What Platte County candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot have to say on taxes, abortion & more

Missouri voters will have the chance to cast a ballot on Nov. 8, or earlier — anyone can vote in-person absentee for this election starting on Oct. 25. Voters will decide on five ballot questions and numerous races from the federal down to the county level of government. Kansas City voters will decide on two city questions too.

Below are links to candidates’ responses to The Star’s survey from those running for the state legislature in Platte County districts, as well as Platte County presiding commissioner.

And here is a link to all of the Missouri races on the ballot for voters around Kansas City.

If you’re not sure, you can look up your voter information to see which district you live in, and where your polling site is.

How the voter guide works:

Click on the race you are curious about, and you’ll go to a page with candidates’ responses. There, you can use the jump menu to get to a specific race or district.

Any candidates that do not have answers below their names did not respond to the survey. Our team at The Star contacted campaigns multiple times via both email and phone calls over the past month.

If you are a candidate and would like to get in touch with us and submit responses still, you can email us at kcq@kcstar.com. Voters will continue using this tool all the way through election day.

A note on editing and fact-checking

Some survey responses were very lightly edited for grammar, but the substance of the responses were not edited at all and are the candidates’ own words. The Star did not fact-check all of the candidates’ responses.

If you are concerned about misinformation or would like to learn more about some of the issues referenced in candidates’ responses, we wanted to include this past story about how to spot misinformation: How to tell if a politician is lying? A scholar who studies what they say has some advice.

Platte County Presiding Commissioner

Scott Fricker, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Scott Fricker refused to complete The Star’s candidate survey and said in an email, “I will not respond to your sham survey.”

Campaign website: electfricker.com

John DeFoor Sr., Democrat

Should the county raise property taxes, lower them or keep them the same?

I believe we need to lower our property tax at this point. The overinflated housing market has led to unreal housing prices directly affecting property taxes. We need to get these taxes back down to where they should have been before the market shot up. We also need to assure that overinflated housing prices will not make property tax skyrocket again in the future as they did this year. Another issue we need to address is the property taxes for the elderly issues such as this have a terrible effect on those living on fixed incomes.

What changes should the county make in the services it provides?

I would like to see that the county is providing appropriate funding to the county health department to assure the basic health and safety of the community. Assure we have appropriate services needed for the elderly in our community. Ability to direct families and children in our community to the appropriate community services for mental health or any other needs. Assure that we can work with Clay and Jackson County to bring our libraries back to full funding that was put in place by the voters.

What should the county prioritize when making choices about new development projects?

I believe that we need to look at the areas around where the developments will be placed and how they mesh into the community landscape. We need to take into account the infrastructure and surrounding landscapes to try to better incorporate those into our future development as a community. While it is important to grow as a community, no one wants to have a huge commercial development near them without some separation between their community and that development. We also need to consider our natural resources such as waterways and woodlands and the effect that development will have on them.

What is one other thing you’d like to accomplish for the county that you have not already addressed?

I would like our county to allow the Children’s Services Fund to be put on the ballot for a vote of the people. I would like to see more transparency in our county and the ability to see who is representing you on boards and commissions at the county level. I would like to see those boards and commissions be an equal representation of the people in our county, not a majority of white Republican men. I would also like to see our county back our library system instead of defunding them and trying to destroy it from the inside.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

I believe that the presidential election of 2020 was 100% fair and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president. I also condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection and I believe that anyone who was involved in the insurrection should be held accountable to the maximum extent of the law. I would also like to point out that in August 2022 Republican Central Committee of Platte County released a resolution that they believe the 2020 election was not valid and Biden is not the legitimate president. My Republican opponent still has not renounced that statement or released anything otherwise.

Campaign website: no website

State Senate District 34

Tony Luetkemeyer, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Tony Luetkemeyer did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.tonyformissouri.com

Sarah Shorter, Democrat

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

Missouri needs to create a safe working environment for teachers and compensate them appropriately. Teachers need to be paid a living, thriving wage so they can devote their time to teaching and not require two jobs to pay bills. We should be fully funding our public schools so teachers do not need to use their own money for school supplies. We need commonsense gun legislation to curb school shootings, keeping them safer.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

Everyone should have access to safe, legal abortion. The legislature’s only role in abortion should be legalizing it. Missouri’s current abortion ban is overreach, and immediate steps should be taken to repeal it and put new laws in place protecting the right to abortion and other reproductive health care. If we want to decrease abortions, the solution is not to ban them and cut off the rights to privacy and access to health care of people, but decreasing the need for them. This includes comprehensive sex ed, stronger punishment for sexual predators and easier access to contraceptives.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

