To the editor:

After reading Public Forum article by Joe Douglas, March 25, I was inspired to take a look at city commission candidates’ out-of-town donations. Although it wasn’t at first readily apparent, the name Crossland came up a lot.

Ivan Crossland, wife Betty, and brother Patrick each gave $500. Six Crossland family-owned businesses (three Arkansas based businesses named Horse Barn Partners, Rogers Warehouse Development, and Rogers Warehouse Development II; one Missouri business named 8th Street Warehouse; and two Kansas businesses, named Pawnee Industrial and Midwest Development Partners) each gave the maximum allowable donation of $500. Altogether, the nine Crossland donations of $4,500 went to one candidate, making up 22-23 percent of his total $19,790 donations.

Who are the Crosslands? Ivan Crossland is on the board of directors of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, whose political action committee is heavily Koch-funded. His sister, Virginia Crossland-Macha, is the founder of Koch-backed Kansas Senior Consumer Alliance, whose focus has been to repeal existing Kansas green energy legislation. Arkansas sibling, Teresa Crossland Oelke, is vice-president of Americans For Prosperity, the main political arm of Charles and David Koch.

Why are out-of-area and out-of-state people and their companies investing so heavily in our local election? Why are they focusing their support with one candidate? How are they intertwined with the Koch brothers?

April 7 is your opportunity to cast your informed vote. Keep local elections local.