Sedgwick County commissioners largely side with Brownback on blight veto
The Sedgwick County Commission majority largely defended Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill aimed to help deal with urban blight.
Commissioner Karl Peterjohn said the governor “struck a blow for the little guy and for private property rights.”
Commissioner Richard Ranzau said local governments shouldn’t be given more tools to potentially take property away from someone.
“There are ways to do things without allowing the government to take advantage of the little guy,” Ranzau said.
The bill would have made it easier for cities to seize abandoned and deteriorating houses and turn them over to nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity. The governor’s veto message contained language about protecting property rights and the “less advantaged.”
Wichita city officials supported the bill and slammed Brownback for the veto during their Tuesday council meeting.
County commission chairman Jim Howell said he was more neutral on the final version of the bill and was resolved that “this were the best we were going to get.”
“I know our friends across the street are very disappointed in the veto and I am sympathetic to … the problem they’re trying to solve,” Howell said, referring to city leaders’ comments on Tuesday.
My property is going to be negatively impacted by a Mennard’s going in next to my house. So, you know, it’s part of living in a neighborhood. It’s part of living in a community. Things happen.
Chairman Jim Howell on the impact of blight on neighbors
He still expressed concerns about governments being “aggressive” in seizing peoples’ houses.
“On the other hand, I also see (that) the foundational American principle of property ownership is one of the basic things that makes America different than many other places around the world,” Howell added. “Property ownership is one of our most principles that we must defend.”
He also blasted arguments from the bill’s proponents that blight hurts the property rights of the people next door.
“My property is going to be negatively impacted by a Menard’s going in next to my house,” Howell said. “So, you know, it’s part of living in a neighborhood. It’s part of living in a community. Things happen. Some of your neighbors are going to be better than other neighbors. Some neighbors don’t mow their grass. Some neighbors have dandelions in the front yard. We have all kinds of neighbors.”
Commissioner Dave Unruh said the issue of blight largely isn’t about protecting “the little guy.”
“That’s property that’s either been abandoned or just being ignored by an absentee landlord,” Unruh said. “I don’t think it’s the case that has an individual that has a property that wants to protect it.”
“I would kind of defer to what their (city leaders’) desires are.”
Daniel Salazar: 316-269-6791, @imdanielsalazar
This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Sedgwick County commissioners largely side with Brownback on blight veto."