Recreational use of cannabis should be legal. However, the current wording of the amendment on the ballot is not as proactive as it could be. I also have misgivings about the lottery system for licenses and the divisions and regulations for dispensaries of different sizes and how this would harm small business owners and industry growth.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

Joe Biden is the fairly, legally, and legitimately elected president. I believe in the right to protest. I understand rioting in the face of injustice. Trying to overthrow the government and perpetrate violence on people certifying a fair and free election is something else entirely, and I wholeheartedly condemn it.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

No answer

Campaign website: www.shorter4statsenate.com

State Representative District 12

Tom Hutsler, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Tom Hutsler did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.facebook.com/tomhutslermo

Jamie Johnson, Democrat

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

The state legislature needs to prioritize paying teachers a competitive wage. Currently, Missouri is 49th in public education funding and near the bottom of national lists in both starting and average teacher pay. We need to ensure that we provide funding to adjust the Foundation Formula as needed every two years. We have not adjusted the formula for the recent rise in inflation, and for years we have not made the necessary adjustments to increase the formula because the state did not prioritize the allocation of funds to education. Missouri has $15 billion dollars in the bank; we need to fund education.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

Simply put, we shouldn’t. Reproductive health decisions including the decision to have an abortion, or not, are personal and should not be made in legislative sessions. Each family and individual trying to make these decisions are weighing factors that none of us have to live with. As well, now that we’ve started legislating bodily freedom, the list of what may follow is terrifying. I support taking measures to repeal the trigger ban legislation and ensure health care including proper family planning care is affordable to ensure healthy reproductive knowledge and increase healthy outcomes.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

I have serious concerns with the language in the constitutional ballot measure. The limits on scaling micro-license businesses, the stop and cite language, and the permanence of a constitutional amendment over legislation that can be changed if inefficient are my main issues. I support legalizing recreational marijuana but this particular amendment is not the best approach and will do more harm than good in so many already vulnerable communities.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

Yes.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

If elected, it will be my job to listen and represent District 12. That means I have to be practical in my understanding of each individual’s why, motivation and the life experiences that led the individual to a stated position. Gaining that type of understanding takes relationship building with those who may think differently or have different life experience than I do. I have had an incredible amount of life experience both negative and positive, what I know is all of those experiences better allows me to understand what people are going through during the toughest and the most accomplished parts of their life. Those experiences will make me a better legislator.

Campaign website: jamieformo.com

State Representative District 13

Sean Pouche, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Sean Pouche did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: citizensforpouche.com

State Representative District 14

Eric Holmes, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Eric Holmes did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.facebook.com/EricholmesforMissouriDistrict14

Ashley Aune, Democrat

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

The most important thing the legislature can do to address the teacher shortage is to trust and respect teachers enough to let them do their jobs. Year after year, Missouri Republicans send the opposite message to teachers by continuing to underfund public education, sending public dollars to private schools, and even trying to ban curriculum. It’s no wonder Missouri teachers are leaving the profession in droves. Our educators need support, increased pay and the resources they’re asking us for — not book bans and four-day school weeks.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

The state of Missouri should stay out of women’s health care decisions. Unfortunately, as long as pro-choice lawmakers are in the minority, we have few options for undoing this incredibly extreme abortion ban. So in the long term, the solution is to elect more Democrats. In the short term, I hope we have an opportunity to put protecting the right to abortion in Missouri to a vote of the people soon. Abortion is health care, not a political pawn — just ask a 10-year-old rape victim or any woman who has suffered a miscarriage, or whose fetus is diagnosed with a fatal abnormality.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

Yes. I’ll be the first to admit that this ballot measure is not perfect. I believe it disproportionately favors business owners already in the medical cannabis space; it does nothing to address the incredible inequities already plaguing the industry; and the criminal justice reform portion is severely lacking. Quite frankly, it’s a disappointment compared to the bipartisan bill we tried to pass this year in the legislature. But it’s an important first step — and I don’t know when we’ll have this chance again. I hope it passes and look forward to working within the legislature to fix some of these issues.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

Yes. The election was fairly decided, Joe Biden is our president, and I absolutely condemn the violent insurrection and every person who participated.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

When folks learn I’m a Democrat and Moms Demand Action volunteer, some assume I want to take their guns away. That’s simply not true. I’m actually a gun owner myself and married to a Veteran who taught me all I know about firearms and firearm safety. I just believe we can live in a world where we maintain our Second Amendment rights and also reduce gun violence of all kinds. After the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, I organized an unofficial, bipartisan discussion on gun violence within the legislature, and I’m hopeful it will turn into legislation that keeps Missourians safer.

Campaign website: www.ashleyformissouri.com

This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 7:00 AM.