Local Dems leader supports GOP candidate

(Author's note: this piece is not intended to serve as an endorsement, but an example of principle over party, and should not be viewed as an indictment of the writer's personal preference towards the candidates mentioned)

With less than two weeks until Primary Day, this column could easily be dedicated to previewing a handful of interesting contests playing out in Republican and Democratic circles. But I’m confident Citizen readers will research the candidates, read The Citizen profiles on candidates, make an informed decision and show up to vote Aug. 7, so I’ll leave the prep work up to you.

Regular readers know by now I often go to painstakingly-long lengths to describe my desire for our elected leaders to make choices and decisions with good government principles behind them, not purely politics. I often have to use hypothetical situations, wishful thinking, and broad strokes of the brush to paint that picture. Last week, a tangible example was finally found.

When it comes to the competitive race in southern Platte County for County Commissioner of the 1st District, Pauli Kendrick and a handful of other long-time Democrats find themselves split between the responsibilities they have towards two different roles. As Chair of the Platte County Democratic Party, Kendrick is charged with promoting and supporting the party’s candidates and principles through thick and thin. On the other hand, her civic efforts have transcended into non-partisan activities without party labels at times as well. This includes her term as mayor of Weatherby Lake and a recent stint on the Park Hill Board of Education.

With no Democratic candidate filing to run in November, the winner of the August Republican primary between incumbent Kathy Dusenbery and challenger Beverlee Roper will go on to take office in December. As someone opposed to Dusenbery’s re-election for various reasons and a long-time Weatherby Lake neighbor of Roper’s, Kendrick decided to lend her efforts in support of Roper, whose candidacy has garnered significant support from the Republican establishment.

Despite the simple reasoning behind Kendrick’s decision, which has little to do with a shift in personal ideology, Roper’s Republican supporters have over-emphasized this as a positive indictment for their candidate’s wide-ranging appeal. This hasn’t been sitting well with local Democrats, who believe it is inappropriate for their chairperson to be involved in the race. Democratic central committee members went to great lengths voicing their displeasure with Kendrick at last week’s monthly meeting. Their argument was that as elected representatives of the Democratic Party in Platte County, no committee member should publicly support a candidate of another party, no matter who the candidate is or what the circumstances are.

After all the passionate and strong-felt opinions were expressed, the floor was open for Kendrick, who had calmly refrained from responding up to this point. Collected and composed, she delivered what I believe was one of the most well-reasoned political defenses I have heard in recent memory. She talked about the lack of cooperation between parties at the national and state levels, discussed her disapproval of the way Platte County business had been handled in recent years, and talked about the personal reasons she was supporting her candidate. It was a refreshing statement from a person who - no two ways about it - genuinely wants to see what she believed could be a positive change.

Kendrick is making a decision other Democrats might also make this August. They’re voting to have a say about the future of leaders in Platte County, in a race their party has failed to field a candidate for. As long as the local Democratic Party continues to fall short in recruiting and supporting qualified candidates like they have in recent years, it’s a dilemma their supporters will be forced to deal with more and more. Other than electoral defeat, this is one of the additional side effects of a local Republican Party whose organization and growth has outpaced Democrats in the last decade.

In the end, Kendrick and other Democrats who decide to pick up a Republican ballot instead of a Democratic ballot want to have a say in who represents Platte County at the local level. There are less than a handful of Democratic races on the state level, but they recognize the old adage that all politics are local still holds true and it makes the biggest difference in our daily lives. They aren’t doing it to compromise their political principles. Though in the absence of a candidate available from their own party, a higher standard of principles surface. They respect their right to vote and recognize that duty to country, state, and community comes before party affiliation.

Maybe if similar decisions were made more often in the course of actual governing, we’d think more highly of our elected officials.

Political discourse often reverts to childish rhetoric

The most effective way for a person to make a difference in government has always been to take on the role of an elected or public official

Having the appetite for holding public office isn’t something a lot of people want to do, so the next best way to have a positive effect on the process can simply be contributing to the conversation. This means not necessarily being the loudest voice in the room, but by promoting respectable, informed, and productive public discourse. All too many times, though, it results in the opposite, resembling more of an argument between children than an actual discussion that can bring us closer to positive results.

You remember when you were a kid or maybe you’ve witnessed your own kids try to win a petty argument, right? They might go back and forth for a short period of time, and then one side just decides they don’t want to try anymore so they throw out a line like “You’re stupid” or “You’re dumb.” The other side goes on to react with “No, you’re stupid, you’re dumb.” No matter what the argument was previously, it’s lost all credibility at this point.

When I think of political discourse in this country, frequently that same argument between children is what I’m reminded of. Legitimate discussion of the issues all too often evaporates because one side or the other decides to take the dive into name calling, stereotyping, or simply polarize the issue. It transcends Washington D.C. and is present anywhere from your local newspaper to the coffee shop to the workplace.

While kids can be excused for this type of behavior for just being kids, there’s a term for when adults act the same way in regards to their political interactions. Whether intentional or not, it goes by the name of demagoguery, a word you may have never heard of before that is just as loaded in meaning as it is in syllables. It’s the “stupid” and “dumb” of adult American politics.

It’s important to distinguish the difference between an information based talking point and an emotionally driven act of demagoguery, which can be broadly described as the use of impassioned, crude, or agitating appeals to prejudices of the public. That is, rational and intelligent reasoning is not always at its core. Its vocabulary is often a hint that you’ve wandered off the path of productive discourse. Terms like Satan, nazi, communist, marxist, welfare queen, fair share, and the war on (insert cause) seem to be a few used to turn attention away from a mature debate.

Republicans sometimes express the idea that President Barack Obama is a socialist. In return, some Democrats have accused Republicans of being racist. Both are forms of demagoguery, whose purpose is to appeal towards a certain audience in order to support a cause. The extent of the statement’s accuracy is not important. Once it is said, its purpose of rousing a sense of emotion in people has been served.

In a democratic and free society like the one we enjoy here in the United States, demagoguery is all within the scope of free speech, as it should be. It’s seen on a daily basis from our country’s top leaders all the way down to average citizens. The responsibilities we generally associate with free speech are perhaps the most intangible and unenforceable of all, so they can only be promoted by example, which should be on display first and foremost from our elected officials, who more often than not choose to be intellectually lazy, using insults instead of engaging in policy discussions.

On the other hand, we can’t really expect others to discuss the issues in a sane and logical way unless we do so ourselves. Only then will results fueled by logic and reason replace those of emotion and passion. Good government and the discourse surrounding it isn’t supposed to be exciting; it was never meant to be compacted into 30 second sound bites, split-screen television interviews, or Hollywood movies. It was meant to be approached more like long-term relationships between people, because in the end that’s all good government is: quality interactions between groups of people over time. So ask yourself, how do we achieve the best solutions to just some of the following questions facing our local, state, and federal governments?

What is the best balance between Platte County’s park tax and making sure law enforcement and road needs are also maintained? How can Missouri’s education formula be fully funded again to ensure local school boards don’t have to levy higher property taxes? Are there any bipartisan solutions Congress can adopt to address both our short-term economic and long-term debt problems?

All are legitimate questions that have so far been met with little serious debate. We may not be debating on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives or even at the County Courthouse, but a lot of those discussions stem directly from how we talk about them around our own kitchen tables with family and friends. The difference between it turning into actual policy or just another name-calling, shouting match really depends on the discussion we have first.

SPCAD doesn’t have to put up with KC response times

Nine minutes or less.

That’s the amount of time southern Platte Countians should expect to receive emergency assistance from an ambulance. Often times it could be a situation where each passing minute could literally mean the difference between life and death. As important as it is, it’s a standard which is consistently not being met by the Kansas City Fire Department, leaving the board of the Southern Platte County Ambulance District (SPCAD) in recent months no choice but to demand better service or make a change.

