Elections

03
Mar
By Bob Weeks

Wichita election watch parties

There isn't a whole lot of interest in today's primary elections in Wichita. None of the school board races had enough candidates to require a primary. Two of the three city council races did, but probably the only district where's there's any doubt as to the outcome (at least as far as who will advance to the general election) is district 6, which features Janet Miller, Bob Aldrich, Ken Thomas, and Damon Isaacs. Here's information about two election night parties that I know of: Bob Aldrich: Tuesday, March 3rd at the Wichita Area Builders Association building 730 North Main Street…
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21
Nov
By Bob Weeks

Wichita Chamber of Commerce values

Here's a message that Bryan Derreberry, president of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, sent to Chamber members. Note that this message doesn't mention the role its political action committee played in the third Sedgwick County Commission district. In that race, the PAC spent some $19,000 of its $48,000 in an effort to elect Goddard mayor Marcey Gregory. Her opponent, longtime taxpayer advocate Karl Peterjohn, is just the type of candidate you'd expect chambers of commerce to support. But that's changed. Stephen Moore in the article "Tax Chambers" published in The Wall Street Journal on February 10, 2007 wrote this:…
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31
Oct
By Bob Weeks

On the Wichita Eagle editorial board, partisanship reigns

The Wichita Eagle's Rhonda Holman, writing for the editorial board in today's lead editorial (Where do city, county stand on bond?) makes a few points that illustrate the highly partisan nature of this board. Here's the first example. She complains about lack of transparency in knowing who is contributing to the campaigns for the Wichita school bond issue, writing "It's frustrating that USD 259 voters must make a decision on the bond issue without knowing who funded the pro- and anti-campaigns. The three groups behind the campaigns could release their donor lists and amounts on their own prior to Election…
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31
Oct
By Bob Weeks

Wichita school district campaigns for the bond

An article in today's newspaper reports on how USD 259, the Wichita school district, uses school district assets, personnel, and funds to promote the proposed Wichita school bond issue. Oops. I meant to say to educate and inform. I made the same mistake that nearly anyone who has received material from USD 259 or has looked at their website makes. They call it for what it is: a political campaign designed to persuade citizens to vote for the bond issue. Even the citizens group supporting the bond issue agrees. When they want to cite evidence -- flimsy as it is…
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29
Oct
By Bob Weeks

Goddard City Website Campaigns for Its Mayor

For about the last week, the City of Goddard, Kansas, has been using its website to campaign for its mayor in her race for the Sedgwick County Commission. The website, located at www.goddardkansas.us, usually looks like a typical city website, holding general news and information, with links to city departments. But around October 21, according to the date given on the site, the normal front page was replaced with the page illustrated above. (Click here for a full-size image of the page.) The message on this new front page is nothing else but a campaign advertisement for Marcey Gregory, Goddard's…
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29
Oct
By Bob Weeks

Money in Kansas District Attorney races

"Recent contribution reports by District Attorney Candidates in Johnson, Shawnee and Sedgwick Counties show Democrats have raised $300,793 and spent $423,857, while Republican candidates have raised only $181,521 and spent $212,670." Read the Kansas Meadowlark's full report at Money in District Attorney races.
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29
Oct
By Bob Weeks

The Wichita School Bond Yard Sign Never Used

Wichitans may remember that the upcoming election on November 4 regarding a bond issue for USD 259, the Wichita school district bond issue, isn't the first time this year that this matter was to be voted on. Originally the Wichita school board passed a resolution setting May 6 as the date for the election. But at the request of a citizens group, the board canceled that election. We may never know why the board canceled the May 6 election. They did so, however, without regard for effort and expense their political opponents had already expended, the yard sign illustrated above…
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24
Oct
By Bob Weeks

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius: Different from You and I

Do different laws exist for Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and the rest of us? (At least the conservatives and libertarians among us?) The Kansas Meadowlark reports this: "Apparently Sebelius is exploiting a loop hole in Kansas law in using her PAC to attack conservatives. The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission said a similar new 'Leadership' PAC with ties to conservative House Majority Leader Ray Merrick could not exist." Read the Meadowlarks's full report at Gov. Sebelius’ Bluestem Fund “Leadership” PAC attacks conservatives.
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