The purpose of Local 135’s political engagement is to support public safety and to maintain and improve the health, safety, and security of Firefighters.
Our Political Action Committee (PAC) evaluates and recommends specific candidates for endorsement to the General Membership of Local 135. We met with candidates, sent surveys asking their views on the issues that matter to our membership, and evaluated voting records (if applicable).
Local 135’s top priority is keeping the men and women of the Wichita Fire Department safe and able to provide for their families. For that reason, we have made the decision to renew our involvement in the electoral process. We are supporting candidates for office who have earned our trust that they will make public safety and our Firefighters a top priority in their terms.
This year, we focused on three races. We decided to publish our survey and all the candidates' answers (where available). Our endorsements and those survey answers are below:
Wichita City Council: District 1
BRANDON JOHNSON
Wichita City Council: District 3 (surveys)
MIKE HOHEISEL
Wichita City Council: District 6 (surveys)
MAGGIE BALLARD
This year, extra care was taken with this process because our concern about our members' safety, and the safety of the public, is extraordinary. Each of these candidates has worked to earn our trust. Our work is not done, however. Local 135 will continue to meet with council members after the election to ensure they continue to hear our concerns and take action. You can sign up for updates on this process at wichitafirefighters.com.
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