The Star’s recommendations for the Kansas City-area elections on Nov. 4 | Opinion
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Kansas City-area voters will go to the polls. The Star Editorial Board has published endorsements in many of your contested races, and they are on our Election Recommendations page. For election news, check out The Star’s Voter Guide. We are devoting significant time and resources to our local elections. We believe they are that important, and we think you should, too.
KANSAS
Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County
Mayor/CEO: Wyandotte County voters face a critical decision Tuesday. The last three mayors have lasted just one term, costing the community.
We endorse Rose Mulvany Henry, a lawyer and current member of the Board of Public Utilities. Henry is smart, focused, and shows the leadership skills essential in Wyandotte County.
Opponent Christal Watson is also ready to tackle the county’s many problems. She seems more a consensus-builder, though, than a leader. Narrowly, we think Henry is the choice.
County commissioners
District 1: Political newcomer Jermaine “Jae” Howard is the choice here. He wants to support local businesses, and address affordable housing. Lisa Walker-Yeager, his opponent, faces legal concerns.
District 2 at-large: We recommend attorney Andrew Kump. He promises to focus on transparency and accountability. We think opponent Philip Lopez’s behavior is too often unbecoming of an elected official.
District 5: Carlos Pacheco deserves your vote, because he represents new and fresh ideas. The other candidate is LaVert Murray.
District 8: We narrowly endorse incumbent Andrew Davis for this seat. His experience makes him the choice over opponent Jacob Handy, a filmmaker.
Board of Public Utilities
District 1 at-large: We endorse Gary Bradley-Lopez, who is the clear choice over Lisa Walker-Yeager, who could face a challenge to her eligibility if she wins both of her races.
District 2: Chase Cook is the narrow choice over opponent Neal Palmer.
District 2 at-large: Two big names in KCK politics want this seat. We endorse David Alvey, the former mayor, who has avoided some of the ethical concerns surrounding Kansas state Sen. David Haley.
Overland Park
Mayor: We endorse Mayor Curt Skoog for another term in office. Skoog represents the status quo in Overland Park, which routinely shows up on the lists of best places to live. He’s focused on essential services. He’s also ready to listen for plans to bring the Royals to his city.
Opponent Faris Farasatti opposes the Royals relocation – in fact, he’s against almost all public subsidies for businesses. We think subsidies are overused, too, but eliminating them is a bad idea.
Overland Park faces challenges, including the need for more housing and high taxes. We think Skoog is best able to face those challenges.
City council
Ward 2: We endorse Melissa Cheatham. Cheatham has been an effective council member and supports a property tax rebate program. Her opponent is Sydney Marsden.
Ward 3: We recommend Amy Scrivner for the seat. She’s prepared and focused on target property tax relief. Her opponent is Tom Carignan, who left the council after a single term.
Ward 4: Scott Mosher earns our endorsement. He supports a revenue-neutral budget and tax relief. Amy Antrim is the other nominee in this race.
Ward 5: In a close contest, we support Andrew Payne for this position. He says he doesn’t want to see “core” services reduced. His opponent, Alexandria Washington, is a good option, but falls short of Payne.
De Soto
Mayor: We think incumbent Rick Walker has done a good job of overseeing De Soto’s growth during the construction of the Panasonic battery plant, and we endorse him. His opponent is Rob Daniels.
Merriam
Mayor: Incumbent Bob Pape, who has been part of successful redevelopment, is the better choice over challenger Billy Croan, who says he “affiliates” with the Libertarian party.
Mission Hills
Mayor: In this small but wealthy community, Andy Weed is the preferred choice. Opponent Braden Perry has run a good race, but lacks Weed’s expertise on some issues.
Olathe
City Council Ward 4: We recommend council veteran Marge Vogt, narrowly, over challenger Kevin Deneault. Vogt’s experience will come in handy in Olathe.
Blue Valley schools
Member 5 seat: We recommend Gina Knapp, who has shown leadership skills, for the Member 5 seat. Her opponent is Steve Roberts.
Member 6 seat: We endorse challenger David Benson, who eschews incumbent Jim McMullen’s argumentative approach.
Prairie Village
Government system question: No. Tensions are high in Prairie Village, and have been for years. But political disagreements are no excuse for discarding the city’s current system of government, especially with no idea of what might replace it.
MISSOURI
Independence
School district: Four-day weeks? Yes. We think Independence school district parents and students should be afforded the same opportunities as smaller districts, and use a four-day week if their elected board members decide to approve it.
There is no solid evidence of an achievement decline in Independence, and teacher recruitment and retention have improved. Vote yes, and send a message to Jefferson City.
Jackson County
Assessor: Should the position be elected, and not appointed? Yes. The county’s property assessment problems are well-documented and indisputable.
While making the assessor accountable to the public won’t solve every problem, it will give voters and taxpayers a better say in how taxes are levied.