photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., is pictured on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.

City Commission elections often are focused on topics like zoning, streets, sidewalks and economic development, but each commissioner, as an elected official, swears an oath to support and defend the U.S. and Kansas constitutions. With that in mind, the Journal-World asked each candidate about their broader philosophies on good government.

Each candidate was asked the question: “What does good government mean to you?” Candidates were asked to limit their responses to 100 words. Twelve of the 13 candidates responded to the Journal-World; another one, Ruby Mae Johnson, did not respond to the Journal-World’s inquiry. Here’s what the candidates said:

Paul Buskirk:

“Government must understand the differences between ‘service’ and ‘leadership.’ If we elect representatives only to serve, then government risks being subservient to only the loudest of voices. When government leads, it listens to all the voices and then makes difficult choices to serve the entire community. ‘A politician tells us what we want to hear … A Leader tells us what we need to know!'”

Mike Courtney:

“Good local government means responsive, effective public service that directly improves Lawrencians’ daily lives. It provides essential services like police, fire protection, road maintenance, zoning, and utilities reliably and cost-effectively. It facilitates transparency with citizen input. It attracts businesses while maintaining our character, balancing growth and infrastructure, and making fiscally responsible decisions that don’t burden taxpayers. It treats residents and businesses fairly and focuses on practical solutions.”

Mike Harreld:

“We can look to history and tell that good governance means government which helps absorb shocks and sets its people up to thrive. It should be our objective to empower the average person to become a community leader, to foster spaces that allow for community and connection, and to govern in a way that listens to the people of Lawrence, not just the people that could show up to a city commission meeting.”

Eric Hyde:

“The government should not rule over the people but serve them as philosopher kings — guardians. Kant talked about telling the truth and living as if your every act becomes a universal law, Jesus talked about loving God and your neighbors as yourself, Plotinus about giving back the divine within to the divine in all, and Saint Paul to consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good works, or deeds.

“Unmistakably Lawrence is not the motto of Lawrence. It is From Ashes to Immortality. You better believe it.”

Steve Jacob:

“Government should not make people’s lives harder. The more you rely on the government, the more control they have over you. Opening a business should not be that hard. Tax breaks for the rich like KU and Q39 means the government is picking favorites and doesn’t care about the working class. With each budget our lives become more and more impacted, and I don’t think it’s for the better. ‘America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation’ Laurence J. Peter.”

Alex Kerr:

“Good government means accountability, transparency, and equity.”

Bart Littlejohn:

“One thing I’ve learned: Campaigning is completely different than governing. The former entails making sure folks are informed about your unique perspective relative to other candidates while the other stresses collaboration and exploring ways to help our city prosper. I appreciate both but realize the heavy importance of the latter; making sure that together we pursue those solutions. It takes a mindset of knitting together rather than tearing apart and it’s something that makes local government unique and impactful; a lesson that I wish we could pass on to other levels of government.”

Amanda Nielsen:

“Open and Transparent Governance is a high priority. Good government to me is one that serves all the people equally with accountability. That puts the needs of the community first and listens to the concerns of its residents.”

Kristine Polian:

“Good government means transparency, accountability, and putting people first. It’s about making informed, fiscally responsible decisions that serve the public good, not special interests. Good local government listens to the community, communicates clearly, and ensures that residents are included in the decisions that affect their lives. It invests wisely in infrastructure, economic development, and public services while keeping debt under control. I believe good government fosters trust by being honest, ethical, and accessible. It creates a culture of collaboration, innovation, and respect within City Hall and throughout the community in order to build a stronger, more equitable future for all.”

Peter Shenouda:

“A good government, to me, means serving its citizens. I grew up in Egypt, so I know firsthand what it’s like to live under a government that does not. That experience drives me to make decisions that truly benefit our community. I want a government that is honest and transparent with its people, one that owns up to its mistakes, fixes them, and makes sure they don’t happen again. That’s the kind of leadership I believe Lawrence deserves.”

Bob Schumm:

“Good government to me means it should be completely open, accessible, and transparent. Good government should allow for the citizens to easily interact with their elected representatives in order to discuss and debate upcoming legislation. Communications should be readily available to inform the citizens about all matters of interest with the general public. Public participation should be encouraged in order for citizens to have the best means of reaching their representative government. The word democracy defined as the ‘government by the people’ should prevail.”

Courtney Shipley:

“Good local government delivers services predictably and is responsive to community needs and feedback. A functional city commission should gain consensus on policies and ensure they are enforced uniformly through funding and published procedures. Information on our local government and its policies, procedures and cost should be easily accessed. Lawrencians should continue to expect high accessibility to city commissioners.”