KC Mayors Set Bets with Salt Lake on Soccer Final December 6, 2013

The traditional bet between the mayors of cities in championship games has been set between Kansas City and Salt Lake City.
Sporting of Kansas City and the Real Salt Lake’s Major league Soccer teams meet for the league championship Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.
Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Slay James and KCK Mayor Mark Holland are betting a sampling of Kansas City barbeque.
In return, Salt lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and Sandy, Utah Mayor Tom Dolan are putting up a deluxe package of gourmet food from Salt lake restaurants.
The losing mayors will also donate $200 to the winning mayor’s charity of choice.
“Sporting Kansas City is a source of pride for this entire region and I’m looking forward to our team finishing this season strong and bringing home some hardware,” said Mayor James. “Saturday will show us just how “real” Salt Lake City’s game is. Go Sporting!”
“Sporting Park will be #LOUDER than ever on Saturday night. We’re so excited that Kansas City will host two of the biggest soccer matches of the year with the MLS All Star Game and now the MLS Cup,” said Mayor Holland.

Suburban Kansas Mayors Push for Immigration Reform August 15, 2013

10 Kansas City area mayors, including KCK Mayor MarkHolland and Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach have signed a letter to theKansas Congressional delegation calling on them to support an immigration bill “that allows reasonable access to citizenship while assuring adequate border security.
The letter was developed by Lenexa Mayor Mike Boehm and Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer.
The US Senate has passed an immigration reform bill, but it is facing stiff resistance from the Republican majority in the House.
All of the Kansas House Members are Republicans.
The Kansas Mayors want to make sure Congress does not pass any immigration law that adds additional local responsibility.
” Any immigration legislation generated by Congress, cannot burden local governments with extra law enforcement or administrative burdens. This federal problem needs a federal solution paid for with federal resources,” the letter states.
It’s tone is similar to a letter sent out recently by the Kansas Business Coalition for Immigration Reform.
They mayors say any new legislation needs protect Kansas’ workforce, while allowing “reasonable access to citizenship while assuring adequate border security.
Here’s the text of the letter:

Dear Kansas Senators and Representatives:

As mayors of Kansas communities of every size, we are deeply concerned about the immigration problem that continues to plague our state and nation.

We are encouraged that the immigration issue has been advanced for congressional debate, offering some hope that a federal solution to this problem can be achieved.

We share the concerns of the Kansas Business Coalition for Immigration Reform regarding the need to protect our economy and workforce. The immigrant population of Kansas includes valued members of our community. We are supportive of a solution that allows reasonable access to citizenship while assuring adequate border security.

We also urge Congress to pay close attention to the impact of any immigration reform on local governments. The risk of unintended consequences is always present in any major national initiative. Any immigration legislation generated by Congress, cannot burden local governments with extra law enforcement or administrative burdens. This federal problem needs a federal solution paid for with federal resources.

Federal legislation should not erode effective community policing programs that have created an atmosphere of trust between law enforcement and the immigrant population. That relationship is absolutely essential for maintaining public safety while assimilating the immigrant population into our communities.

With those concerns addressed, a federal solution to our immigration problem would be a welcome change that will allow our economies to grow while protecting the quality of life of our citizens.

KANSAS MAYORS

Penny Bruckner, Coldwater
Paula L. Schwach, Westwood Hills
Wayne Hidalgo, Lake Quivira
Jerry Wiley, Fairway
Richard T. Boeshaar, Mission Hills
Chris Morrow, Gardner
Jeff Meyers, Shawnee
Barb Shirley, Salina
Carl Gerlach, Overland Park
Michael Boehm, Lenexa
Mark R. Holland, Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City KS
Daniel P. Friesen, Buhler
Terry Somers, Mount Hope
Larry E. Wolgast, Topeka
Dennis Bronson, Stafford
William L Phillipi, Marysville
Ron Wood, Chetopa
Glenn Fischer, Oswego
Quintin Robert, Osage City
Vicki Howell, Belle Plaine
Carl Brewer, Wichita
Mary Olson, Marion
John “Tiny” McTaggart, Edwardsville
Kim Thomas, Stockton
Bart Hettenbach, Woodbine
John F. Ray, Abilene
Herbert Bath, Altamont
Brad Smiley, Canton
Gary W. Fisher, Moundridge
Raymond C. Mader, Russell
Joe Stephens, Syracuse
Lori Christensen, Leoti

