Mayors are the leading executives in cities and towns in the United States. Their main duties include managing a city’s budget and ensuring the functionality of municipal services like public safety, transportation and utilities.
Elections for mayor are held every four years. During the last election in 2019, incumbent mayor Brandon Whipple succeeded Jeff Longwell as mayor of Wichita after Longwell’s five-year term. Whipple and Lily Wu are on the ballot in 2023.
Why are you running for your position?
I ran for Mayor four years ago because Wichita’s biggest export wasn’t airplanes or wheat, it was talented young people with opportunities elsewhere. When I looked into the data more, it was clear we were losing young women and people of color. As a dad, it was important to me to step up and change this pattern so my sons and their generation have the opportunity to achieve their dreams right here in Wichita. I’m running for re-election because we’ve seen success, but we can’t stop the momentum now.
What are your main priorities? What do you hope to plan to address those issues?
As Mayor, my top priorities are to continue our energy and momentum currently attracting the jobs of the future and to ensure the City is safe, no matter what neighborhood you live in. We’re attracting new investment and jobs in Wichita by modernizing our policies to reflect the values of the next generation and the new economy. I grew up in a family where my mom was a waitress and my dad was a carpenter. They are some of the hardest working people I know, but they don’t have time to pay attention to politics. I lean on that experience to make sure that the City of Wichita works for everyone, not just the loudest or most well-connected. Our last two budgets were shaped by more community engagement opportunities than in the past resulting in changes in priorities reflected in those budgets. We expanded our mental health crisis teams so people in crisis get the help they need from trained professionals and our police can focus on solving crime. We are building the first new fire stations since 2009 to fill service gaps caused by population growth. As Mayor, I use data and public input to allocate resources effectively to solve real issues facing our community.
What are your qualifications for your position?
Prior to being elected Mayor, I served in the Kansas Legislature representing South Wichita’s House District 96 for 7 years and taught at Wichita State University. As a legislator, my position as the Ranking member on the Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee as well as Higher Education Budget Committee provided me with experience I needed to be an effective Mayor as Wichita recovered from the pandemic. We are using economic development tools I worked to create in the legislature to help small and medium sized businesses expand and create more jobs. My passion for higher education translates into the City’s investment of Federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars into job training programs in healthcare and advanced manufacturing so people can start or transition into careers of the future. My experience crafting large budgets at the state level during the Brownback years prepared me to trim the fat in our City budget and reinvest that savings into basic services taxpayers expect, like more frequent road maintenance.
Why should college students vote for you?
As Mayor, I focus on trying to bring voices to the table that have been historically left out of the room, including young people. As an elected official, it’s important you make time to go out to where people are and not expect them to come to you. People are busy living their own lives and it’s my job to get out in the community and listen to everyone’s problems and priorities so City policies and programs accurately reflect what the people expect and operate as intended. I try to spend at least one day a week out at a school to hear from young people of all ages about what they want from the City, because the decisions we make now will impact Wichita for decades to come. It’s important to me to get feedback from young people because our decisions now will impact them the longest.
Wichita State is located in a food desert, with our on-campus food pantry facing an increased student demand compared to last year. What plans do you have to address that issue and make groceries more accessible?
Addressing food insecurity requires a variety of approaches to solve the issue. In order to make a grocery store viable in the core of the City, we need to increase housing density. I have a plan to convert unused commercial buildings into residential units to increase our housing supply in the core. In the meantime, our corner store program aims to provide more food options at corner stores, however, I would like to build upon that concept to open up our neighborhood centers and libraries for food pick up locations. Technology allows us new opportunities for residents to place food orders online and then pick up that order at a location near their home, like a neighborhood center.
There can be public transit issues throughout Wichita, which can impact students without their own transportation in working off campus or going through the city. How would you go about improving transportation?
Unlike most cities, the City of Wichita transit system does not have a dedicated funding stream so it is difficult to improve services as a result of demand. Currently, there are multiple transit systems operating simultaneously in our region. The City is currently conducting a real transit study with one of the best firms in the country to identify where we can create efficiencies and create a strategic plan to modernize our public transit system.
