by Mary Rupert
In the Unified Government Commission, 4th District contest, experience and qualifications are some of the differences between the candidates.
Unified Government Commissioner Tarence Maddox faces Harold Johnson in the April 7 general election. Johnson was in first place in the primary, with 470 votes to Maddox’s 310 votes.
The 4th District candidates spoke at a forum March 18 at Kansas City Kansas Community College, sponsored by Business West, KCKCC and neighborhood business revitalization groups.
Maddox, a graduate of Schlagle High School, is running on his experience of four years serving on the UG Commission, and said he would not tell voters anything that he couldn’t do. “I will not sell dreams,” Maddox told the audience.
He said he was passionate about the community and isn’t going anywhere. “I’m going to be here in Wyandotte County,” Maddox said. He said he was active and engaged in the community.
Maddox also said he had learned a lot in his four years on the commission.
His challenger is the pastor at the Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, who formerly worked at Commerce Bank’s program for nonprofit organizations’ building projects for 22 years.
“I bring a unique commercial financial background to the table which will make a positive impact in the community,” Johnson said. He added he was not afraid to look at the numbers and analyze them. He also said he was a consensus builder and believes in building relationships.
Johnson graduated from Sumner Academy, Kansas City Kansas Community College, and has a master’s in business administration in finance degree from Avila University.
Johnson said he wants to create a strategic vision with the neighborhood alliances in the 4th District.
On the topic of increasing homeownership east of I-635, Johnson said a multifaceted approach to housing is needed. He said they would need to look at helping people purchase homes through incentives and also creating rental housing such as duplexes and apartments .
Maddox said increasing homeownership was a complex topic, and the northeast and midtown area had been neglected. The cost of new homes can be higher than what buyers can afford, he said.
“We have to make the 4th District a place where people want to be,” Maddox said. It’s important to decrease crime, he said. More apartments for higher-income persons may be one solution.
To spur revitalization in the district, Johnson said it is necessary to look at a small business model, and build an infrastructure in the urban core. He would support encouraging businesses to create jobs for the 4th District residents in the 4th District.
Maddox said that to spur revitalization, it would be necessary to bring more apartments into the area and increase the population. To lure more businesses to the district, they would have to make the district more pro-business and reduce crime, he said. He added it would be a long process to develop the area and he would continue to work on it.
The subject of Maddox’s censure by the UG legislative auditor for using his title in personal business one year ago was not brought up at the candidate forum March 18.
Send your news and comments to Wyandotte Daily at [email protected].
To see previous stories on the 4th District campaign, visit:
https://wyandotteonline.com/experience-views-on-economic-development-separate-candidates-for-4th-district-ug-commission/
https://wyandotteonline.com/johnson-seeking-4th-district-ug-commission-seat/
https://wyandotteonline.com/maddox-seeking-re-election/
Schedule of the KCKCC cable video of candidate forum, starting today:
https://wyandotteonline.com/candidate-forum-to-be-shown-on-cable-tv-next-week/