For those unfamiliar with SPCAD, it was a board formed in August 2006 to oversee and carry out ambulance services in the increasingly growing areas of unincorporated and rural southern Platte County. It serves all areas outside the city limits of Kansas City including Parkville, Houston Lake, Northmoor, Lake Waukomis, Platte Woods, and Weatherby Lake (District 1) along with Ferrelview and Farley (District 2). The first ambulance service provider for the district was long-time emergency responder, Municipal Ambulance Services Trust (MAST), and provided superior service for the district, reporting response times of nine minutes or less 85-90 percent of the time until 2010.

In 2010, the City of Kansas City decided to merge MAST with the Kansas City Fire Department. It was a controversial decision made by the mayor and city council, opposed by many, including SPCAD board members, but one which left the district with few options other than to contract with the newly merged entity. Since that time, response times within the district have dropped dramatically with only 48 percent of the emergency calls placed from District 1 in the first quarter of 2012 being responded to in nine minutes or less. It’s also important to note, KCFD is reportedly not meeting response times within the actual limits of Kansas City (north or south of the river), either.

Causes for the poor response times include traffic issues, weather conditions, types of calls they don’t include in their service (life alerts or touch technologies), and how much information the dispatcher needs before a unit can respond. Some people believe the main problem is simply the fact that a single ambulance, regularly stationed out of the Price Chopper parking lot in Parkville, can’t effectively service all of southern Platte County. It provides little room for chance, or in one recent case, a GPS error. MAST similarly dealt with these issues, yet met their contract obligations nonetheless.

With an unacceptable level of service, SPCAD board members recently engaged Kansas City Fire Chief Smokey Dyer by demanding response times be improved. Coming off a handful of budget cuts and political setbacks of his own within Kansas City, Dyer does not seem too eager to fix the problem and has only presented two implausible solutions to amending the nearly $39,000 monthly contract to meet MAST performance levels: lowering the coverage period from 24 hours to 12 hours or more than doubling the price of the contract. One will leave southern Platte County without a primary emergency provider 12 hours a day; the other will require an increase in taxes. Neither is acceptable at this point, nor should they be.

Thankfully, SPCAD is not limited to those options alone though. They actually have several options. First, they could contract with another provider, either exclusively or with more than one. There are several area providers credible and qualified enough to exceed KCFD’s performance, which can’t get much worse. Second, the district could create and implement their own ambulance service. Third, SPCAD could continue negotiations with Smokey Dyer hoping an unlikely agreement can be reached resulting in neither a cut in coverage or increase in taxes. Each option comes with a different set of concerns and complexities.

The board members of the ambulance district recognize this isn’t a frivolous political battle, they know their role is to provide a service that ensures lives can be saved. Being a part of a new entity in a fairly unique situation, there are few precedents for them to draw parallels. Unlike areas within the city limits of Kansas City who have no choice but to accept decisions and failures by their elected and bureaucratic leaders, the good thing is south Platte doesn’t have to and likely won’t continue accept sub-par emergency service any longer. It certainly won’t be bullied by someone who’s just walked out of City Hall with their tail between their legs.

Abstaining from vote should have been call

We’ve probably all experienced the consequences of sacrificing quality for price. Whether it’s been in food purchased at the grocery store, repairs made on our home, or other areas of daily life. We want the cheapest price possible, but in making that the sole factor in our decision, it can end up costing more in the long-run if we choose a lower quality product. So even though the construction contract awarded to J.E. Dunn for the community center expansion was about $300,000 above the lowest bid, many of us understand price alone cannot be the only factor. After all, out of the projected cost of $21 million, that $300,000 or so only accounts for about 1.5% of the total construction cost. It could be considered a premium well worth the cost if it avoided any number of mistakes costing much more later on from errors due to poor workmanship, bad planning, or corner cutting of an unqualified contractor, right? Maybe that’s what the County Commission believed they were doing. For this situation, that argument can’t convincingly be made though.

In order for a decision like that to be justified, the process itself must have credibility, transparency, and uniformity. If that takes place, the decision defends itself and this is where the questions begin to arise regarding the Commission’s selection of contractor J.E. Dunn.

J.E. Dunn’s campaign contribution to Presiding Commissioner Jason Brown alone is not enough to suggest it was given in return for a future contract, but Brown’s previous employment with the company, which was not widespread knowledge, does bring up a conflict of interest. Not the kind that suggests wrong doing, but one which could be perceived and the kind that should require him to abstain from the vote. No matter how objectively Brown weighed the bids, his familiarity with the firm and inside knowledge should have been enough to remove himself from the process. Even had Brown abstained from the final vote, if J.E. Dunn was the most qualified and presented the best value for the taxpayer dollar, it would have been reinforced with a staff recommendation and support from 2nd District Commissioner Jim Plunkett. It received neither. At the minimum, an explanation should be available to stand on its own as to why the lowest bid was rejected from a clearly qualified Universal Construction. In fact, it seems like several people or groups of people involved in the process had varying opinions on which contractor was best for the project, despite all seeing the same analysis and numbers.

Now, the Commission can’t and shouldn’t always streamline county staff’s recommendations, but in the event a decision is contrary to that recommendation, it should have credible and strong reasoning. Awarding a bid to any company, not just JE Dunn, because ‘they built it originally’ and ‘we like them’ should not be acceptable reasons on their own to choose a contractor for such a substantial project. Doing so could even be considered lazy because many contractors use this type of reasoning to gain repeat business. It’s applicable, but not a deal breaker. If you pick a contractor based on that line of thought, it makes you wonder why county staff and resources were used for a competitive bid process in the first place.

In the end, J.E. Dunn may truly be the best contractor for the job. But with a divided vote from a usually unified three-member Commission, a perceived conflict of interest, a different staff recommendation, and no supporting back-up for the decision, it’s easy to see why people may question the final selection. Overall, it seems to cancel out many of the touted financial gains that came from the Commission’s decision to lower the tax levy last fall and the heavily debated budget cuts which occurred in January.

Park Hill race has little to do with education

The Park Hill School Board race has been an interesting one so far. Oddly enough, the things which have made it interesting have had absolutely nothing to do with the policies, taxes, curriculum or management of the School District. In fact, it’s actually had very little to do with education at all.

Even though his name will still appear on the ballot April 3, when Park Hill school board candidate Casey Beane ended his campaign by announcing he was dropping out of the race, it left more than a couple people scratching their heads. With support of his candidacy from a solid block of parent and teacher groups including several endorsements, it seemed untimely to end his bid just two weeks before Election Day. In the end, though, Beane’s stated reason for leaving the race in deciding to focus on his growing family is admirable. The remaining four candidates, Fred Cox, Chris Seufert, Edward Stephens and Allison Wurst, will contend for two open seats on the Board. The real issue though, doesn’t arise from Beane’s exit from the race, but the effects it leaves behind.

Those who have followed school board elections in the past know how difficult it is for candidates to reach out to voters. School board campaigns don’t tend to have the drama, excitement, or controversy that fuels more partisan races to grab voters’ attention. With that in mind, the local media has announced and made clear Beane’s decision to end his candidacy over the last week. Despite a week-long delay, as we go to press it has been realized the Park Hill School District has also finally noted this on their Web site. As a primary source of information for patrons and voters through the district’s web site, television channel, and email correspondence, news that a leading candidate on the ballot has withdrawn and will not serve if elected is fairly significant. This should have been more proactively communicated by the district. Though as the saying goes: better late than never.

A similar situation happened in 2011, when candidate Victor McCance dropped out of the school board race. Demonstrating the effects a withdrawn candidacy can have, on Election Day he still received 272 votes, a margin candidates Chris Seufert and Fred Sanchez know firsthand could affect their candidacies as both fell short by close margins that same year. Nonetheless, this year it still leaves open the possibility of a couple hundred votes being cast for Beane, a withdrawn candidate who had significantly more support prior to dropping out than McCance did in 2011. The thought of this making a difference in a close election result would be unfortunate.

