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Name: Tom Myers
Age: 56
Occupation: Licensed Masters Level Psychologist
Education: Flint Hills Area Technical School, 1967; Emporia Senior High School, 1968; bachelor’s degree, Kansas State Teachers College, 1972; master’s degree, Pittsburg State University, 1978
Personal: Married to Peggy Atchinson Myers; two children, Robert, 38, and Megan, 30; stepdaughters, Ronnie, 29, Cindy, 38, Sherrie, 36 and Christine, 28.
Q Why are you running for this office?
A As proud of Emporia as I am, there will always be room for improvements. I owe my hometown for all that she has enabled me to achieve. I have chosen to serve on the City Commission as my way of repaying Emporia. I love this town.
Q If elected, what are your goals?
A Among my goals are simplified one-stop permitting, zoning and inspection and a walking trail from Peter Pan Park to the All Veterans Memorial. Increased retail development, but without unfair subsidies upsetting competition with locally owned businesses. Strong continued support of economic development bringing higher paying jobs to Emporia is critical. We need to work closer with the technical college and ESU, especially in bringing more high-tech “new economy” jobs to Emporia.
Q How will the city commission be better with you as a member?
A It is vital to maintain balance on the city commission between wealthy and non-wealthy, business, education, medical and social service. I represent the medical, social service and non-wealthy elements of Emporia. I’ve been a psychologist for mental health for twenty years, but I’ve worked at USD 253, for the State of Kansas, ESU, IBP and Interstate Bakeries.
No other candidate in this election brings that degree of broad representation and experience to the commission.
My participation at the policy committee level of National League of Cities and Kansas League of Municipalities brings Emporia’s voice to these important organizations.
Q What do you think is the biggest issue facing the city commission and how would you resolve it?
A We are still recovering from the half million dollar a year loss of State demand transfer funds. We have largely turned the corner with over $400,000 carry-over last year, but fiscal policy must continue to be our first issue. Our ability to provide every service comes from our fiscal position.
According to the Kansas Government Journal (2004), Emporia’s property tax mill levy ranked 281 out of 627 Kansas cities. Unlike many cities in this nation we do not have a city income tax, 10 percent sales tax, or 15 percent guest tax, and I like it that way, but we all have to pay for the necessary services from some source, so we depend more on property tax than any of us would prefer. Key to our financial viability rests with a continued strong economic development policy, housing and a well-trained and educated workforce, particularly as our demographics, following state and national trends, change in the years ahead. These issues will require an even closer relationship between city and county government, the Technical College, RDA and ESU.
Q What should the city commission’s priorities be when it plans a budget?
A Our priority must continue to be fiscal responsibility. Necessary services fire and police protection, infrastructure maintenance and expansion are expensive and critical. City mill levy of around 42 has been steady for over ten years requiring a lot of budget cutting (maybe too much in some areas) and use of some reserve funds. We now need to put money back in reserves and fire, police and animal care. I favor continued support for our taxi coupon program. It is very important we work closely with our county commissioners to rebalance the cost sharing of our ambulance services.
Q Looking to the future, what are three things you’d like to see happen in the city commission?
A I would like to see more citizen involvement in Commission decisions, especially with budget development: To have commission study sessions televised like our business meetings (live radio broadcast of our meetings would also be nice); to have several open forum town meetings each year, held in different locations around town, scheduled to make attendance around various citizen work hours more accessible; and an improved sound system for our televised meetings.