Affordability: Kansas Democratic primary candidates speak out in governor race | Walker
Editor's Note: The Kansas City Star Editorial Board has been meeting with candidates in this year’s Aug. 4 primary. Most recently, we met in person with the three Democratic candidates vying for Kansas governor: Kansas State Sens. Ethan Corson, Cindy Holscher and Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog. Over the next few days, we will discuss main issues of importance to voters and candidates that came up during interviews. Today: affordability.
A new survey found Kansans ranked number one in the nation to be in financial distress based on credit score, credit accounts in distress, and change in bankruptcy filings. The survey, conducted by WalletHub, defines an account in distress as one which either is in forbearance or has its payments deferred.
Certainly, affordability and cost of living will be a primary issue during the primary.
The Kansas City Star Editorial Board asked the three candidates vying for Kansas governor in the Democratic primary about cost of living, but also asked each what is the most important issue of their campaign. All said cost of living was important, but state Sen. Cindy Holscher was the only candidate who said affordability was her primary interest.
Ethan Corson
State Sen. Ethan Corson said his goal as governor is for Kansas to be the “most affordable state in the country to have a middle class quality of life.” While he listed healthcare as his primary focus, he talked about that connection to affordability.
“I do think healthcare is going to be a continuing issue of real focus and it’s something that I hear from voters — whether it’s increases in the cost of premiums or whether it’s just because of things like the end of the (Affordable Care Act) tax credits, just the inability to afford a healthcare plan at all.”
He said he has worked on cost of living measures in the Kansas Senate, including trying to eliminate state sales tax on groceries, the state income tax on Social Security, to freeze property taxes for certain older adults on fixed incomes.
If elected, he said he could introduce a measure to cut property taxes based on assessed value, as well as vehicle registration tax, but fully fund the schools through income and sales tax.
Cindy Holscher
“The focus really is on affordability. I’ve done over 70 town halls across the state uh over the past several months and that’s what I’m hearing from everybody. And the question that keeps coming up is we’re in an affordability crisis. What is the legislature doing to help people? And sadly, we haven’t seen very good response from the legislature.” Holscher said.
The state senator told us that it comes down to access to affordable housing, healthcare and childcare. “Those are some of the components that are really causing people to struggle.” She also mentioned high gasoline prices and grocery prices. “And high property taxes, that’s an issue all across the state.” Her plan aims to lower residential property tax assessment rates from 11.5% to 9.0%.
Funding schools is another part of her platform, as it relates to taxes and affordability. She said recent bills brought forward in the legislature are “just gimmicks and band-aids. The core issue is this: The legislature is responsible and has an obligation to fund our public schools. … When we don’t do that, the obligation gets shifted to the local level, they have to make up that gap. That means property taxes go up.”
Curt Skoog
Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog proposed his “Thrive” plan for Kansas, which incorporates a plan for affordability though consensus building. “It’s really focused on building thriving communities across the state,” he said.
Skoog emphasized the cost of healthcare and availability. “You can’t have a thriving community without healthcare. We have 28 local or rural hospitals that are in imminent threat of closure in Kansas. We have to address that.” Skoog also brought up property taxes.
“Let’s talk about property taxes, right? The leaders of the House and the Senate have made it their No. 1 priority for the last three years And yet they’re not able to get anything done, right? Because they don’t believe in consensus building. They believe in dictating and that’s not the way to move a community forward.”
Next: Legalization of cannabis.