Out of the four candidates remaining, three have remained fairly uncontroversial, but Edward Stephens has more than made up for it. On the surface, Stephens might appear as an ideal school board candidate: a district graduate, college educated, professional career, well-spoken and well-dressed. But as you may have read in several previous editions of The Citizen, his seemingly insensitive comments and opinions on a variety of subjects including diversity and special needs students have caused quite a stir. Not surprisingly, there’s something about the words ‘White’ and ‘History’ when placed together in a sentence that project a cultural and political disconnect with the average voter. Not understanding that continually using those words would draw negative attention to him reinforces that. Misjudging the negative attention as positive publicity, as Stephens had done, is another example.

While his candidacy deeply troubles some, gauging the level of support Stephens actually has is difficult. The same can be said for all the candidates’ support, as yard signs and social media don’t always prove to be the winning formula in school board contests. As is the case in many elections where candidates are not identified as Democrats or Republicans, it’s hard to tell what will eventually draw voters to a particular candidate.

Election night is shaping up to be the culmination of a fairly active time for the Park Hill School District. With the selection of a new superintendent, approval of new elementary school boundaries, and election of two new board members all in the last 60 days, things should slow down over the next couple months in terms of highly political and sensitive decisions, calmly reverting back to what Park Hill does best, a focus on education.

All Park Hill Board is guilty of: lack of communication

Being so close to an incompetent and chaotic Kansas City Missouri School District, it’s easy to understand the pride southern Platte County has in the quality and reputation of the Park Hill School District. As a Park Hill graduate myself, I’m very supportive of the district and know the value it represents to our community. At times it can seem the educational priorities and culture established here over a long period of time can be fragile and gone in an instant. With something important to so many, it’s easy to get emotional and jump to conclusions if someone causes us to believe the district may be in jeopardy. The recent controversy over the Park Hill School Board’s handling of their selection of the replacement for retiring Superintendent Dr. Dennis Fisher is a good example.

There are a few things which seem pretty clear to me. First, the board took their responsibility of picking a superintendent very seriously, putting countless hours into the selection process. Second, many Park Hill patrons wanted the job to go to Deputy Superintendent Mark Miles, who by most accounts is a stand-up guy and has done many good things for the district. Third, when the field was narrowed, the board did not solicit public input as it had at the beginning of the process nor did it effectively communicate updates to patrons on their progress. This was not in an effort to be disingenuous. Fourth, Dr. Scott Springston was selected as the final candidate and will be the next Superintendent, not the internal candidate Dr. Miles. This resulted in a social media frenzy fueled by an upset contingent of parents, former board members and a handful of elected officials.

Having participated in my share of interviews both as the interviewee or the interviewer, including a recent public appointment, I understand conducting such a search process can have limitless formats. It can be a very difficult task to narrow the field to one candidate in the end. Ultimately, any process chosen can be scrutinized. The difficult job Park Hill had at hand in this case was keeping candidates’ consideration private in respect to their current employment. The delicate legal aspects in regards to personnel matters like this can only be explained by their potential for lawsuits, another area we don’t want to be like Kansas City. Nonetheless, maintaining private considerations for the candidates while keeping patrons updated on the progress could have been achieved.

With that said, the process was not illegal, unethical, immoral or rushed. It was simply a political mistake: a failure to communicate. The board wholly admits it. So, as many people have asked me over recent days, why are some so upset? Aren’t there worse things by far that happen in our county and municipal governments where no one even cares to notice? Yes, but it really comes down to the intricate world of school board politics — those who participate in it, and those who unknowingly become a pawn in it.

There may be parents who were disappointed in the lack of communication and involvement. This expectation was set by regular examples of district outreach on things ranging from simply naming a new school to the input solicited on targets for tough budget cuts. When you ask what color the drapes should be, be prepared to be told how the whole room should look. There are also parents who’ve developed a close relationship with Dr. Miles and truly see him as the best choice, despite not knowing the alternatives. This is all understandable to a certain degree, but this was hardly the coup d’état of the school district some may infer. In fact, many administrators have worked in the district since Dr. Fisher’s predecessor and will continue to. A new superintendent is rarely the dramatic house cleaning we commonly see with a new President or Governor.

Either way, there were an influential few who wanted to fight this battle. Whether it was current or former board members, or other elected officials, claiming the process was done in “secret” and with “closed doors” was like yelling fire in a theater to Park Hill patrons. The process, started in October, had never been questioned until word spread Dr. Miles was not selected two weeks ago. Had their preferred choice been selected, there likely would not have been any scrutiny.

In a country where education scores are falling compared to the rest of the world, Park Hill must continue to expect more than being the best according to state standards, because they are just that, standard. Former Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson once said, “All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.” In their decision, that’s what board members did in this case. They knew their decision would be unpopular, but still thought it best. At every level of government we ask our leaders to have backbone and do the same. In this situation, we’re seeing why it doesn’t happen often. It’s not easy to do, especially when you listen to the emotional disapproval. Threats of redemption in April’s school board elections were sharp, but hollow, as the two seats on the ballot are held by members not seeking re-election.

Board members selected for what is not likely Dr. Springton's resume, but his intangibles. In other words, it is not on where he’s been, but where he wants to take us. It’s now up to him, not the Board, to prove to us he was the right selection. One thing not in doubt, even from those most critical, is the support he’ll receive towards his success once he arrives. Park Hill patrons can’t afford anything different.

County budget fiasco avoidable

We’re almost a month into 2012 and few people could have predicted the eventful headlines that would come out of the County administration building so far this year, especially regarding the budget which was finally passed after some initially continuous opposition. While you’ve been able to keep track of the overall discussion and finger pointing that’s taken place through our news coverage, there are a few sometimes subtle, but important themes that haven’t grabbed many peoples’ attention and consideration.

The County Commission has cited one main reason why this year’s budget has required them to make, in some cases, drastic cuts and they’re not afraid to tell you every chance they get. It’s what is referred to as the federal government’s unfunded mandate to upgrade emergency radio equipment. They point it out to as a way to lay the blame of the financial burden at the foot of the federal government, but leave out its purpose.

When the 9/11 Commission report was released in 2004, it cited first responders’ outdated equipment as something that could have saved lives if properly functioning. With this in mind, the federal government issued a requirement for local governments to update their emergency equipment to save lives in the future. The deadline to meet the requirement was set for 2013.

Here in Platte County it may apply in the event of a tornado, flood, or any other emergency where lives could be saved based on response times and effective communications. Giving local governments nearly nine years to implement it was to provide elected officials the time and flexibility to financially manage and budget the costs. It was never intended to be crammed in at the very end like a college student studying for a mid-term. This goes to one of the few fundamental roles county government serves which is to manage the county’s finances responsibly with long-term stability and strength in mind. By most indications, this was simply kicked down the road, no matter how burdensome of a requirement it may be.

While the cuts needing to be made now for the (lack of) budget planning previously are reality, there’s another approach that seems to be playing out. When it comes to budgeting and taxes, the County’s perceived strategy over recent years can go by many different names, one of which simply goes by ‘starve the beast’. With three Republicans on the commission, it’s no surprise their goal is to cut county expenses and lower taxes. That’s reasonable if well-planned, done responsibly, and for the right reasons. As taxpayers, expectations for county government are usually pretty basic. Quality roads, law enforcement protection, customer service, and financial management are the big ones. Usually as a manager, not a politician, you look to cut inefficiencies as much as possible without hurting the results or effectiveness. In a government setting, this would usually be done by lowering expenses to the point where service quality maximizes the benefit to people at the lowest cost, then a tax cut would be merited to reap the savings.

What Platte County has been doing over recent years though is the opposite. The Commission has continuously lowered general fund taxes, therefore causing and requiring the need to cut expenses in the next year’s budget, sometimes at the peril of service and quality as voiced by office holders themselves. Economic conditions aside, this can dramatize budget situations in some years. Their thought is if you ‘feed’ the government less tax revenue, then it can only get skinnier. The question is at what point do you start to sacrifice the muscle? It may have been inadvertent, but this is something Sheriff Richard Anderson and Prosecutor Eric Zahnd made admirable cases for and won in voicing their departments’ cases for less drastic cuts in the revised and approved budget. Proof some long-respected conservatives know the real effects of drawn down resources over time.

