The Journal-World sent a 16-question survey to each candidate running for three at-large seats on the City Commission. Fourteen people filed for those seats. The March 3 primary election will whittle the field of candidates down to six for the April 7 general election. These answers are presented as they were received from the candidates.

Candidate profile: Stan Rasmussen

• 52 years old, an attorney for the U.S. Army, who also has served on the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission and other city boards

Do you believe a new police headquarters facility is needed, and if so, are you open to considering a property tax or sales tax increase to fund the facility?

Our police officers should have the facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to protect and serve our community, and to be safe in the performance of their jobs. I’ve listened to the public discussion, met with law enforcement, and toured the existing police facilities. I am convinced that new facilities are needed. Before exploring a tax increase, we should work to find a way to finance needed improvements out of our existing infrastructure and capital improvement funds. We should also be open to other creative funding options as an alternative to increasing taxes.

The city in 2014 approved a new registration and licensing program for apartments and other rental units in the city. It is set to begin inspections in July. Do you support the program as approved?

Because rental licensing and inspection is focused on safety of the tenant, I generally support the rental inspection program. The success of this program requires the city to ensure safe and livable rental housing, without imposing arbitrary penalties on property owners. The inspection program should be carefully monitored so that it is applied fairly and stays focused on health and safety issues.

As part of the Rock Chalk Park sports complex, the city entered into a public-private partnership with Kansas University Endowment and a private development group. As part of that agreement, the city is paying for about $12 million worth of infrastructure that was exempted from the city’s standard bidding process. Do you support public-private partnerships that involve the city paying for work that was not bid?

No, I do not support the city entering into no-bid contracts. The lesson learned from Rock Chalk Park is that no-bid contracts are not open and transparent and do not instill confidence in the public that we are getting value for our money spent. We need to make sure we do not put our City and our tax dollars in this type of situation again.

In 2014 the city approved tax rebates for projects in East Lawrence, downtown and near the KU campus that were either wholly or largely for apartment development. Do you support providing tax incentives for apartment development?

Our first priority for tax incentives should be focused on bringing quality businesses and primary jobs to our community to create opportunity and prosperity for all of our residents. When considering tax abatement, each request should be judged on its own merits. With the abundance of apartments in our town, I expect in the future that very few apartment-only projects will satisfy the city-approved criteria for tax abatement: meeting approved economic development standards, enhancing downtown, promoting infill, incorporating environmentally sustainable elements into the design, and providing other public benefits to the community.

The city last year opened Lawrence Venture Park, the new business park that was built on the former Farmland Industries fertilizer plant site in eastern Lawrence. Do you support the idea of providing tax abatements and other financial incentives to attract businesses to that park?

When used wisely and thoughtfully, tax abatements and other financial incentives can be part of an overall strategy to attract quality businesses and primary jobs to Venture Park. At the same time, we need to be fair to our existing businesses and understand that most projects should be able to succeed on their own merits. I am optimistic that Venture Park will help give Lawrence an advantage when competing with other communities for new industrial development. A successful Venture Park will help create jobs, widen the tax base, and improve our local economy.

In 2015, the city is budgeted to provide about $220,000 to the Lawrence chamber of commerce to lead the community’s economic development efforts. Do you support that arrangement with the chamber?

I support a relationship between the City and the Chamber of Commerce, because the Chamber serves an important economic role in our Community. The Chamber is the primary entity providing direct assistance to help Lawrence businesses achieve financial success and expand their operations, and in turn, those businesses provide jobs and economic opportunities for many Lawrence residents. In addition, the Chamber engages in community-wide economic development efforts and works with the state legislature to give Lawrence another voice in Topeka. A healthy relationship between the City and the Chamber of Commerce contributes to a healthy Lawrence economy.

In 2008 voters approved a three-tenths of a percent sales tax to fund city-street maintenance and other infrastructure projects. How would you rate the condition of city streets today?

Overall, I think the quality of Lawrence streets is very high, especially when compared to other Kansas communities. While it may be frustrating at times to have to dodge potholes or detour around road maintenance projects, I think the city street maintenance staff works hard to keep up with the demands of street repair. I will continue to have high expectations that they will do a good job of prioritizing and distributing street improvement and maintenance projects around the community.

In 2014 the city built a new dual-lane roundabout on Wakarusa Drive, and is considering building more in the future. Do you support the use of roundabouts in the city?

I generally support the use of roundabouts in Lawrence in locations where they make sense. Studies have shown that roundabouts are able to move more cars per hour through an intersection than a 4-way stop. In addition, roundabouts are safer because, in the event of an accident, cars are moving at a slower speed and t-bone crashes are eliminated. Roundabouts also help reduce air pollution by reducing idling time of vehicles. Although roundabouts may make sense, cost and disruption of construction must also be weighed against the benefits before expanding our use of roundabouts to new Lawrence locations.

