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Sedgwick county has spoken loud and clear that a data center is not wanted here. Data centers have caused significant harm in areas where they have been built. Our county is already fighting longstanding drought conditions. A report by the International Energy Agency estimated one center could consume 2 million liters of water a day. A town in Oregon reported 30% of their water consumption was from a Google data center. We do not need the potential water loss that a data cent

The increase in property taxes has had an additional burden on many who already are experiencing financial hardships. This has become a difficult issue to address for many reasons. Property taxes are used to fund many essential services at the city/county level. The budget that is set directly impacts the amount of property taxes that are paid. Property appraisals play a key role in determining the property tax. Article 11 of the Kansas Constitution requires the county apprai

The opening of the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital is going to provide a much needed resource for not only our community but the entire state. The lack of inpatient beds lead to significant strain on hospitals and law enforcement. The process of seeking crisis help is often a long and traumatic experience for patients and families. While working as a crisis screener, there were many times I spent hours calling to find an open bed for a patient, only to have the

Changes in the federal and state budgets have caused significant strains and cuts on essential services. The delicate balance of reducing tax load on citizens while ensuring essential services are maintained will require continued cooperation between the city, county and state and ongoing evaluation of community needs. Cutting mental health and crime prevention programs only harms communities. The 2026 budget cut the crime prevention program by over 82%. This program serves y