Wait a second. Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Tom Winters was criticized during the primary campaign for raising taxes to pay for an aviation training center. But now that Winters has lost the GOP primary, his opponents, Republican Karl Peterjohn and Democrat Marcey Gregory, say they won’t block the center and repeal the tax increase (as was done on the jail expansion). If what Winters did was so wrong, why support it now? And why didn’t Winters get more visible support during the primary from business and aircraft industry officials who said the tech center was essential to maintaining Wichita’s status as Air Capital of the World? Some thanks Winters got for sticking his neck out.
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22 Comments
Wait a minute, has anyone ever known Tom Winters to favor saving the taxpayers money and let them decide how to spend their own money. Same way with Dave Unruh.
I remember visiting with Dave Unruh back before he got into politics. He sounded like a person who would work for the taxpayers, not against them. But something happens when a person wins a political office. They think they have suddenly become possessed with “special visionary powers.”
The sooner Tom Winters leaves office the better. And Dave Unruh should also resign two years before his term expires to give a fresh start to Sedgwick County government. I’m sure the several hundred Sedgwick County precinct committeemen could pick a fresh replacement.
Regarding the so-called “aviation tech center,” it should be a Sedgwick County Community College and be centrally located in the River Walk area of downtown Wichita. I know, this would require authorization of the legislature. There are other educational needs in the first two years out of high school than aviation training. I’m thinking of: beginning teacher training, language training, pre-nursing training, and other needed fields.
These decisions are too important to be left to these old and tired county commissioners. And the public should be involved to get buy-in, a new concept and something sorely lacking here in River City.
This is a perfect case study of why incumbent elected office holders should never be returned to office. They quickly transition to employees of the organization RATHER than the citizens’ elected oversight watchdogs over their governmental unit.
Might be some earned exceptions but generally the rule of … “elect no incumbents” is best.
What aviation training center are you talking about?
The news article clear states that neither candidate supports eliminating an ongoing project. That is actually a good gut reaction. Even when you disagree with a project, if over 50% of the money has already been collected or spent on it you don’t just blindly kill it. You would only waste the money already spent. A better route would be to build the project and look to sell it off to re-coup the money.
McCormick wrote an anti-Peterjohn column this week and now a blog thread by Brownlee. I guess it’s not hard to tell who the Eagle will endorse in this election.
Pman – you are correct. The WE is making a news story when one does not exist.
It appears they believe in the theory if there is no news then make some up.
It was time for Mr. Winters to leave. If he ever cared about his constituents he buried that under his own self-importance many years ago. He will now have time to reflect on why his decisions of how to spend our money weren’t his to make if they went against our wishes.
There were many wrong decisions made with regarad to the new campus for WATC — location is the biggest — but we’ve already been paying the increased taxes to build it and the project is too far along to stop without great waste. New County Commissioners will need to do the best they can with what they inherited on this decision.
Remember voters — we’re already paying for WATC to train more aircraft workers, we sure don’t need to duplicate those efforts in our public school system with another increase in taxes!
Interesting that each of the commissioners who voted for the 2006 tax increase who have faced an election have lost.
Is Norton next?
“Is Norton next?” (To lose his seat on the commission)
And then Dave Unruh!
Agree with much of the above. Jabara is too far along to eliminate at this point even though it shold been done differently. Same with the Albino Pachyderm Arena.
Winters was there when Vo-Tech was eviscerated several years ago. They are now belatedly resurrecting it. As JWink notes above this should be in town – WHERE IT WAS WITH VO-TECH. And we need much more than just the narrow focus on aircraft.
Tom Winters also talked out of both sides of his mouth on solid waste. Over a decade ago he claimed to see the need for major changes in its handling but then proceeded to stone-wall and prevent any sort of action. In recent months he and his fellow Commissioners resurrected the plan that they shelved over a decade ago – only to vote for yet further delay.
I suspect that Winters and his supporters were far too over-confident going into this primary. Now, in their shock at defeat, some will lash out – as it appears his supporters at the Eagle are doing.
You should read the shilling Bill Wilson is doing over on the biz blog. Looks like Winters had the WE sewn up. And how did THAT work out? Just a little bitter are they?
