Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates in contested races address leading up to the Aug. 4 primary election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to residents across Johnson County.
Each day this week, we’ll publish the candidates’ responses to one question. So far, we’ve published responses on school funding and special education.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Readers worry that vouchers and tax credits will drain public dollars from public schools. Do you support or oppose diverting public funds to vouchers? How do you weigh family choice against the board’s duty to public school students?
For the Kansas State Board of Education, there is a primary just for Republicans. Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
Jim McMullen
I am in favor of as much freedom as possible. I am not in favor of routing tax dollars thru Topeka and back to residents in the form of vouchers because that will necessarily involve the creation of additional red tape and bureaucratic hoops for families to deal with. I don’t view tax credits as “public dollars” as your question suggests since all dollars paid by Kansas citizens in the form of taxes start out as private dollars.
Steve Roberts
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Coming up:
Tomorrow we will publish the candidates’ responses to the following question:
Readers raised concerns both about federal pressure on districts over diversity initiatives and a desire to keep schools focused on core learning rather than “culture-war” fights. What guidance should the board give districts, and how should it respond when schools face outside political or legal pressure on these matters?
