Last month, the Post asked our readers about issues you wanted to hear the candidates running for Johnson County Board of County Commissioners address in the lead up to the Aug. 2 primary.
Based on your answers, we developed a five-item questionnaire touching on the most important issues to the citizens of Johnson County.
Each day this week, we will publish the candidates’ responses to one of those questions. See the candidates’ responses to the first question published Monday about rising property values.
Today we are publishing District 5 candidates’ responses to the following question:
A reader asks the following: “Housing costs in once very affordable neighborhoods are escalating beyond reason, and we have ‘luxury’ apartments going up everywhere that don’t help the situation at all. What do you plan to do?” How would you address these concerns? What can Johnson County do to ensure people who don’t have high household incomes can afford to live here?
Below are the answers the Post received from the candidates on this issue:
Stephanie Suzanne Berland 
I am not a politician, so my answer will be direct and honest. I am not a fan of social engineering by government.
The county budget from 2010 to this year has increased nearly 60%, and that takes into account inflation. More government programs always means more budget, and government budgets rarely decrease with time. County government is funded by property taxes. When government spending goes up, net taxes on citizens go up. I am very sensitive to the effect of higher taxes on current property owners in the county and would work to lower costs thus lowering taxes. I’m a believer in market forces. In time, if costs are escalating beyond reason, then market forces will eventually correct this overvaluation.
I spoke out in opposition at the public hearing to the $1 million loan the county
recently approved with sweetheart terms [for a housing project in Shawnee]. I am also finding it distasteful to call it workforce housing. What do you think all of us in Johnson County do to afford homes? We work, we work hard, and during these times we have cut spending. I do not believe in government intervention because their policies in part caused this problem. Inflation, out of control government spending, tax abatement giveaways are all contributing factors to the housing issues. On one hand, you have seniors who are being forced out due to high property taxes and on the other end of the spectrum, you have potential homeowners not able to afford those same homes due to the skyrocketing home values. This may not be a popular answer, but government, in my opinion, cannot and should not ensure housing for anyone.
Scott Callaway 
Affordable housing is a rising concern. The market dictates the price of homes and there is little we can do to reduce the price of housing until the market comes around which I believe will be soon. The best thing we can do is continue to identify opportunities to provide housing that is affordable and make that information available for future residents by making the data easily accessible and available.
Michael Ashcraft (incumbent)
I appreciate this question, but the market value of homes in nearly every neighborhood is driven in large measure by the cities. The county strives to provide certain support services and cooperates with our sister cities, but zoning, planning and development standards are the forte of city/planning codes and leadership.
