The Post will send this five-item questionnaire to candidates running for De Soto mayor and city council.
We will publish candidates’ responses the week of Oct. 20, before early voting begins.
These questions are based, in part, on readers’ input.
The Post plans to touch upon some of the same topics at our live, in-person candidate forum scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 9, at De Soto High School.
Tell us you’re coming by responding to our Facebook invite or email us at stories@johnsoncountypost.com. It helps us plan for how many people will be there.
Here’s what we’re asking candidates:
- Background: Readers want to know something of your background. Briefly explain your education and employment history and how those experiences qualify you for this job.
- Property taxes: We frequently hear from readers urging cities to consider tax rate cuts or other relief to counteract the impacts of rising valuations in Johnson County. It’s the job of each city’s governing body to set your city’s annual mill levy, or property tax, rate. Is your city’s current tax rate appropriate for your city’s needs? Would you vote for steeper tax rate cuts, as residents often call for? Why or why not?
- Growth: De Soto is experiencing explosive growth due to the launch of the Panasonic EV battery plant this year, and that trend is expected to continue in coming years. If elected, what policies and priorities would you advocate for to ensure De Soto manages the new commercial activity and residents expected to come to the area while also maintaining services and infrastructure for established areas of the city?
- Housing: De Soto is also in the midst of a housing boom, even as the broader Johnson County housing market remains tight and costly. Cities can do things to try and impact the cost of housing, from incentivizing affordable housing developments to tweaking zoning codes that allow for more diverse types of housing. What policies would you like your city to pursue to make housing in your city potentially more affordable?
- Data center: The city recently approved a plan for a new $3.1 billion data center along the Kansas River, comprising more than 1 million square feet in four buildings. Though relatively small compared to other data centers, these types of facilities have proven to be taxing on communities’ resources, with their high water and energy usage. What can the city do to ensure this project does not become a burden on city infrastructure or residents?
