After some confusion about Roberts Rules of Order from the bench, Sedgwick County commissioners have voted for a legislative agenda that does not include pushing for voter approval of any tax increases that raise the mill levy.
Commissioners Tim Norton, Dave Unruh and Gwen Welshimer voted for the platform without the measure. Commissioners Kelly Parks and Karl Peterjohn voted against the legislative agenda without it.
Unruh said voters elect officials to make decisions for them about how to best run the county. Welshimer said she has worked to reduce property taxes but concluded, after voters in her district did not re-elect her, that lower taxes were not important to her constituents. Wichita City Council member Jim Skelton, a Republican, won the District 5 seat, which represents parts of south Wichita and Derby and Mulvane.
Commissioners heard from several speakers who spoke in support of asking for voter approval of tax increases.