Sedgwick County Commission candidate Karl Peterjohn complains about how the county budget has “ballooned by well over 100 percent” since 1992. Yet when The Eagle editorial board asked Peterjohn repeatedly to explain why the budget had grown so much and what was in the budget that shouldn’t be there, Peterjohn couldn’t answer. What’s more, he couldn’t name a single item in the budget that should be cut.
So why has the budget increased that much? Half the increase is due to an accounting change. The county didn’t include money from grants and other sources in its main budget until 2001. Other significant increases include expanding the jail in 1999, assuming full management of the county health department in 2003, building the needed juvenile detention facility in 2006, and budgeting next year for levee improvements to the Big Ditch.
15 Comments
Why should Sedgwick County Commissioner candidate, Karl Peterjohn, answer your general questions with specific answers now before the election and furnish specific answers to his political opponents.
Believe me, Karl Peterjohn has forgotton more about budgets in Kansas than his opponents probably know. Way back, Mr. Peterjohn was associated with Ronald Reagan in a budget capacity early in Mr. Reagan’s political career.
Now, in the 2000’s, Karl Peterjohn is an often used resource for many of our Kansas legislators on Kansas budgets, mill levies, and local finance issues. It would be a shame to lose Karl Peterjohn’s expertise to national or state level activities.
I can imagine the atmosphere when being questioned by the so-called EAGLE editorial board on issues … knowing the questioners are taking notes to use against him in future editorials.
Kind of like Sarah Palin being mimiced by Tina Fey on Saturday night live.
In fact, here’s a great idea: Our local TV news stations should video tape the EAGLE editorial board grilling local political candidates for political office to inform the public of the atmosphere in these grillings.
Just let the public judge for themselves.
Karl Peterjohn is a right wing extremist. Put him in office at the risk of losing economic development and 1000’s of jobs citywide. His agenda is not in the interest of Wichita.
mxyzptlk, you better clean up that liberal leftist drool.
Evidently, you’re not a resident of Wichita or Sedgwick county and would known that the election is for the county commissioner, not the city of Wichita.
Repbs are always critical, but don’t have any real solutions.
Cow keeps gettin out of the fence, Repubs would say just shoot it.
Gee. I thought Wichita was in Sedgwick County and that county actions affect Wichita.
It is not a matter of answering to the editorial board. It is a matter of providing answers to the voters. It is strange that he could not answer the questions, him being a self-proclaimed tax expert. A man who wants power should understand the entity he wants to run.
Sedgwick County voters, even those in Wichita, do not want any extremists like Mr. Peterjohn in positions of power.
He seems to me to just be a guy who say, “No, no, no,” to any tax – whether the community will benefit or not.
JWink you are right on.
Another Scorched Earth Repub., is what I think of when I hear Peterjohn.
Peterjohn didn’t answer the question because he couldn’t. Lots of the numbers he uses are simply wrong and misleading. Let’s face it, he’s not the expert he claims to be.
I appreciate the Eagle taking the time to research the facts and explain why the county budget shows a larger figure. Lobbyist’s like Peterjohn often overstate one perspective of an issue even when they know the truth. Why won’t Karl reveal who his major donors are for his employment group? Allowing the multi-millionaires to have their own representative on the county commission will not benefit workers or most of the citizens.
Karl is a great guy, mild mannered, courteous, even to his opponents, and very well imformed.
He is an advocate for those that have little to no power to oppose rising taxes. Many of which are simply for the benefit of the well entrenched ‘good ol boy’ group living off the taxpayer.
He will win his seat….and then start exposing the self-interests of the other commissioners.
Unruh….you’re next!
Ok, so Peterjohn was right as Brownlee points out.
The budget did increase 100%.
What’s the point?
One thing I noticed when I again started spending considerable time in Wichita … the infrastructure of the Wichita and Sedgwick County appears to be totally neglected compared to other cities with which I am very familiar.
My first thought was that perhaps Wichita/Sedgwick County taxes are purposely kept extremely low leaving minimal money for improvements.
Wrong!
Then I saw the actual situation … taxes are directed to various purposes other than improvements to the basic needs of the city and county.
In actuality, city and county politicians have developed a system of spinning the truth to fool the taxpayers into thinking they are receiving value for their taxes. Then the big money is diverted to unmeasurable “entertainment” venues, better known as “here today, gone tomorrow.”
The quality and diversity of our elected officials must be changed in order to obtain careful, cautious oversight of our tax spending. The so-called “Wichita good old boy network” or “follow the leader” no matter how misdirected must be broken. Many of Wichita’s institutions must be “zero based” or Wichita will never break this cycle of failure.
And new people, the public and taxpayers must get involved in the governing circles to participate in planning and decision making.
Its obvious, the current system isn’t working.
County spending HAS been out of control. Fortunately the big spenders are now gone. I was happy to see Tom Winters defeated and it did not surprise me when it happened.
However, we do still have a County to run. Slash-and-burn extremism is no better than the wild spending we have had. What is needed is a level-headed business approach. That is why I am supporting Marcey Gregory. She knows how to pinch pennies – her successful business is evidence of that. However, she also knows that one must invest in the future.
Has Peterjohn ever run a successful business? Had to make a payrll? For that matter, has he ever had a real job?
“Has Peterjohn ever run a successful business? Had to make a payroll? For that matter, has he ever had a real job?”
No, no, and no. Thank you, Ben.
If you’re able, vote for Marcey Gregory.
The first PAC mailing against Karl came out today…
So it starts…