Last is Platte County’s favorite political football, the ½ cent parks tax. While Zahnd certainly renewed the debate a couple weeks ago on why the county has a dedicated tax for parks and recreation, but not for law enforcement, there remains the often ignored fact that the tax was approved by voters in 2009 for ten years and isn’t up for renewal for another seven. While the commission could decide to put a revision in front of the voters, it’s an extremely poor precedent to set in good government when you essentially overturn something voted on by the people. This is something the state legislature has continuously done by overturning previously approved statewide ballot measures to the frustration of many. In 2009, the Commission had Platte County choose between two poor options in the form of a ‘yes’ or ‘no vote, a tax to fund parks at a rate probably set too high or barely funding it at all. It should have been an easily mitigated issue before it even went on the ballot as many Platte Countians agree with some form of a parks tax, just not the one currently in place.

None of these topics serve as a basic source of excitement or interest to most, but they are some of the real issues involved in governing, which is very different than politicking. If county office holders had not objected to the Commission’s version of the budget, many of these topics may well have never come up in public discussion. If anything, they raised our awareness to the many good government opportunities our elected officials have on a regular basis we rarely hear of, and just as consequential, those that are passed up on.

Politics will dominate 2012

With Iowa Caucus results coming in as we go to press, 2012 will be dominated politically by the Presidential race. There’s no doubt all races will be affected by it, but while the 2010 local election results mirrored those nationally with huge Republican gains, 2012 should see more balanced results nationally.

2012 will be a year of answers. We’ll learn much more than we did over the course of 2011. Elections tend to fast track those answers. Will President Barack Obama serve a second term? Can Congress accomplish… anything? Will Republicans complete their political takeover of Platte County? Or can local Democrats find candidates respected and strong enough to run despite a less than desired party backing? Will Republican county officials divide themselves into conservatives and moderates?

Commissioners will approve the County’s 2012 budget this week. Included will be a 10 percent employee health insurance cost increase, an estimated $10.7 million contract for emergency communication equipment upgrades and the funding of a $5.4 million community center expansion. Not included will be a three percent cost of living adjustment for County workers proposed by County Auditor Kevin Robinson which has not been done since 2006. The 2012 budget will be slightly smaller than Robinson’s recommendation and the finalized 2011 budget.

Filing to run for public offices begins in February. County officials expected to run for re-election include 1st District Commissioner Kathy Dusenbery and 2nd District Commissioner Jim Plunkett. Three officeholders announced their retirements in 2011 for the end of 2012. They include County Treasurer Bonnie Brown (Democrat), County Administrator Terry Edwards (Democrat) and Sheriff Richard Anderson (Republican). Republican Rob Willard, an attorney, has announced his candidacy for the Treasurer’s seat while Republican Mark Owen, a long-time captain with the department, will run for Sheriff. County Assessor David Christian, a Democrat, is expected to run for election after his appointment last spring.


Also in February (and again in March), Republicans will vote for their party’s Presidential preference. Missouri law requires a primary be held Feb. 7, but the results won’t be binding because the state legislature failed to move it to the Republican Party’s “official” date of March 17 when delegates will be decided by a caucus. In addition to your annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration, which might traditionally include an alcoholic beverage, Republicans can also pick a Presidential candidate. If you’re undecided, then said beverage may aid your selection. In Parkville, you’ll be able to drive your golf cart to the polling place by this point.

April brings school board elections. Possible levy increases will be a large part of those debates. After years of lowering tax levy rates during strong economic times, local school districts may need to reverse course in 2012 to balance their budgets. Similar to some people’s resolutions to lose weight, it’s great to say you lost it, but not as fun when you can’t keep it off.

All three local state representatives appear to be running for re-election in 2012. Galen Higdon, Nick Marshall, and Ron Schieber have no announced opponents so far. Redistricting is still to be finalized, but as the lines currently stand it can be said Marshall benefited with the addition of some strongly conservative neighborhoods in the south. Marshall’s benefit comes at Schieber’s peril as his district now has advantages to a possible Democratic challenger.

During the 2012 legislative session, balancing the budget and Mayor Sly James’s proposed takeover of the Kansas City Missouri School District will take center stage. While Kansas City representatives try to negotiate and pass legislation to address this, look for representatives from more rural areas of Missouri to leverage this to their own agendas. Education aside, Republican legislative leaders have had several months to review and discuss the stalemate within their own party. This will hopefully lead to more progress in 2012.

July brings the major league All-Star game to Kansas City. Where will most of those people come through to get there? That’s right, Platte County via Kansas City International Airport. There probably aren’t any promotions scheduled when the baseball world focuses in on Kansas City, but showcasing the economic and quality of life aspects of moving your residence, business, or convention to Platte County wouldn’t hurt.

August will feature some interesting primary contests along with a number of ballot initiatives. The biggest will be the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate with the winner challenging Senator Claire McCaskill. Former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, Congressman Todd Akin, and businessman John Brunner are the announced Republican candidates. With President Obama’s poor outlook in Missouri, whoever advances will have a good chance against McCaskill. The thought of Independents voting for one, but not for the other in this case is unlikely.

While the state legislature is dominated by Republicans, four out of six statewide offices are held by Democrats. For local Democrats, these are probably some of the races that draw the most excitement in 2012 based on how races are shaping up early. Looking at the White House, President Obama is not where he’d like to be coming into 2012, but neither are his potential opponents. Despite any contrary Iowa results, Mitt Romney will be the Republican Party nominee for two reasons. He’s run a steady, smooth campaign with few mistakes and has the best chance at beating Obama. By most historical indicators, he should be the next President. On the other hand, Obama’s economic and approval numbers are trending positive. He’ll run against a Congress that passed less legislation in 2011 than even the infamous “Do-Nothing Congress” Harry Truman ran against in 1948. Could Obama lose the popular vote, but win the Electoral College? The map says it’s possible. The effect of a third-party candidate can’t be ruled out either.

Of course, this is just what appears on the 2012 horizon. Many more headlines will surface throughout the year. The Citizen will touch on various subjects throughout including the local issues, races and candidates themselves. In the meantime, here’s hoping you all have a great 2012.

2011 was a busy year for county politics

It’s almost a new year, but before looking to 2012 (which we'll do next week) let’s take a broad look back at some of the local political events that shaped 2011. One thing I found amusing this past spring was the mention of it being an 'election year'. If 2011 was an election year, it’s disappointingly safe to say every year is; another blow to people who believe governance in action is the answer, not more campaigning.

After Republicans swept every locally elected position on the ballot in 2010, it was probably expected government on the county level would have a calm, low partisan tone in 2011 with Republicans having little to argue about amongst themselves. The County Commission with new Presiding Commissioner Jason Brown started off the year by cutting expenses in the county budget. It was a generally accepted action based on economic realities even fair-minded Democrats probably agreed with. The budget itself was heralded as a conservative achievement.

In March, the County Commission passed a successful building permit fee moratorium. Contemplating before eventually agreeing with it, I browsed through the County Permit Packet which explains how to get a building permit. Trying to figure out the requirements of obtaining a permit and its costs were almost more difficult than actually paying for the permit itself.

Also in March, Kansas City picked a new Mayor. Sly James edged Platte Countian Mike Burke with 53% of the vote. While there is certainly less controversy and negative attention surrounding the Mayor than before, judging his progress will need to wait until 2012. It’s fair to say the challenges to James, his colleagues, and Kansas City in general are significant.

The first week of April brought the renewal of the one percent Kansas City earnings tax to the ballot. As mentioned above, the city has many problems, one of which is managing its finances. I voiced my support for the tax to a democratic group, but sharing that it could and should be used more efficiently didn’t go over too well. The ‘Yes, but…’ is always a tougher sell than a straight ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. I maintain my position. The tax went on to be renewed by an overwhelming 78%.

