League Positions

League of Women Voters^®
Wichita - Metro

League Stances on Public Policies

What does the League think?

Local Positions. State Positions. National Positions.

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.
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.

GOVERNMENT
Format--Support the City Manager/City Council form with the council members elected at large on a non-partisan ballot. Oppose district elections for USD 259 Board of Education members. Support permanent citizen district advisory boards given city council persons 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.

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

Kansas League Positions on Public Policy

Click on LWVK POSITIONS to read about Kansas League positions in a new browser window.

National League Positions on Public Policy

Overviews of LWVUS Positions
Impact on the Issues: A Guide to Public Policy Positions: 2004-2006
Impact on the Issues: A Guide to Public Policy Positions: 2006-2008
LWVUS Board Adopts Immigration Position
After a lengthy and comprehensive study of this complex issue by our grassroots members, the LWVUS Board of Directors unanimously adopted the League's position on immigration which calls for a path to citizenship for current unauthorized immigrants. Read the full position here and the press statement on the position here. The 18-month study was successful thanks to the hard work of the Immigration Study Committee, led by LWVUS Board Member Carolie Mullan, and the high level of participation + 67 percent (560 Leagues). The new position provides for federal enforcement of immigration laws and full due process rights for immigrants. State and local Leagues may oppose efforts in their communities to deport, detain or harass unauthorized immigrants who have no history of serious criminal activity. As with all League positions, if your League is interested in taking action, please contact LWVUS Grassroots Lobbyist Christina Vamvas at cvamvas@lwv.org.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 25, 2008 12:38 PDT.