Based on current city capital improvement plans, the city is scheduled to spend about $3 million in 2015 and 2016 on a project to rebuild a portion of Ninth Street as part of an effort to make the area into an “arts corridor.” As currently proposed, do you support the project?

I support the proposed 9th Street Arts Corridor project because it brings together three things we value in our community: a vibrant downtown, support for arts and culture, and respect for our history and heritage. With inclusive community input and sensitivity to residents who will be directly affected, the 9th Street project will bring lasting benefits to Lawrence by helping build a richer, more intimate, and more vibrant connection between East Lawrence & Downtown. The project also has potential to expand the creative economy in Lawrence by melding entrepreneurship and the arts and providing opportunities for new creative businesses.

The city has been asked to approve financial incentives designed to spur the installation of additional gigabit, super-fast broadband service in Lawrence. Do you support the idea of providing a financial incentive to private companies interested in providing enhanced broadband services to the community?

At this time, I believe there are businesses willing to competitively bid to provide enhanced high-speed internet service in Lawrence. While the City has an inherent oversight role when leasing its fiber network, I currently see no need to consider the use of financial incentives. If the market fails to respond, we can consider other options, but for now, before contributing City tax dollars to the effort, I think we should start the process to solicit bids from providers who are willing to invest in providing high-speed internet to our community that is reliable, predictable, consistent, and secure.

What is the biggest issue facing Lawrence neighborhoods?

I think our biggest challenge, and opportunity, is to maintain and protect the individual character of each of our neighborhoods while moving forward in a way that keeps Lawrence strong for the future. I’ve lived in different parts of Lawrence over my life, and I’ve learned that our differences don’t have to be divisive if we listen and support each other with a view toward the well-being of the community as a whole. We have a wonderfully diverse community, but it can present challenges when we work to create public policy that serves all of our residents fairly.

Given the other needs of the city, what is the likelihood that you would support additional funding for trails, bike lanes and other pedestrian-oriented projects in the community?

Since 1993, when I was on the Horizon 2020 Environmental Quality and Natural Resources Group, I have advocated for Lawrence to have an interconnected trail system. My family uses the hiking and biking trails around Lawrence on a regular basis. While I like having hiking and biking trails in our community and feel that they add to our quality of life, we need to properly prioritize our city spending to place needs ahead of wants. That’s why it’s important to pursue creative funding opportunities like matching grants and partnerships so that we maximize our dollars spent for these amenities.

Given the other needs of the city, what is the likelihood that you would support the idea of city assistance for a new conference center in the community? (Full disclosure: Members of The World Company, which owns the Journal-World and LJWorld.com have put forward a proposal for a downtown project that includes a conference center.)

I think the proposed conference center located at the north end of downtown has great potential to enhance both the quality of our downtown experience and the financial viability of downtown. A regular and steady stream of out of town visitors who are spending their money shopping and dining downtown will lure more retail back to downtown and will strengthen the financial potential for all of our existing downtown businesses.

In 2014 there were six homicides in Lawrence, the highest number in at least a decade. Is there anything the Lawrence City Commission can do to improve public safety in the community?

The City Commission can help improve safety in a variety of ways, such as providing the police department with the facilities, equipment and personnel they need to serve our community, requiring proper lighting for new and redeveloped properties, supporting neighborhood watch programs, and encouraging citizens to work collaboratively with the Police Department to take an active role in keeping their neighborhoods safe. In addition, we should have high expectations of our city staff and police officers for enforcing the law consistently and fairly throughout our community.

A proposal has been made by a development group to create a major new retail area just south of the South Lawrence Trafficway and Iowa Street interchange? Are you supportive of rezoning property for major new retail developments in the community?

Rezoning of undeveloped land is not uncommon and is often expected along the fringes of our city limits. As the K-10/SLT project is completed, we should expect a number of development proposals along this route. We must get this right, because we will live with the consequences of these development decisions for decades to come. For this reason, I am advocating that the City planning staff and Planning Commission prepare a corridor development plan so that we can properly assess the implications of how we should direct the zoning along the K-10/SLT corridor (see www.StanforLawrence.com for more details).

What’s your vision for the type of community Lawrence will become in the next decade?

My vision for Lawrence in ten years is not different than what I want for Lawrence right now. I want Lawrence to continue to be a thriving, diverse, inclusive, positive, safe, and creative community where you can pursue an education, own a successful business, build a successful career, raise and support your family, connect with your neighbors, enjoy stimulating arts and culture, and live a healthy and productive life. I’m proud of Lawrence and optimistic about our future. I think we can continue to be the greatest place to live in Kansas.

More election coverage

• Catch up on City Commission candidate profiles, chats, questionnaire responses and more before the April 7 election.