May brought a conclusion to the Missouri state legislature’s 2011 regular session. Five months produced little results in passing a state economic or jobs bill, so after negotiating and reaching a tentative deal, they went back in September only to find they still couldn’t agree on a package and finally decided to call it quits for the year. It was an opportunity missed by the Republican-controlled legislature that could have produced dividends for the state’s economy.

In September the County Commission lowered the 2011 tax levy rate for the general fund from two cents to one cent of every $100 of assessed valuation. Property owners will see a slightly lower tax bill, but likely less flexibility and further cuts in the 2012 budget.

In November, as Clay and Jackson Counties went to vote on implementing a Kansas City Zoological Tax District, Platte did not. The County Commission refused to place the issue on the ballot citing the cost of an election, administrative costs of implementing the district, and other costs imposed on taxpayers. Instead they decided the battle was, and will be, best fought in court. One possible line of thought leading to the Commission’s decision was the lack of organized opposition the tax would have. Republican consultant Jeff Roe, who managed the campaigns of many current Republican office holders and organized opposition to the Parks Tax in 2009, consulted as a proponent of the tax ensuring what would have been easy passage. It didn’t happen in 2011, but this issue could still end up on a ballot in the future.

Also in November, it was decided County Assessor David Christian would not see any action taken against him on alleged ‘illegal bonuses’ given in his office in August. Following the interim period between the passing of former Assessor Lisa Pope and appointment of Christian when there was no Assessor’s salary being paid, funds budgeted under the Assessor’s salary were dispersed to employees who filled the void and took on the added workload experienced while the department was without a leader. Christian paid the County back out of his pocket to clear up any potential impropriety. As the only Democratic office holder running for election in 2012, it’s hard to think, both legally and politically, why no action resulted if in fact a law was broken after the rush to initially make the story public.

It's safe to say NBC Action News investigative reporter Russ Ptacek isn't a very popular guy at Parkville City Hall after several stories this year. The first stemmed from the complaint of an Alderman living outside city limits leading to his eventual resignation. During the initial investigation he ran across two more questionable situations. One involved reimbursements through the City Administrator's office. The other involved a complex and an initially unnoticed acquisition of property bordering the National Golf Course for a discounted price with funds donated by interests associated with the golf club and homeowners association. While the recent golf cart ordinance, also likely influenced by the National, provided a headline (and easy punch-line) to end the year, Parkville officials are hoping Ptacek stays in Kansas City proper next year.

School districts were pressed to meet budget restrictions for the second year in a row while Park Hill and West Platte began searches for new superintendents. Spending cuts has been the preferred action in managing lower revenue projections, but how long budgets can be balanced without levy increases is one of the tougher questions boards will face in 2012.

At the beginning of 2011, I wrote it would be a year of positioning. Aside from all the attention the national and statewide races will bring in 2012, much of that positioning will lead to some interesting local storylines for what will be a busy 2012.

Millenial generation brings change in attitude, philosophy

Most of you would probably agree that we need some good news. For most of the summer, we’ve seen and heard stories of how poorly the economy is doing, the dysfunction in government, natural disasters near and far, and several tragic losses of life on the local level. No, there sure hasn’t been much to celebrate recently, at least from a news standpoint.

The drug-out negotiations and debate on the debt ceiling resulted in an agreement to lower budget deficits on the back of $2.4 trillion in spending cuts over the next ten years. Unfortunately, this was only about half of the $4 trillion rating agencies like Standard & Poor’s had clearly said they were looking for. After all the media theatrics the politicians went through, they thought their agreement was reason to celebrate a touchdown when in reality they barely got past the 50-yard line. Not surprisingly, this resulted in a credit rating downgrade from AAA to AA+, further intensifying the finger pointing in Washington.

That paired with a ten percent drop in the stock market will likely be what the summer of 2011 will be remembered for in a political sense for the foreseeable future. Republicans blame President Obama and Democrats are blaming the tea party just as predictably as dogs bark at cats. I’ve previously gone into great length about the various broken parts of government, most specifically the kind of people who run it. Those same sentiments have been echoed again throughout the country recently.

I’m always astonished how our leaders regularly mention the need for tough choices now so our children and grandchildren are able to live in a nation free of the burdensome problems created in their past. Then, they repeatedly revert back to the same behavior that prevents exactly that from happening. So, let’s admit it, for the time being we’re not going to get the long-term governance towards the future we need. What’s that? We need to throw them all out? Well, maybe, but simply replacing our elected representatives with even stronger like-minded folks isn’t going to change much. It’s bigger than this though, it could be generational and possibly a matter of time. Those same children and grandchildren commonly used as political pawns are growing up in a different world than their parents and it’s had an effect on the way they view the world, the people in it, and the problems we face. The ones that should serve as the motivation for progress are more than likely the ones better equipped to actually see it through.

Although I’m biased because I fit into this group, there will soon be a new generation taking the reins of leadership from the aging Baby Boomers (born 1946-64) and members of Generation X (born 1964-80). They’ve been coined Millennials, the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. While eras such as the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and other conflicts in the 60’s and 70’s caused what seemed to be life-long divisions between groups of people, Millennials find themselves growing up in the most diverse culture this country has ever seen. Kids and young adults are less divided on many of the issues that have caused separation among people in the past including race, gender, religion, and other social differences. This has led to a more tolerant and accepting group of Americans. In addition to personal experience, technology and social media has exposed to them multiple points of view and various opinions that help shape their own thoughts. In fact, the availability of those resources has not only made us more informed of the world around us, but also led us to be more flexible and avoid the type of purely absolute thinking so evident in our current leaders.

Millennials aren’t typically driven by traditional issues of contention because as the world becomes more complex they understand that most things aren’t as black and white as they’re commonly made out to be. Even outside of a political context, they tend to display the very characteristics you hear people clamoring for now. Things like compromise, open-mindedness, accepting differences without hostility, and disagreeing without being disagreeable.

Of course, this is just a broad view of the Millenial generation as a whole, not all individuals fit the bill exactly. They come with their own unique faults, which could be a column of its own someday. As my grandpa sometimes says “It’s darkest just before dawn”, and so may be the case now with public satisfaction in government at all-time lows. While many believe social and economic change is always just an election away, the long-term shift away from dysfunctional government may just come with the gradual changing of the guard from generations divided by their conflicts to a generation more adapted to find similarities among their growing differences.

Special session called after legislators fail to address jobs

Republican members of the Missouri House and Senate along with Governor Jay Nixon proved last week it isn't just the political divide between the parties that leads to an inability to accomplish some things; it's politicians themselves in general. Unable to pass any kind of legislation addressing the state’s economic situation with a jobs bill, also known as an economic development package, during the nearly five month period allotted to them by the Missouri Constitution, legislators must now convene a special session to meet what most Missourians agree is currently the state’s most pressing issue. Not only have our elected representatives wasted the resources and time given to them, they’ve asked for more to accomplish what they promised to voters was their top priority.

Partisan gridlock is something we’ve sadly become familiar with in Washington with Republicans and Democrats in a constant struggle for the upper-hand. In Jefferson City though, the situation is very different after the November 2010 elections gave Republicans historically wide majorities in both the House and Senate. To demonstrate, there are now as many freshmen Republicans in the House of Representatives as there are in the entire Democratic caucus. They could virtually run the mill on any issue they felt was a priority without Democrats being able to do much other than serve as an annoyance to stop it. The only thing standing between them in the legislative process is the Democratic Governor, Jay Nixon. To the dismay of many in his party, Nixon has made some very politically calculating decisions in his first term to avoid hot button issues that could be potentially harmful to his re-election. This includes being cautious when it comes to vetoing legislation sent to his desk from the Republican legislature.

