Moderator: Welcome to our chat today with Lawrence city commission candidate Greg Robinson, who is in our News Center and ready to begin taking your questions. We already have several questions submitted. So we’ll go ahead and get started.

Steve, Lawrence: Would you support a compromise on fireworks allowing them on just one day, the Fourth of July?

Greg Robinson: Simple answer is yes. In fact, as I get older I begin to wonder if I am turning into my parents. It seems that all the fun things you use to do a children continually get taken away by those in power. So yes I would support a one or two day use of fireworks.

Dave: Lawrence: Mr. Robinson, what is your opinion of all the roundabouts being constructed around Lawrence. Do you feel yield signs would have the same effect?

Greg Robinson: First, yield signs would not achieve the same effect as the design for such a traffic control device is not the same. Yield signs would still allow the same impact points, e.g. t-bone impacts etc.

Second, I do support the construction of roundabouts in new areas of development since these would have been conceived during the design phase and would be flawlessly implemented during construction. Furthermore, the costs associated with the construction of these roundabouts in new areas of development are paid for by the developer. The city simply assumes maintenance after the expiration of the usual two-year maintenance bond.

I do not support roundabouts in old development as the current scheme attempts to shoe horn modern techniques into old design situations. The primary reason for my nonsupport of new roundabouts in old neighborhoods is the extreme costs associated with their construction.

Another reason I do not support the construction of new roundabouts in old neighborhoods is the impact on the city budget. It was reported in today’s newspaper that the City may have to include a line item in future budgets to pay for all these promised traffic devices.

Laura Routh: What is your opinion on the performance and the responsiveness of the Lawrence police department? In your mind, is the Department as a whole doing a good job?

Greg Robinson: Good question. As a former LKPD officer I believe I have a unique perspective regarding the Lawrence Police Department. I believe the Lawrence Police Department does a tremendous job with its available resources; however I also recognize that LKPD will not always please everyone since officers up to situations where citizens are not having a good day and officers’ actions may not coincide with a resolution the citizen is requesting.

As for responsiveness, I believe that once a call is made to dispatchers LKPD always responds in a timely manner. However, DG CO dispatch is responsible for prioritizing calls for assistance, e.g. person crimes will always take priority over property crimes.

Moderator: Just a note to our participants — We are still taking questions, so feel free to submit them.

Jace, Lawrence: You stated that you would like to possibly re-open the smoking ban issue. If elected, what kind of compromise would you like the council to weigh, considering the ban has not been in place long enough for a documented study on the financial impact of local business?

Greg Robinson: Smoking Ban: I am a life-long nonsmoker. I detest the smell of smoke but I also understand that it is a legally obtainable product. No protest from me if taxes were raised even higher on cigarettes or simply made illegal.

However, since the product is legal, the next question is how to control the harmful effects of second hand smoke. I believe that government can make decisions which positively affect the health and welfare of its citizens, just like controlling the sale of alcohol and tobacco products.

In Lawrence, the issue becomes what are the economic consequences associated with this ban. I believe it is unfair to take away a significant portion of a business owner’s customer base. So what can be done?

I believe that a mechanism can be implemented which would allow a business owner to apply for a variance if the business can meet two requirements:

(1) That it can prove through certified accounting or tax documents the business has suffered substantial economic harm, and if able to show this, then

(2) propose a plan to have air within the proposed business exchanged so as to immediately remove the smoke from the premises.

Under this scenario, the burden would be on the business owner to overcome the presumption that smoking will be banned. However, procedure would allow those who have invested tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars into their business to seek a remedy.

Eric Allen, Lawrence: I’ve lived in Lawrence my entire life, and it is clear that there is a growing number of homeless and transients that have travelled to Lawrence because of our cities reputation of helping these individuals. I believe we must do what we can to curtail Lawrence into becoming a “destination city” for these individuals. The more we seem to spend in terms of resources and places for them to stay, the more show up. What can be done to help those who truly need help (i.e. those who are mentally or physically challenged) while keeping the freeloaders/troublemakers out?

Greg Robinson: Homeless Issue:

Eric, I could not agree with you more. I believe that a hand up and not a hand out policy is the correct philosophy.

