Eagle endorsement: Sedgwick County Commission Democratic primary, District 3 | Opinion

Democrats voting in the primary election for Sedgwick County Commission District 3 have two good options: AlmaAnn Jones and Celeste Racette.

Both candidates have amply demonstrated their commitment to community service in Wichita.

But Democratic voters can only choose one. We endorse Celeste Racette.

Jones made her name as a criminal justice activist working with the families of people killed by local law enforcement — most notably, perhaps, in the high-profile case of Andrew Finch, the Wichita man who was killed by police in a 2017 swatting incident. But she has also done the low-glamour nitty-gritty work of government, serving on two county advisory boards.

“I’ve volunteered a lot, doing a lot of things in the community, because this is my community,” Jones said. “We have so many things that really need to be addressed.”

Racette, meanwhile, brings a background of professional excellence as a longtime bank regulator and investigator with the FDIC who made her reputation uncovering a predatory payday loan scam during the financial crash of 2008.

And she has her own strong track record of community service, most famously as the founder of the Save Century II organization that has worked to save and preserve significant local landmarks from the wrecking ball.

“I’m a fourth-generation Kansas,” she told us. “My expertise and appeal to the voters [is] that things aren’t quite right, and I will do my best to set them straight.”

Both candidates see a need to reconcile the funding demands of Sedgwick County’s services with the growing property tax burden on local homeowners. Both are concerned with strengthening the community’s mental health offerings. Both see a need to strengthen communication and cooperation with legislators in Topeka, particularly on the issue of Medicaid expansion.

Both candidates, we believe, would serve well and honorably on the commission

But Racette’s demonstrated financial acumen gives her a compelling edge over Jones. As the governing body for Sedgwick County, commissioners are responsible for setting policy direction and approving a budget for vital services such as Emergency Medical Services, 911, Comcare, corrections and the Sheriff’s Office.

That job isn’t so easy these days. Commissioners are currently struggling with a nearly $9 million budget shortfall, trying to decide which services and departments will have to be cut in 2025 in order to avoid increasing taxes on their constituents.

It’s work that demands expertise with a spreadsheet.

“We just really can’t afford to keep taxing our citizens,” Racette said. “We’ve got to figure out how to spend money wisely. It’s all about accountability and fiscal responsibility, and that’s my skill set.”

Another point in Racette’s favor: A demonstrated history of independence and integrity. In 2021, she left the Democratic Party over a dispute about the ethics surrounding Wichita City Council member Brandon Johnson’s vote on a $4 million federal COVID-19 grant. She has now returned to the fold.

District 3, the largest County Commission district by size, includes much of west Wichita, as well as Goddard, Colwich, Bentley, Mount Hope, Andale, Garden Plain, Cheney and Viola. It is a strongly Republican district that has been represented the past two terms by David Dennis, a conservative who has a history of reaching across the aisle.

Racette also has a demonstrated record of putting community before party. She worked with prominent area Republicans, including former District 3 Commissioner Karl Peterjohn, to accomplish the Herculean task of gathering more than 17,000 registered voters’ signatures on an initiative petition to save Century II.

Racette’s history of independence, we believe, gives Democrats their strongest chance to win the seat in November. But her brief departure might not play well with party voters now in control of her fate. Racette hopes they focus instead on her skills and experience.

“If voters know me,” she said, “they know that I’ve already done work on their behalf.”

Indeed. It’s not just Century II and the FDIC. Racette has stepped forward repeatedly in the public interest in recent years — shining a spotlight on the finances of Riverfront Stadium and filing a complaint that encouraged the Wichita Wind Surge to reverse a hidden ticket fee in 2022.

Again: Jones and Racette are both strong candidates. We believe Racette’s experience and proven backbone makes her the right choice for District 3 Democrats.