With these factors in their favor, Republicans should have finally been able to put together their vision of a comprehensive agenda to strengthen a fragile economy, right? Wrong. Squabbles between the Senate and House are normal in the legislative process, but the Senate, which has traditionally leaned towards the more mature of the two as it usually holds more mild-mannered and veteran lawmakers, seems to have shifted away from that tendency recently to find itself just as likely to be an obstacle to pending legislation as the more populated House.

It may seem like forever ago, but the election of November 2010 was only nine months ago. One thing you won't forget is the message that rang true then and even truer now. Missouri and the United States need jobs. “Jobs, jobs, jobs” were the slogans repeated over and over again by candidates across the country. It’s now been seven months since many of those same candidates were sworn into office and the state of Missouri still has nothing to show for it.

Unlike members of Congress at the federal level, our state legislators serve part-time. January through May, for only a little over three days a week, they travel to Jefferson City to bring solutions to our state’s biggest problems. When the state constitution was established it wasn't thought there was a need for full-time legislators. It was thought they could easily meet their civic duties and have time to pursue other activities whether it was to establish a career, provide for a family, etc. At least that was the thought.

So with such limited time, most of us would feel compelled to dig in immediately and begin discussing, developing, and considering solutions to the state’s problems. In reality, what ends up happening is the first couple weeks of each session are mostly wasted. Any votes that do take place are procedural while much the rest are non-binding resolutions to serve as ideological benchmarks to cite in political mailers for the next election campaign. The majority of the rest of session centers on establishing a balanced state budget. Of course, there are other bills discussed and eventually passed, but many of the serious negotiations and time is spent on the budget. This is a problem as much attributed to the institution as it is the individual lawmakers.

The 10th Amendment to the Constitution and the principle of federalism are based in part on the ability for states to implement their own creative and unique ideas within their borders. This is the task state representatives and state senators are assigned. It is not to constantly grandstand and scold the federal government on issues in Washington D.C. of which they have no control, but to craft programs and policies on a state level that have the opportunity to succeed. This should be done even if it is, as they see it, in spite of obstacles presented by federal government; not to serve as an excuse for inaction. Elections have consequences most of which are rewarding, but with it also comes a burden of responsibility to do what voters were told you would do.

The Missouri legislature and state government in general don’t get the deserved coverage it needs to keep its citizens up to date on progress made on the state’s challenging issues. That’s why it’s easy for decisions made (or lack thereof) to go unnoticed by most taxpayers. One thing certain is while the opportunity to bring an economic development package forward was wasted earlier this year, unlike other issues that are continuously kicked down the road, Missouri will hopefully and finally have a jobs plan to carry out come September that both the wide Republican majority and Governor Nixon will praise. While politically slow and inconvenient for politicians, the wait is nothing compared to the people of Missouri and unemployed job seekers who need its contents the most.

Why most qualified are hesitant to run for office

The classic Greek philosopher Plato once referred to what happens when the wisest people in our community, state, and country sit on the sidelines of democracy, “The punishment of wise men who refuse to take part in the affairs of government is to live under the government of unwise men." Those words, spoken over two thousand years ago, still relate on a basic level to our own present-day government. If some of our most capable and knowledgeable members of society choose not to go into public service we are left with the consequences of being led by those who've mastered the art of political gamesmanship and use of exhaustive talking points, instead of those with applicable experience in the subjects at hand and even the most visible hint of humble common sense.

At first thought it’s completely understandable why people are reluctant to participate in government, whether it’s running for office or simply holding a position on a board or committee. Even before considering the internet and 24-hour news cycle, drawbacks can include the potential for continuous scrutiny, unfair misrepresentations, and to the frustration of taxpayers and elected officials alike, agonizing gridlock. Now, with advancements in technology, civic progress and individuals’ reputations can be held ransom at the mercy of a Twitter, Facebook, or blog post that can be sent to thousands with the simple click of a mouse. Even if you’re able to escape all of that, with the simple declaration of a party affiliation, a percentage of the public will likely automatically caste you to the extreme as a right-wing, Conservative Republican or a leftist, Liberal Democrat whether it’s deserved or not.

This, all in addition to the actual problems needing to be addressed by the position. The most enduring and long-standing politicos might say you can’t handle the heat or don’t have the backbone upon which to guide your service. When in reality, it doesn’t mean you lack the courage of your convictions; it simply means you value the life you’ve built for yourself along with the relationships you’ve developed too much for them to be trashed by those who enjoy rolling in the mud of public character assaults. Yes, it’s easy to understand why the ‘wise’ may choose to take their ambitions to the private sector and use philanthropy as their way of leaving a mark on their community.

But as quickly as we can come up with the list of reasons not to participate in government on a personal level, it takes a little more to realize what the implications of non-participation are to our community as a whole. While a simple answer to the gridlock, scandals, and non-solutions we witness everyday is to go on with our lives independently and write the entire lot of politicians off as phony, incompetent, and self-serving; that mind of thought won’t solve the problems we face any better. As Plato stated, it’s the consequences of not participating we must consider, where inaction leaves us with the same unsatisfied results we had previously. At least with active engagement, those who envision a better way can say they put forward the effort.

The wise may consider staying away from government participation, but it is also the wise with the most potential to prove to us again public service is a noble undertaking. After all, it is the wise in settings outside of government whose actions are based on the situation at hand, not a pre-determined political philosophy established decades in the past. It is the wise that consider the long-term, big picture and not what many times are the insignificant pieces of the whole when making substantial decisions. And yes, it is the wise that refrain from the common acts among politicians and their associates that make us hesitate when the opportunity for public participation presents itself.

So while we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day this week in our own unique ways whether it be enjoying a parade, festival, cookout, day at the lake, or a simple chance to relax, remember 235 years ago it was a collective group of ‘wise’ men who didn’t refuse to participate in their government, but did refuse to live under the rule of the unwise.

Turn complacent apathy into participation and we, like them, can also set the course for generations to come. We get the government we deserve and many times it starts with who decides to throw their hat into the ring in the first place.

Legislators let ego get in the way of practical solutions

With all the pundits, politicians, and activists that throw their two cents into the national conversation on a daily basis, there’s rarely a need for local columns to pass those same exhaustive opinions on as their own. But it seems, as too often happens in Washington, recent debates have focused so much on the ideological politics of winning and losing that instead of finding a solution and implementing it, our representatives have dug into the same stubborn policies they’ve put their head down and pushed for in the past. All to prove they are, and always have been, ‘right’, instead of facing them practically. It’s come to such a standstill that earlier this week Standard & Poor’s, a credit rating agency, issued a negative outlook addressing concerns the United States might not be able to address the ballooning deficit and national debt because of the political divisiveness preventing a solution to the most important aspects of our country’s finances.

Reducing the annual budget deficit and reforming the tax code have been topics bounced around like political beach balls for years, but using a little more common sense and a little less rhetoric would go a long way in improving our financial outlook. You may have heard the saying ‘it’s not a revenue problem, it’s a spending problem’ when substantial cuts in government spending are promoted. While government has many, many inefficiencies that need to be removed, spending is only part of our deficit problem. Think about a family or a business, whether they are facing difficult times or looking to grow. Would cutting spending get them completely out of their financial slump or take their business to the next level? No. Sure, it’ll give them some breathing room, but it wouldn’t significantly change their position. They look for other means of building revenue whether it is by taking on another job, gaining new clients, or developing new products in addition to trimming their budget. Government should do the same.

At this point, someone might say this is advocating for an income tax rate increase. It’s not. In fact, decreasing our deficit and national debt doesn’t have to be generated through tax rate increases at all. Job creation is the proven and most effective way to close the gap when combined with spending cuts. Adding more jobs doesn’t increase the burden on people already earning income, but increases the amount of employees who pay taxes at the current rate.