Brownback Names KCK’s Murguia to Kansas Board of Regents June 27, 2013

Murguia

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has named KCK Commissioner Ann Murguia to the nine-member Kansas Board of Regents.
The Regents is the governing body for the state’s public universities.
The Governor also made two other appointments to the Regents Board.
Helen Van Etten is an Audiologist with the Topeka Public School District.
The other appointment is Shane Bangerter, a lawyer who has offices in Dodge City.
““Shane, Ann and Helen bring a great amount of experience and talent to the board and I am excited they’ve agreed to serve our great state,” Brownabck said in a news release.
Murguia ran unsuccessfully for mayor this spring. She lost the run-off to Mark Holland.
Murguia’s appoint gives the Kansas City metro area two voices on the Regents Board.
Johnson County attorney Fred Logan assumes the Chairman’s position on July 1.
“The Governor has appointed three great Regents. Shane Bangerter’s community college trustee background will be a tremendous asset. Ann Murguia has an outstanding record of civic and public leadership in Kansas City, Kansas and the greater Kansas City area. Helen Van Etten is a passionate supporter of higher education,” Logan said.

Holland & Murguia Clash on Issues and Flyers in Final Debate April 1, 2013

Kansas City, Kansas mayoral candidates clashed a final time over the basic issue of the campaign, taxes.
At a debate and question and answer session at the downtown public library, candidates Mark Holland and Ann Murguia, both current members of the City Commission, clashed about votes in 2011 and 2012 raising the property tax rate slightly.
Holland said the city had no other option. Without the rise, he claimed, the city would be faced with lay-offs.
“And 30 of those would be police officers, and 30 would be fire fighters. And it’s very important we not make cuts to our public safety,” said Holland. He said he voted for both measures.
Murguia did not vote for either measure. She said it hurt KCK homeowners whose homes were declining in value.
“To charge them more when their homes are worth less, is a contradiction,” said Murguia.
Murguia said the city had other options they could have used.
And she claims even after raising the rate, the Commission went ahead and approved other budget increases.
Holland said he thought the tax rate increase can pulled back off the tax rolls as the economy improves. He also said that in several years, the city will get between $12-15 million dollars when Kansas STAR bonds, used to develop western Wyandotte County and KCK will end and the city will get full tax revenues from that district.
The debate was broadcast live on KCUR radio and the ‘Up to Date’program with Kansas City Star political writer Steve Kraske.
Kraske asked both candidates about the third-party flyers popping up in voters’ mail boxes in the final days of the race.
One flyer attacks Holland. It is from the Americans For Prosperity group, a conservative organization lead by the Koch Brothers of Wichita.
Holland called Americans For Prosperity a group that is involved in “union busting”. He said it was a mystery that he should get attacked at Murguia’s benefit when she claims to have union support.
Murguia said she had nothing to do with the flyer.
Murguia was also the subject of another flyer suggesting she was a Republican. That’s a serious charge in heavily Democratic Wyandotte County.
Murguia says the flyer is confusing. On one side it associates her with Republicans like Kansas Governor Sam Brownback. The other said complains about her voting for tax increases.
Murguia said during the debate it is like the flyer can’t make up its mind.
The polls in Kansas City, Kansas open at 7 Tuesday morning. They close at 7pm. Final results are expected before 10pm Tuesday night.

Mainstream Coalition Denies Anti- Holland Flyer is Thiers March 29, 2013

The Kansas City Kansan is reporting that the race for Mayor of the KCK Unified Government is getting tough in the final weekend.
The Kansan reports the Mainstream Coalition is denying it has anything to do with a new flyer attacking candidate Mark Holland.
The Mainstream Coalition says it has endorsed Holland over rival, fellow Commissioner Ann Murguia.
Mainstream says the flyer contains an incorrect address for the groups as well.
Mainstream, according to the report, has filed an official complaint with the Kansas Ethics Commission.
Given the staffing at the Commission and the timing if the mailer, it’s not likely the Commission will be able to do anything about it before next Tuesday’s election.