| Press release, October 13, 2008 |
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Peterjohn for County Commission 13 October 2008 Peterjohn Participates in Debates Sponsored by Non Partisan Groups Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here at the Wichita Independent Business Association (WIBA) offices. This key business group has roughly 1,000 Wichita area members and I must add has endorsed my candidacy for the 3rd district county commission. I was delighted to serve on the board of WIBA until last year. Roughly a month ago the Wichita chamber had contacted me about participating in a candidate forum later this week. My campaign gave tentative approval based upon fair arrangements for this event being made. However, all of this occurred well before the chamber’s public announcement in a Wichita Eagle article last week that it would be engaging in a political jihad in opposition to my county commission candidacy. In unpublished media information I have received, the chamber and its political action committee are trying to raise a six figure sum and "do whatever is necessary" to defeat me. Tomorrow, October 14, the chamber has scheduled a forum for all four county commission candidates. I am delighted to attend debates and candidate forums sponsored by any credible non partisan organizations with my opponent, Democratic candidate and Goddard Mayor Marcey Gregory, and debate my proposal for voter approval of tax hikes versus her 16.6 percent (that’s 2.34 mills) property tax hike approved at a special city council meeting in Goddard on August 11. Democratic candidate Marcey Gregory and I have already held two forums or debates since the primary. Several more are scheduled later this month including a non partisan event that I am looking forward to in Clearwater, October 17. The Wichita chamber’s attack on my candidacy has established a partisanship that disqualifies them from sponsoring any candidate forum in the 3rd district county commission race. I look forward to debating and speaking out on county issues at non partisan meetings elsewhere. There are many important issues of expanding economic growth, examining county spending and taxes, as well as improving the county business climate, including the very important aircraft industry, to discuss and debate at non partisan events. I have a long record of working to improve the fiscal and tax climate for all taxpayers including the key business sectors in our county but these public discussions need be fair to all candidates and must occur outside the realm of partisan organizations. ######1
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