My experience as a LKPD officer has provided me some insight into this problem You are correct that Lawrence has become a destination for the homeless. As a police officer, I clearly remember one homeless individual stating that I came to Lawrence due to the great services provided to the homeless population. The individual indicated he could get a mail box and have his government checks forwarded.

Continued support to those clearly in need must remain. However, how do you make the distinction between the two groups and the other subgroups, e.g. mentally ill.

I believe the City has limited resources and the City must curtail it expenditures in all areas, including services for the disenfranchised.

I will support only those programs which make accountability a main focus of its mission statement and ones that subscribe to the philosophy of hand ups and not hand outs.

Laura, Lawrence: Mr. Robinson:

My husband and I are both employed here in Lawrence, we both donate a lot of time to community programs, we shop locally and cheerfully pay our taxes. Now that we are in the market for a home, we find nothing under 90,000 dollars that has acceptable plumbing or a foundation in decent repair. We’re not asking for some kind of palace for the money we have; all we want is to continue to make this city our home and to continue supporting this city’s tax base. However, we feel absolutely rejected by this city because we don’t have 180,000 dollars to purchase a home here. What would you do to stop the frantic inflation of land values here so that young families would be able to stay and support this community? I don’t see that building more shoddily-constructed houses to the south and west is really the right answer to this problem.

Moderator: Please make sure your name and message aren’t blank.

Greg Robinson: Affordable Housing:

Laura, I wish I had a suitable response to you question. While others in government will give the standard rhetoric, I will be as honest as I can in my response.

Unfortunately for those like yourself who want to buy a house in Lawrence and join the ranks of homeowners it is a difficult proposition since as you know the average purchase price of a new home exceeds $200,000. Such prices make it nearly impossible for individuals in your price range to find a home which is not basically a total wreck.

I sympathize with your dilemma but I do believe that City government is the solution. I do not believe that another layer of government involvement will offer any viable solutions for those working and trying to make it in this high-price housing market. It is my belief that if the City gets involved in the home buying subsidy market, the rules and regulations associated with such a regulatory scheme would be much more detrimental than helpful.

Sorry that I did not really offer you a solution but I believe in honesty and integrity in my dealings with people. I will not say what you want to hear just to get your support. I wish you and your family the best in your endeavor to find affordable housing and remain in Lawrence.

Peter, Lawrence: Do you believe that we should issue any more permits for apartments development?

Greg Robinson: Question: Building Permits for New Apartment Developments.

The question you ask is not really about whether I believe more apartments are necessary but whether current city zoning and the city’s comprehensive plan allows for such additional growth?

I believe in market economics. Except for certain economic conditions, those who build such complexes will not construct them if there is no market, i.e. profit, for them. I do not believe that government should interfere in market dynamics except for building codes which affect health, welfare and safety issues.

If the city or the citizens do not want certain development to occur in specific locations the public needs to be heard at public forums and the associated issues be debated and modifications implemented if supported by relevant argument.

Moderator: This will be our final question.

Dave, Lawrence: Why have you been so critical of the Lawrence Police Department when both you and your wife were officers??

Greg Robinson: Question: Scrutiny of LKPD

First, I do not believe that I have been highly critical of the Lawrence Police Department. Do I criticize when I believe that criticism is warranted? Absolutely. No organization is perfect and I firmly believe that all police organizations should be held to the highest standards of both personal and professional conduct. Police officers are citizens just like everyone else but police officers are entrusted to fairly enforce the laws against us all, from simple traffic matters to major criminal investigations.

Second, regarding LKPD, you are correct, I and my spouse are both former officers. Based on your question, does this mean that if there are irregularities in the management of LKPD, I should simply ignore them because I once worked there and still have friends at the department. I will not ignore unprofessional behavior nor will I condone unwritten policies which bury mistakes from public scrutiny. I firmly believe that a police organization can only win the trust of its citizens through open and honest discourse. I also believe that open discussion of mistakes by law enforcement when they occur only humanize those even more who risk their lives on a daily basis for our city. Policies which do not allow for such frank discussion only cheapens and degrades the selfless service of our men and women in blue.

Moderator: Thanks, Mr. Robinson, for participating in today’s chat. And we’d like to thank our readers for their questions. Our next chat will take place at 1 p.m. Wednesday, featuring Tom Bracciano, another candidate in the Lawrence City Commission race.

The primary is March 1. The top six finishers among the nine people running will move on to the April 5 general election.