Recently, there have been student housing concerns on and around campus, as well as crime happening near campus. How would you ensure that students have access to safe and affordable housing?
Increasing our housing supply is one of my top priorities because it is the only proven way to reduce inflation and reduce housing costs. We have a plan to incentivize homeowners to fix up current housing stock and get it back on the market, as well as converting large unused commercial buildings into residential units. We are also exploring more options for accessory dwelling units that could create apartment units within single-family neighborhoods.
With overall inflation and rising tuition for college, how would you support students pursuing post-secondary education?
As Mayor, I focus on making sure there are affordable options to get the education you need to start a career in Wichita. In order to do that, I need to make sure that the cost of living is affordable for students. I’ve previously discussed my plans to reduce housing costs in Wichita, but as a council, we have focused on policy to reduce fees and costs for those who need it. We also passed a resolution in opposition to Evergy’s rate increase because most Wichitans can’t afford an increase in living expenses right now.
How would you plan to address mental health?
The most important thing we need to do to address mental health, and not only manage crisis care, is to expand Medicaid. During my time in the Kansas Legislature I advocated to expand Medicaid and I have advocated to include it on our Legislative agenda during my time as Mayor. In order to expand mental health services, we need to ensure people have access to service providers when they are ready to get help. Younger generations understand the importance of prioritizing mental health unlike generations before and my approach aims to support increased access to services. At the City we have expanded our mental health response units so those experiencing crisis can get the help they need from trained professionals. In our housing department, we created coordinated care teams to go out into the community and help those living unhoused get connected to services and housing.
How would you encourage Wichita State students to stay in the Wichita area after graduating?
While many cities crumbled trying to recover from the pandemic, Wichita made strategic investments that helped diversify our economy and prepare workers for the jobs of the future. Growing up in the Northeast, Wichita gave me so many opportunities that didn’t exist for me on the coast. I was able to be the first in my family to graduate college and own a home. Wichita is attracting tech and cybersecurity companies and we are making investments so Wichita continues our growth. Fostering small, local businesses and creatives creates an atmosphere that supports innovation in our quality of life, increasing social opportunities for life during and after college.
Why are you running for your position?
I love Wichita, and I’m grateful for the opportunities this community has shown me and my family. I’m the political outsider who will bring a new energy and fresh perspective to city hall. I envision a safe, trustworthy, and thriving Wichita, where people want to be and are proud to stay. It’s time to get back to the core functions of local government and put results ahead of politics so we can meet the challenges of tomorrow and improve the lives of every Wichitan. As mayor, I’ll focus on ensuring public safety, strengthening our economy, restoring trust in city hall, and building a united community. I’ll work with anyone who wants to improve our city, bring our community together, find common ground, and make Wichita proud.
What are your main priorities? What do you hope to plan to address those issues?
I hear citizens across our city who repeatedly express confusion in understanding and navigating city hall’s priorities. We must get back to the basics and prioritize the core
functions of local government. My key initiatives are ensuring public safety, strengthening our economy, restoring trust in city hall, and building a united community. My top priority is the health and safety of our community. With nearly 100 vacant police officer positions, and 100 more eligible for retirement, we must ensure our law
enforcement, first responders, and city services are fully staffed so they can connect with the community and serve more effectively. As mayor, I’ll restore the relationship between the mayor’s office and Wichita Police Department, bolster our public safety departments’ recruitment and retention efforts, and ensure local law enforcement has the respect and resources necessary to keep Wichita families safe. It is time to put partisanship aside and focus on building a united community to meet the challenges of tomorrow and improve the lives of every Wichitan.
What are your qualifications for your position?
As a political outsider, I bring a fresh perspective to our city’s challenges. Thirty years ago, I immigrated from Guatemala to Wichita, an 8-year-old who only spoke Spanish and Chinese. I’m a proud product of Wichita Public Schools, where I learned English and obtained an International Baccalaureate diploma from Wichita East High. I earned two degrees in international business and integrated marketing communication as a Gore Scholar at Wichita State and, while serving as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, a master’s in journalism from the University of Hong Kong.