Tax reform is a timely issue with the 2010 filing deadline passing earlier this week. The over 70,000 page tax code is only growing and it’d be hard to find someone who thinks this is a positive. Many of those pages include tax credits, deductions, exemptions, and loopholes to itemize returns and the amount owed each year. Individuals and businesses can trim hundreds and thousands of dollars off their total tax amount through a variety of different incentives politicians, backed by special interests, have passed over the years. There are potential benefits for taxpayers of all economic classes if they have the knowledge or access to professional assistance to make sure they qualify and document it properly for the IRS. Each tax break lowers their effective income tax rate. While someone may be in the 33% bracket, after a handful of credits and deductions, their real rate might really turn out to be closer to 29% in the end. This disproportionally hurts the majority of filers who simply do their own taxes without itemizing their return. A good analogy can be looked at through the perspective of your favorite restaurant. Patrons who frequent the establishment for their highest-priced and best entrées would typically drive the business’s profits, but instead they often receive the best coupons, and could essentially pay less on their entrée than you might for your simple sandwich. You’re not aware of the discounts so you pay full price as listed on the menu. Because of the discounts others receive, the menu price is higher to make sure those discounts don’t put the businesses revenues at risk as a whole. This is a broad generalization, but the simple point remains the same: limiting tax breaks for the few could lower everyone’s margin tax rate over the long-term.

These are solutions that prevent an undesired adjustment upward in tax brackets and would allow each political party to accomplish their basic legislative and political goals. Republicans would be able to say they kept taxes at their current levels, Democrats would be able to say they reduced tax breaks favoring the wealthy, and Independents would have a slightly restored faith their government has the potential to meet the challenges this country faces. As is usually said when it seems when a solution or set of ideas seem so clear to follow, “Easier said than done”.

Northland misses opportunity; PH candidates aligned in two camps

Yet another election date is before us on April 5th as school board, municipal, and Kansas City’s earning tax are on the ballot this coming Tuesday. But before broadly touching on those subjects, it’s important to note the significance of last Tuesday’s Kansas City mayor and council elections. Although the Northland missed its chance to elect the first mayor from north of the river, it also missed an opportunity to solidify itself as a stronger voting bloc in relation to its growing population. Only 20,000 of the 70,000 votes cast were from Northland voters, nearly 28% of the vote compared to the approximately 35% of Kansas City’s population living north of the river.

Voter turnout in the Northland is just one of the reasons Kansas City’s earnings tax will pass. Without a considerable turnout and vote margin in the Northland there is an unlikely chance the tax will be repealed. Voters who oppose the earnings tax are more likely to hold conservative positions on taxes and the Northland is generally considered more conservative leaning than other areas within in the city limits of Kansas City.

There are several issues on the ballot for the Park Hill School District. First is approval for the issuance of $49 million in bonds for the construction of a new elementary school, infrastructure projects, and security upgrades. District officials have gone to great lengths to explain the specifics of the bond in promoting its passage. The key selling point is it doesn’t require an increase in taxes because the district is able to pay for the bond payments under the current debt structure already in place. Funds made available through the bond issue would then be able to be used towards capital projects that without passage will need to be paid for through the general operating budget. Requiring these improvements to be paid out of the operating fund would leave the district more vulnerable to state funding cuts that have affected school districts in recent years with the most recent round of budget reductions totaling more than $2 million dollars. There is no organized opposition to the bond.

Also before Park Hill residents will be the task of electing four people to the Park Hill School Board, three for three-year terms and one to a fill a one-year unexpired term. While there are now 11 candidates for the four spots, two different slates of candidates seem to have formed. The first is made up of incumbent board members Fred Sanchez and Pauli Kendrick along with Boon Lee and Rick Turley. All are endorsed by the teachers of Park Hill’s chapter of the National Education Association. The second ticket consists of Timothy Thompson, Chris Seufert, and David Cox who seem to have joined their campaign efforts together. Also running is incumbent Janice Bolin, Michael Atchison, Josh Blackman, and Todd Burr.

The NEA slate for the most part resembles a politically diverse makeup of two Democrats, one Republican, and an Independent while the opposing ticket has is contrasting itself as strongly conservative. Unfortunately, the intentional nonpartisan nature of school board elections has been lost to some extent. This was reinforced earlier this week when the conservative slate announced an endorsement from the Club for Growth PAC, a group traditionally focused on electing like-minded members to Congress and whose education policy revolves around the issuance of school vouchers, essentially a free-market system of educational choice. When this happens, more of a politically charged debate takes place about finances, classroom experience, and the district’s future. Perspective, practical ideas, and electing quality board members take a backseat to ideology. Presenting candidates to voters in the form of a slate also leaves open the opportunity to elect less qualified board members instead of selecting an individual candidate on their own merit.

Park Hill’s board has had a mix of ideologies throughout the years, but has avoided the political battles we often see fought in other public arenas. While challengers to the current board should be welcomed, and even encouraged to ensure the best board member makeup as possible, be sure to note the number of state and national awards the district has been recognized with in regards to overall performance, financial management, student achievement, top administrators, and quality teachers in recent years before you’re led to believe arguments about needed changes and misplaced priorities.

Burke best choice for Kansas City, Platte County

There has been much made of the similarities between the two candidates for Mayor of Kansas City, Mike Burke and Sly James. Indicating they would run positive campaigns, both have avoided traditional attacks up to this point which is both encouraging and refreshing. While this is a change from many political campaigns, the absence of negative ads and false information has actually led to a debate over qualifications and leadership leaving voters with two candidates more contrasting than initially played out to be.

The two have been labeled and for the most part embraced two different brands. Northlander Mike Burke, a longtime civic leader and attorney, promotes his extensive involvement in committees and boards both private and public to voters as a way to prove his knowledge of the issues and processes involved with city government. This, along with career experience in economic development, will allow him to be an effective mayor on day one. He's been concise and specific about his approach to solving the city's many problems. Burke's candidacy combines nuts and bolts knowledge of the city's complexities with over 35 years of business and non-profit leadership.

Sly James, also an attorney, has taken the complete opposite approach of Burke as he has made a point of highlighting his inexperience with government related bodies and has indicated a leader with little experience in governance and new ideas is the best way to bring wide-spread change to Kansas City. His campaign has been geared mostly towards an attitude and overall idea of positivity, one which promotes inclusiveness and an open mind. Surrounding himself with experts on certain matters is how he plans on adopting knowledge of the inner-workings at City Hall.

With that in mind, Mike Burke is the best candidate to lead Kansas City in a positive direction as a whole. A large percentage of the growth Kansas City has experienced in the last decade has occurred in the Northland and projections show it will continue that way into the next decade as well. That’s why a group of Northland county commissioners along with other former and current elected leaders endorsed Burke earlier this week. Not only has Burke lived in the Northland for over three decades, he could possibly be the most qualified and capable candidate for Mayor in the last fifty years. He has the right combination of private, public, and non-profit involvement to give him a perspective from every facet of Missouri’s highest populated city. James’ knowledge consists mostly of Southern Kansas City and has indicated his interests in the same way with his absence at the only two Northland candidate forums.

The mayor's office is one that requires the highest degree of professionalism in order to be successful and should have a proven professional as its office holder just the same as we’d expect from any doctor, lawyer, or employee that were to work for us. The most successful accomplishments and groundbreaking discoveries aren’t achieved by those described as outsiders or inexperienced, much the same as cancer won’t be cured by someone unfamiliar to the medical practice. Burke is the essence of a professional and it’s evident in his previous work.

A common problem with races outlined as experience versus inexperience is only one candidate’s history is available for voters to reference while the other is left trying to convince voters that their words alone will produce accomplishments after the fact, in essence asking voters to gamble for the potential payoff. In this case, Burke’s resume proves he’s a leader with the capacity to steer a course for further accomplishments. For Kansas City, the best way to tell where Mike Burke can take it is to look at what he has already done.

If elected, Burke would be the first Northlander and Platte Countian to hold the position of Mayor of Kansas City. Rarely a priority for Mayors past, the recently released census numbers show the Northland has continually grown as a stronger voter block and along with it is in need of more city services. Burke realizes this and knows how to balance the traditionally disparaged attention of the Northland with those already getting attention south of the river. Coincidently, the Northland is also getting their chance as well because electing what could bring their first mayor into office will have a lot to do with the nearly 40% of the projected vote coming from it.

