The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization, promotes political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government, and takes action on selected governmental issues. The League does not support or oppose any political party or candidate.
WICHITA-METRO AREA LEAGUE POSITIONS ON PUBLIC POLICY IN BRIEF
SOCIAL POLICY
Education — Support the provision of quality education for all students by offering basic uniformity in grade school curriculum: it should be taught in diverse ways in order to address differing student abilities. At the secondary level, there should be required courses in Liberal Arts with a variety of electives including those in Vocational Education. There should be standards and accountability for all publicly funded education + including on-line, charter and home school.
Human Resources — Support the preservation of the Human Resources Board. Food, shelter and health services should be made available to low-income groups.
Health — Support the maintenance of services provided by the Health Department. Support HIV antibody testing for marriage license applicants and convicted sex crime offenders and the notification of sex partners of persons who test positive.
Quality of Life — Support the development of an integrated system to coordinate and prioritize street maintenance. Support the implementation of a formal policy and procedure to address changes in the Capital Improvements Plan. Oppose cuts in basic city/county services. Support the current library board system with financial support expected from Sedgwick County Government on an annual basis.
Transportation — Support the implementation of a Rapid Transit System, within the metropolitan urban area of the City of Wichita, which would provide increased availability of public transportation for all the citizens of the area, at an affordable cost.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Energy — Support the most efficient use of all forms of energy.
Air Quality — Support continuous local outdoor air quality monitoring and also periodic inventories to determine current sources of outdoor air pollution. Local governments bear responsibility to inform and educate the public about air pollution in our area and should budget for both gathering air quality data and informing the public. Support government policies and actions which encourage citizens, industries, businesses and governments to reduce emissions voluntarily.
Solid Waste Disposal — Support a comprehensive solid waste management system to be implemented in Wichita as soon as possible. Support solid waste conversion to help solve the energy problem and eliminate the need for ever-increasing land-fill sites.
Downtown Redevelopment — Support the revitalization of Downtown Wichita and the use of tax increment financing and IRBs to facilitate such development.
Sustainable Community Development — “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Land Use — Promote a zoning process that balances the residential, commercial and industrial uses of land in Wichita. The city should actively shape the direction of future growth. There is a need for a new or revised zoning ordinance for the city of Wichita
GOVERNMENT
Format — Support the Council/Manager form with the council members elected at large on a non-partisan ballot. Support permanent citizen district advisory boards given city councilpersons are elected by district.
County — Support greater citizen participation in County Government
City/County — Support the cooperation of city and county government through joint funding of consolidated governments and through joint appointments to advisory boards. Support the concept of WI/SE and Plan 2000.