As a believer in Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self,” I’ve spent over 20 years as a community volunteer and leader for organizations like Visioneering Wichita, WSU’s Barton School of Business, and the Wichita Asian Association, where I still serve as a director of the cultural competition helping young women embrace their ethnic heritage and celebrate cultural diversity.
Why should college students vote for you?
Civic engagement is critical in a democratic society where all should be represented. Our community’s critical thinkers, college students such as yourselves, should consider who will be the best representative for Wichita.
My leadership philosophy is rooted in civility, respect, honesty, and integrity. Most importantly, I will lead by first listening. As a local reporter the past 12 years, my job was to listen to people all over Wichita. As mayor, I will lean into my communication experience of seeking truth, sharing facts, and remaining transparent. I pride myself on being a consensus builder and am someone who will put results over politics to move Wichita forward.
Wichita State is located in a food desert, with our on-campus food pantry facing an increased student demand compared to last year. What plans do you have to address that issue and make groceries more accessible?
The lack of healthy food options in our community is something that should be alleviated by the private sector. For entrepreneurs to take that risk, they must first feel confident their efforts will be met with a safe and supportive community. As mayor, I’ll highlight and partner with marginalized neighborhoods to encourage additional investment in these communities.
There can be public transit issues throughout Wichita, which can impact students without their own transportation in working off campus or going through the city. How would you go about improving transportation?
We should view public transit as both a regional and workforce asset. We need a full assessment of our public transit system to ensure we’re providing the best value to both those who rely on it and our taxpayers. While this is important, it won’t matter much if our community is not safe, so my top priority is the health and safety of our community.
Recently, there have been student housing concerns on and around campus, as well as crime happening near campus. How would you ensure that students have access to safe and affordable housing?
Affordable housing is largely a supply and demand imbalance, which costs everyone. Housing shortage estimates range from approximately 20,000 to 50,000 housing units. We need to encourage more housing at more accessible price points. But first, our city must be a safe and attractive place to invest, another reason why my top priority is ensuring public safety.
We should review city code to identify and ease any exclusionary zoning, which limits new supply and drives up prices. The city should also limit red tape and associated fees for builders, who are focused on building more affordable housing, especially for infill development. Wichita needs more housing, so we should encourage more builders and non-profits, like Habitat for Humanity and Mennonite Housing, to invest and build in our community.
With overall inflation and rising tuition for college, how would you support students pursuing post-secondary education?
It is critical that local government focuses on priorities and reduces the burden on college students and taxpayers in Wichita. Over the last four years, we have faced rising costs and inflation. I’m opposed to increasing taxes that would further burden all Wichitans, including students like you. I’m in favor of growing our tax base by attracting new industry, investment and people to Wichita.
How would you plan to address mental health?
This is a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all solution, but it must be a higher priority. Many in our community face mental health challenges, including individuals experiencing homelessness, who suffer from serious mental illness, substance abuse, or both. We are a compassionate community with many available resources that should be harnessed and channeled to help those who are suffering connect with the help they need.
While I’m encouraged by more recent collaboration between our public, private, and nonprofit sectors, we still lack the leadership necessary to achieve real results. We need new leadership that will enhance the collaborative efforts of the Homeless Task Force, which is pursuing multiple solutions for people experiencing various levels of homelessness and mental health challenges. I’m the type of leader who can facilitate greater collaboration and ensure we’re on a path to real results.
How would you encourage Wichita State students to stay in the Wichita area after graduating?
Wichita has been my home for 30 years and Wichitans invested in my education from Wichita Public Schools to Wichita State University. I chose to stay and build my career in my hometown because of the people, teachers, and mentors who have shaped my life. I believe Wichita has an abundance of opportunities for all in our community who are willing to work hard toward their goals.
One of my four pillars is strengthening our economy, which starts with ensuring we’re supporting our existing small and large businesses, creating a future-ready workforce, and emphasizing high-paying jobs. As mayor, I’ll serve as an ambassador for our city by cultivating relationships and promoting regional competitiveness that will attract new industry, investment and people.
