireworks with restrictions. |
Lee Gerhard Partially retired geologist, Kansas GeologicalSurvey 1628 Alvamar Drive |
The relative long-term benefit to the city should be the guiding factor in those decisions. They may be one means of enhancing living opportunities near downtown. | The current survey on City Hall’s “user-friendliness” will help us to understand its strengths and weaknesses. Our goal is a quality, user-friendly, responsive City Hall. | I believe that a growing, dynamic community like Lawrence will always need strong, open-minded, fair leadership. My private and public leadership experience will help me. | Gain all possible efficiencies in current operations, determine our priorities, fund those priorities. Both budget cuts and increased mil levies may be necessary. | That decision has been made for now. But if there is a citizen’s petition to revisit that issue, I’ll be among the first to listen. |
Lynn GoodellRetired director of Housing and Neighborhood Development
5909 Longleaf Drive |
I support tax abatements as now prescribed because we need to bring new jobs to Lawrence so people can both live and work here. | I presume he is performing as directed by the City Commission. There may be some problems, but generally City Hall is user-friendly. | I’d rather see fewer people commuting out of town to work. We need a new business park. I would follow the Horizon 2020 Implementation Section. | I would prefer to reach an equitable compromise between cutting services and raising taxes. I believe the citizens would support such a compromise. | I am willing to revisit this issue. We may be able to find a solution that is acceptable to both sides. |
Dennis ‘Boog’ Highberger Attorney for KansasDepartmentof Health andEnvironment
1301 Vt. |
Tax abatements should be used carefully and sparingly to create new jobs. Companies receiving tax abatements should pay a living wage. | If elected, I will evaluate the city manager’s performance based on objective performance criteria. City Hall is user-friendly but should strive to continually improve service. | We need to start basing planning decisions on a common vision of our city’s future rather than on the short-term financial interests of a few individuals. | The city should perform a cost/benefit analysis before cutting programs and consider all reasonable means of reducing expenses before raising taxes. | Enforcement of existing ordinances and encouraging people to talk to their neighbors might have been a better approach, but I don’t want to revisit the issue. |
August ‘Gus’ Huber IV Independent computerconsultant
913 R.I. |
Did not respond to the Journal-World’s questions. | ||||
Eddie Lehman Residentialassistant, Haskell Indian Nations University 1722 Ohio, Apt. B |
I am for the use of tax abatements as one piece of the puzzle in attracting quality, emphasis on the word quality, business in the city. | I would rate the city manager’s performance as poor. : I have been satisfied with the responsiveness and quality of information I have received in my dealings with City Hall. |
I would rate the current city leadership as poor in the management of Lawrence’s growth. We need to treat the city : as a business, and the current leadership has done a poor job of marketing. |
. Analyze (services) to ensure they are being provided in the most efficient method. Then if there is still a budget shortfall, unfortunately additional tax revenue would be required. | Yes, it should be revisited. I think the previous arrangement was fine. To me this seems another example of the extremes of political correctness. |
Ken McRae Attorney
312 Ill. |
I support using abatements to attract and retain quality jobs. We continue to add people faster than jobs in Lawrence. We must reverse that trend. | Our manager effectively manages the budget and implements policy. City Hall exists to serve the community and should operate with that more clearly in mind. | We are too reactive to growth. The commission should direct growth. We need to work to ensure that the growth is directed to suitable locations. | We can adjust the mill levy once a year. Sales taxes are inherently regressive. We should carefully review the budget and delay spending where possible. | Yes, because it is not enforceable. I support partnering with fireworks vendors to remove the most dangerous products and provide public education about fireworks regulations. |
G. Wayne Parks Retired farmer
2411 La., L-136 |
Too lenient. Not always fair. Many hidden costs not addressed. | No! Just this week I ask to put something on the agenda and was told that it was not a concern of the city. | Better, but are still spending too much time pacifying developers and investors. | Not raise taxes or cut sensible services – too many frills. We have reached the point where it seems we have more tax collectors and tax administrators than taxpayers. | No! |
Mike Rundle* Shift manager, CommunityMercantileGrocery 615 Ind. |
Abatements cost tax dollars. They must be fair and equitable to the community and used judiciously. The next commission should continue abatement dialogue. | Mixed. He promotes fiscal strength. He could better inform public and commissioners on city operations. Efficiency, effectiveness and equity require continual evaluation of performance and service. | City Commission “Planned Growth” goal gets high marks; we need work on goal’s implementation. Horizon 2020 must be taken seriously. Managing growth requires more staff. | Don’t choose blindly. Find cost reductions everywhere and wise use of existing resources. Learn impact on service and citizens’ acceptance before cutting. Then consider raising taxes. | I don’t think so. However, I’m open to new information and want to hear from new commissioners. All decisions are open to review. |
David Schauner Attorney for Kansas National Education Assn.
5002 Jeffries Court |
Abatements and other incentives have a place in an economic development plan if, and only if, they are accompanied by safeguards. | I have not had any dealings with the city manager or City Hall staff that have been unprofessional or unfriendly. | No answer provided. | To date I have seen no information to suggest that either tax increases or service cuts are necessary. | The commission should not revisit its earlier decisions concerning fireworks. |