Platte Countian hopes to make final cut: Attorney Mike Burke is one of six trying to unseat KC Mayor Mark Funkhouser

His summer construction job at KCI Airport while in high school in the 60’s was Mike Burke’s first exposure to Platte County as a young man and was just the beginning of what would be 35 years of involvement in high profile projects, not only in the Northland, but the Kansas City metro area as a whole.

It’s been a path for this Platte County resident that has included participating in leadership roles for local civic and non-profit organizations, time as a City Councilman, and a career as an attorney working on some of the area’s largest economic development projects. Now, with an impressive resume of public involvement and private business accomplishments, Burke believes he is the right person to be elected Kansas City’s next mayor, the first Platte County resident to ever hold the position.

“I’m very fortunate to look around and say that I had a role to play in numerous projects that have had a lasting and positive impact on our city,” Burke said. “I am proud of my accomplishments and want to take these experiences with me to the mayor’s office.  I want all of us to realize these success stories again and be proud of Kansas City.”  

A crowded field of six seek to unseat incumbent Mayor Mark Funkhouser, all of which also have credentials to their name.

Although Burke grew up in Midtown and attended Rockhurst High School before going on to graduate from Georgetown University and Georgetown Law, he moved to southern Platte County when he returned from school to start his career, and later a family, and has now lived here going on close to 35 years. His interest in community was sparked from involvement in small organizations such as the one that worked to improve Barry Road in the 70’s followed by the development of what are now Synergy Services and SafeHaven. He served as director of what is now known as the Northland Chamber of Commerce which motivated him to run for the City Council representing the Northland in 1985 to fill an unexpired term. As a councilman, he gained a reputation for being straight forward and having an ability to build relationships.

With a wealth of knowledge gained in the processes and functionality of city government while serving as a member of the Council, he decided to not run for re-election at the end of his term. A young family at home, Burke decided to focus more time there while also re-entering the private sector working to represent clients working on economic development projects. At this point in his life, he thought his Council days would be his last as an elected official, but it didn’t take long for his passion to participate in the public arena motivate him to dedicate his time to local causes. Throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s, he used his expertise in economic development techniques and knowledge of local government processes to serve as Director of the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City along with the Port Authority, two of the leading economic bodies for the city of Kansas City, Missouri. One of his most visible contributions was in the form of his professional assistance along with personal commitment to the development of Berkley Park on the Missouri Riverfront where he later helped create the KC Riverfest event held each summer.

It was a little over a year ago when Burke, who had participated in the growth of his hometown his entire career, saw a city government he didn’t think was living up to its full potential. An economic recession and an inability for the current council and mayor to work together were allowing important problems to go unaddressed like businesses relocating to Kansas, building the infrastructure needed for a strong and vibrant downtown, capital improvements and maintenance, providing jobs and housing. All issues Burke has extensive experience with and an in-depth knowledge of from his past work on the Council along with private sector application.

“I have unique insight into how to draw and keep businesses and jobs in Kansas City,” Burke said. “Over the years, I’ve taken part in a wide variety of civic and charitable groups and forged a reputation for optimism, coalition-building, and for enticing businesses to invest in our community.”

But the most troubling thing of all to Burke was the type of leadership that had taken over City Hall and the affect it was having on the overall city. He says one of his most important priorities would be to provide leadership that makes Kansas Citians proud of their city and have trust in their elected officials.

“I would restore leadership and professionalism to the mayor's office. We have had neither for four long years. We have a great city with many successes and opportunities. Building on them is within our grasp, but only with a mayor who reaches out to the city council, to business, to other area governments and to our citizens,” Burke said.

Important for Platte Countians to pay attention to KC mayoral race

Kansas City is less than two weeks away from its mayoral primary election on February 22. The two receiving the top votes will advance to the general election March 22. While a crowded field usually fills the ballot when there is an open seat, Mayor Mark Funkhouser is only in his first term and running for re-election. Funkhouser has drawn sharp criticism from civic leaders and citizens from around the city for his handling of a number of situations and heading a city council that has found itself in near gridlock for the better part of three years. This has led several high profile community leaders to challenge him. In fact, with the strong support and credentials of the other candidates, Funkhouser is on pace to become the first Kansas City Mayor in over fifty years to not win re-election.

The 2011 mayoral campaign is unique because of the caliber of candidates in the race. While there are currently six candidates challenging Funkhouser’s re-election, four have risen to the top of the field. Slyvester ‘Sly’ James, Mike Burke, Deb Hermann, and Jim Rowland have a wide range of community, business, and government experience spanning their entire careers. All bring reputations generally held in high regard with specific strengths they’ve highlighted at various forums and debates this month. In a large city with many different constituencies to discuss issues, a city-wide campaign can be complex and unpredictable. Between the seven total candidates, 20% of the total vote could be enough for a candidate to advance to the general election campaign, meaning they will be working hard to earn it.

During Sly James’s 26-year legal career, he became the first African-American partner at the law firm of Blackwell, Sanders, Matheny, Weary & Lombardi, served as president of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, was appointed to the board of the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, and successfully twice chaired the Save Our Stadiums committee to bring improvements to the Truman Sports Complex. James currently runs his own small law firm, The Sly James Firm. His campaign has taken a broad focus to education, employment, government efficiency, and law enforcement (the four E’s). Supporters see strength in the fact that he hasn’t held elected office before and is known for bringing a positive approach to problems.

Long-time Platte County resident and economic development lawyer Mike Burke has participated in some of Kansas City’s largest job creation projects over the past 30 years. Burke recently served as President and CEO of the King Hershey law firm. He served a partial term on the City Council in the 80’s, but is known more for his involvement as President of what is now the Northland Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Public Improvements Advisory Committee (PIAC) which is responsible for distributing funds for public works projects, and a leading advocate of the development of Berkley Park along the Missouri River where Riverfest is held each July Fourth weekend. His campaign has focused on his vast knowledge of tools available for creating economic opportunities and his business experience leading successful organizations.

Northland neighborhood advocate and current City Councilwoman Deb Hermann served in a number of volunteer community roles throughout the 90’s and was appointed to the City Planning Commission and Property Maintenance Advisory Committee before running for office. Elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2007, Hermann is currently the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee which is responsible for making many of the budgetary and financial decisions for the city. In difficult economic times, many close to the actions of the city have given her positive credit on the steps taken in recent years to improve the city’s financial standing. Supporters of Hermann think her ‘accidental politician’ status allows her to rise above divisive politics, while her detailed knowledge of the budget will be an asset to a cash-strapped city.

Jim Rowland is a former I.T. business consultant and City Council member. Rowland left his position on the Council to accept the job of Executive Director of the Truman Sports Complex Authority where he oversaw $700 million worth of renovations and improvements. Rowland has been involved as a youth baseball coach and part-time teacher in recent years as well. His campaign has focused on his inclusiveness of women and minority businesses in the Truman Sports Complex project and handling of the funds along with his experience with city issues while on the Council.

Brushing just the surface of these candidates, many Kansas City residents will have a tough decision picking a single person. Each brings their own unique background, strengths, and persona leaving some to wish for a hybrid of them all. Any of the four top challengers could realistically advance to the March general election and even a glimmer of hope still remains for Funkhouser. Although there has been very little in-fighting between the challengers, Funkhouser’s likely opportunity to sneak through the primary would be if the vote were divided evenly between his opponents. However, the prowess of political consultant Jeff Roe and some last minute campaign donations can never be underestimated.

Even though the majority of Platte County’s land mass is not in Kansas City, a significant portion of its population is. Kansas City has served as a regional hub of commerce for decades and supports the many municipalities that border it. The election of the next Mayor of Kansas City will have wide ranging effects beyond the city’s limits so while many may not be able to vote in the election, turning your attention to it will be time well spent.