Some Johnson County voters can begin going to the polls for the Aug. 1 primary this Saturday.
That’s when advanced voting begins for a smattering of local city council races in the Shawnee Mission Post’s coverage area.
One of those races is a three-person contest for Overland Park City Council Ward 1. The top two finishers in this race on Aug. 1 will advance to the general election Nov. 7.
Earlier this summer, we asked our readers to tell us what they wanted local candidates talking about in the run up to the August primary.
The questions the candidates responded to in this guide are based, in part, on that reader input.
Here’s a map of Overland Park city council wards, so you can check to see if you live within Ward 1.
Here is a bit more about each candidate and their stances on some key issues:
Holly Grummert (incumbent)
Current Ward 1 councilmember (first elected 2019)
Occupation: Full-time stay-at-home mom
Education: BA in Anthropology (University of Wyoming)
Other professional notes: She has worked in human resources and owned a small business in Overland Park; sat on the steering committee for the Broadmoor neighborhood
Personal background: Has lived in Overland Park since 2007; she and her husband Scott have three children, who all attend school in the Shawnee Mission School District
Did you personally support the recently approved special sales tax increase ballot measure? Why or why not?
The recent severe weather [on Friday, July 14] brought flooded intersections and inoperable traffic lights. The sales tax initiative will go toward addressing those issues. Furthermore, utilizing a sales tax for infrastructure means the cost will be shared with the many individuals and businesses that use our roads. I supported the sales tax ballot because I don’t think it’s fair that our residents should be solely responsible for the upkeep of infrastructure that is used by thousands of people that don’t reside within the city.
What is your stance on the city’s continued use of tax and economic development incentives for developers? What rules are guardrails, if any, should the city follow when considering such incentives?
The city protects taxpayers by only approving tax incentives for agreements that contain a “clawback” clause that establishes goals for the development’s revenue and employment. If goals aren’t met, the developer is penalized and the city will withhold incentives. Less than 10% of development projects in Overland Park are incentivized.
In what ways would you like to push the city council to address housing affordability in Overland Park?
We need to create more affordable housing options so our teachers and police officers can afford to live in the city they serve. We also need options for our longtime residents to remain in the community they love. And we must build new housing that today’s workforce is demanding and future generations will require.
I’m currently in support of a proposed pilot program for accessory dwelling units in Ward 1. I also support planning for a variety of housing options in our comprehensive plan and will continue to push for more affordable options in new development deals.
Carol Merritt
Occupation: Independent realtor
Education: Bachelor’s in Secondary Education (Huntington University); MA in Educational Psychology (Goddard College)
Other professional notes: According to her webpage, she “stands firmly for conservative values, strong families, justice, freedom, moral order and low taxes.”
Personal background: Has lived in Overland Park for 10 years; member of Colonial Presbyterian Church; former teacher who taught World History and American History
Did you personally support the recently approved special sales tax increase ballot measure? Why or why not?
Increasing sales taxes can be seen as penalizing the citizens for the mistakes made by city officials and administrators. It is unfair to burden the public with additional taxes to cover up the consequences of mismanagement, especially when they had no control over the financial decisions made by the city.
Implementing a sales tax increase could provide a temporary fix to the budgetary issues without addressing the underlying mismanagement problem. Before increasing taxes, it is crucial to ensure that the existing budget is being utilized efficiently and transparently.
Sales taxes are also regressive, meaning it affects low-income families disproportionately. Higher sales tax can discourage consumer spending and affect local businesses, particularly in border areas where consumers might choose to shop in neighboring cities with lower taxes.
Raising taxes without first demonstrating a commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparency can erode public trust in city officials. Citizens are more likely to support a tax increase if they see tangible efforts being made to rectify the mismanagement issues.
In conclusion, it is essential for a city facing financial mismanagement to address the root causes of the problem rather than solely relying on increased taxes. Finding more responsible and sustainable solutions will not only ensure long-term financial stability but also maintain public trust and support
What is your stance on the city’s continued use of tax and economic development incentives for developers? What rules are guardrails, if any, should the city follow when considering such incentives?
Ultimately, the effectiveness of tax and economic development incentives depends on how well they are designed, implemented, and monitored. Striking a balance between encouraging development and protecting the city’s interests is essential for making informed decisions regarding their use.
To ensure responsible use of tax and economic development incentives, cities often follow certain guardrails and guidelines, including having a transparent and well-documented process o maintain accountability, defining specific and measurable goals for the incentives, such as job creation, affordable housing provision, or infrastructure improvements, conducting thorough cost-benefit analyses to assess whether the benefits of granting incentives outweigh the costs to the city and evaluating the potential impacts of incentives on different communities to avoid exacerbating inequality.
Other factors that should be considered: including provisions in agreements with developers that enforce penalties or clawbacks if promised benefits are not delivered, involving the community in decision-making processes related to incentives, periodically evaluating the effectiveness of incentives and making adjustments if necessary and using incentives as part of a comprehensive economic development strategy rather than relying solely on them as a solution.
In what ways would you like to push the city council to address housing affordability in Overland Park?
Increasing affordable housing in a land-locked area like Overland Park can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. But there are some potential strategies that could be considered
Encourage mixed-use development that combines residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in the same area.
Provide financial incentives and tax breaks to developers who include a certain percentage of affordable housing units in their projects.
Foster partnerships between the city government and private developers to jointly fund and develop affordable housing projects.
Relax zoning regulations to permit more accessory dwelling units, such as “granny flats” or basement apartments, within existing properties.
Establish an affordable housing trust fund that can be used to subsidize the construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing units.
Offer density bonuses to developers who include affordable housing units in their projects, and implement inclusionary zoning policies that require developers to include a percentage of affordable housing units in their projects or contribute to an affordable housing fund.
Take steps to preserve existing affordable housing stock by offering incentives to landlords or property owners who keep rents affordable.
Establish community land trusts that acquire and hold land to develop affordable housing.
Promote transit-oriented development near public transportation hubs to reduce the need for car ownership and make housing more accessible.
Simplify the permitting and approval process for affordable housing projects to reduce development costs and timelines.
Involve local residents and community organizations in the decision-making process to address concerns and build support for affordable housing initiatives.
Combining multiple strategies and fostering collaboration among various stakeholders will be crucial to effectively increase affordable housing in Overland Park. It’s essential to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and a multifaceted approach will likely yield the best results.
Selamawit Gebre-Amlak
Occupation: Property manager
Education: Ph.D. in computer science (Colorado Technical University)
Did you personally support the recently approved special sales tax increase ballot measure? Why or why not?
Taxes help improve many projects within a county or state. For new projects to be approved, taxes must be increased. I do approve of an increase in taxes that is going toward a specific project or goal. I did not participate in the special sales tax increases this time.
What is your stance on the city’s continued use of tax and economic development incentives for developers? What rules are guardrails, if any, should the city follow when considering such incentives?
Incentives for developers have many advantages and do provide incentives for builders to continue building affordable housing and other community-related projects to improve community standing. Incentives like bonuses, expedited permitting and fee waivers or reductions, have long been part of a system that invites investors into any given county and city.
The city should consider the immediate needs of the ward and its surrounding neighboring cities. This is a good place to start as to which incentives are applicable.
In what ways would you like to push the city council to address housing affordability in Overland Park?
There could be multiple reasons for housing problems. Which of those problems are part of Ward 1’s issue? Could it be the price of rental units? Could it be an income issue? Is there enough low-income housing or tax relief?
Depending on the specific problem that is related to Ward 1, affordable housing and expansions of residential buildings can meet such a shortage.