Now, if Betts will get to work, the WE will really be whining if toddly loses. Maybe a WE endorsement will be a kiss of death? Let’s hope THAT works out.
Here’s a linky. Now you know what they think of you all on the biz side of the fence.
http://blogs.kansas.com/business/2008/08/06/economic-development-is-a-full-contact-sport/#comments
The County Manager runs Sedgwick County.
This has been the case for a long time.
Let us all watch, and see what happens, in that regard.
Let this be a warning to the moderate Republicans in Wichita.
The Koch bros and the Garvey billionaires own you.
And all they care about is hanging on to their wealth, not the common good.
“To live like a Republican, you have to vote Democratic.” Harry S Truman
Capn
That is garbage.
Lots of people, in both parties, have been upset with our County leadership for a long, long time.
There is an anti-incumbent mood, concerning our County Commissioners.
Perhaps it is not fair, but it is there.
Peterjohn, a conservative, took advantage of that mood this time.
Just like Welshimer, a liberal, took advantage of that mood, a couple of years ago.
What do you’all think about the proposed composite/medical components funding? I’m thinking it could be good for Wichita, but anything developed should have to be manufactured in State.
Steven it probably would be good and Wichita should diversify its economy so it isn’t dependant on aircraft. I dont see the current county government paying for it, in fact peterjohn if elected, wont raise taxes to pay for anything that can be both good and bad
Paul – you are correct that the Manager runs the County – much like Cherches ran the City for so long. However that may be coming to an end. With these new Commissioners – both left and right – there may be change coming.
I would not consider Parks to be a ‘CON’; for that matter Karl really isn’t either. As you noted – we are simply fed up ith these guys. However, I would not count Karl in just yet. Marcey gregory will give him a good run.
capa – your class envy is ridiculous.
Ben
True.
But I doubt that Marcey Gregory will be a kiss up to current management, either!
My advice to all the “newbies”?
Be very careful.
Political blackmail runs rampant in the Courthouse. Keep your nose clean, or you fill find your nose in a place you do not want it to be!
I have seen it happen too many times.
Firebrands come in promising change, and then someone scares the crap out of them with — whatever they can dig up, or MAKE UP!
(Like the beer cans in Jan Kennedy’s office. Just a hint to whoever pulled off that one: Jan Kennedy HATED beer!)
But I doubt that Marcey Gregory will be a kiss up to current management, either!
My advice to all the “newbies”?
Be very careful.
Agreed – 100% – with both. I think Marcey is as much ‘anti-entrenched’ as Karl is. And yes, she and the other newbies there DO need to watch their backs.
Beer cans? I must have missed that one. The other silly part of that one is that if a person is ’sipping’ in the office it’s more likely to be a bottle of vodka than a six-pack.
One thing going for the newbies now is that they will be a majority after November. Although, I must admit that Gwen is a bit more ‘connected’ with the system than Kelly or either Marcey or Karl. And, if I were Tim Norton, I’d be looking over my shoulder right now.
I am reminded of the advice I gave a friend many years ago when he was elected to City Council. ‘Get your own sources of information; do not rely on the Green Sheets. If Manager controls your information Manager controls you.’ I think the same applies on the Commission.
Paul – changing the topic just a bit. Do yo see some similar upheaval coming in the City? Skelton seems to be making some waves standing up for his oft-neglected district. Good for him IMO.
Looking ahead, I think hold-over incumbent, Tim Norton, will also be history after the upcoming November general election.
As I recall, Norton’s 2nd District Sedgwick County Commissioner district stretches roughly from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium south to Haysville, where Norton lives. He has long been criticized in Haysville in regard to his work or lack of work after the Haysville tornado.
Norton’s challenger is Craig Gabel, long time restaurant owner in south Wichita. Gabel has a lot of interesting ideas that could be accomplished with the help of the private sector, ideas that he often receives from his many restaurant customers.
This might be the keystone race in Sedgwick County in the November general election.
Like David Eddings said – “No day in which you learn something is a complete loss.” – thanks for the share!!