The Post is sending this five-item questionnaire to candidates running for Spring Hill 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 touched upon some of the same topics and more at our live, in-person candidate forum on Tuesday, Sept. 16. You can watch the mayoral forum and city council forum in their entirety.
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?
- Trust in city hall: Spring Hill has seen a lot of turnover in its governing body over the past four years, most notably following the 2021 mayoral election in which the winning candidate resigned office before even taking it. How do you plan to work to restore residents’ trust not only in the electoral process in Spring Hill but the governing body itself?
- Growth: U.S. Census data shows Spring Hill is one of the fastest growing cities in Johnson County, its population up more than 25% over the past four years. In many ways, that’s a good thing. More residents means more homeowners, a larger tax base, more economic activity. But such rapid growth can also strain the city’s current infrastructure and services. How should the city manage this growth and serve all its residents?
- Housing: Many factors driving Johnson County’s tight and expensive housing market are out of local cities’ control, yet there are some things cities can do to try to address this issue, 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? Is this a priority for you?
