WATCH: The Post’s forum for 2 Kansas Senate districts in northwestern JoCo

Four candidates vying for two Kansas Senate districts in northwestern Johnson County shared differing views on tax policy, public education and abortion, among other topics, at a forum hosted by the Johnson County Post Thursday night.

The Post is hosting more than a dozen separate forums for Kansas Statehouse districts in Johnson County ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.

Thursday’s forum was hosted at Monticello Library in Shawnee.

The two districts included in this forum were:

• Senate District 9, a district covering parts of four counties, including portions of De Soto, Lenexa and Olathe in Johnson County,
• and Senate District 10, covering most of Shawnee, as well as portions of Bonner Springs, Lake Quivira, Lenexa and Olathe.

Who’s running?

Senate District 9

• Retired IT engineer Norman Mallicoat, a Democrat
• Incumbent Republican Sen. Beverly Gossage

Senate District 10

• Small business owner Andrew Mall, a Democrat
• Incumbent Republican Sen. Mike Thompson

How to watch the Post’s forum

The Post livestreamed Thursday’s event on our Facebook page, and a recording of the forum is embedded below.

Following the embedded video are the questions each candidate answered during the forum.

Timestamps are included at the end of each question to help you navigate through the forum video if you’d like to jump around.

*NOTE: In the final 10-15 minutes of this video, there are multiple periods of static that make it hard to hear some candidates’ responses for a few seconds at a time. (You can also review those moments in another video posted by an audience member to YouTube. That YouTube channel is run by Billy Croan, and the Post has permission to cite his video.)

Questions and timestamps

1. Opening statements [1:30]
2. Biggest priorities for your district: We are holding forums for dozens of statehouse districts this fall. What do you see as the biggest priority or need from residents in your district? [6:55]

   

3. Taxes: Earlier this summer, lawmakers passed and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a tax cut package that slashes roughly $2.4 billion in property and income taxes over the next three years. The law reduces state income tax brackets from three tiers to two and eliminates the state tax on Social Security benefits, among other things. Still, taxes — particularly, residential property taxes driven by still-rising valuations — remains a much-asked-about issue by our readers. Are there any other tax cuts or tax relief policies you’d like to see the legislature pursue next year? In particular, is there anything the state can or should do regarding local property taxes? [14:40]
4. Budget and spending: Many readers still have memories of the Brownback era, when massive tax cuts led to diminishing state coffers and accompanying cuts in state spending. How do you balance the competing demands of residents wanting to see tax relief but also wanting state services to not be slashed too much. If you do want more tax cuts, what areas, if any, of the budget do you think could also be cut? [20:26]

   

5. K-12 education funding: Gov. Laura Kelly has boasted of six consecutive years of K-12 education in Kansas being “fully funded.” A funding bill passed this year also boosts funding for special education. The funding situation appears to be remedied enough that the Kansas Supreme Court is no longer overseeing the funding process. The current funding formula lasts through 2027. Going into 2025, what do you see as the biggest priorities or remaining challenges for K-12 school funding and how would you want to address that if elected? [25:40]
6. School vouchers: From the audience, someone asks, “Are you a supporter of public schools?” I’ll also add to that a question we’ve asked in previous forums — because I believe it’s the subtext of this question — do you support taxpayer funds going to individuals and families who want to send their children to private or parochial schools? Why or why not? [30:51]

   

7. Abortion: Two years ago, Kansas voters rejected a proposed amendment that would have explicitly stripped the right to abortion from the state constitution. It was seen as a major victory for abortion rights supporters. But debate about abortion has not stopped. In the two years since, Kansas lawmakers have debated dozens of bills seeking in some way to limit or impact abortion procedures in Kansas, and it’s widely expected that such measures will continue to come up next year. Do you support any new restrictions on abortion or laws in any way governing the procedure? Why or why not? [35:45]
8. Guns: This question directly from a reader email: “In Kansas, the rate of gun deaths increased 32% from 2012 to 2021 and the rate of gun suicides increased 14% and gun homicides increased 102%.” That’s data from the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. This reader goes on, “It is evident that we need to do something in Kansas to curb these growing numbers.” Is there any piece of gun-related legislation you would support that you think would reduce gun deaths and injuries in Kansas? Why or why not? [44:22]

   

9. Elections: Elections in recent years in Kansas, as well as in Johnson County, have gone off without a hitch, according to both state and local election officials. That may be why many readers express bewilderment and even umbrage at continued suggestions that problems with local elections are possibly leading to widespread voter fraud, miscounts or other issues impacting the final results. Many readers still seem to take candidates’ views on election integrity as a litmus test of sorts. Do you trust Kansas election systems and, if elected, would you seek to put any new limits or rules around voting in Kansas? [49:04]
10. Communicating with constituents (from the audience): How will you keep in contact with your constituents and also meet with them when they come to the Statehouse? [56:29]