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July 17, 2008 Chat is closed, read transcript below.

Moderator: Good morning. This is Shawn Linenberger, news editor at The Mirror newspaper of Tonganoxie. I'll be your moderator for this online chat. We expect to have Dave here any minute. We have some good questions for today's chat, but we're still taking more.

Dave Taylor: Thank you for having me on the chat.

Moderator: Here is our first question.

michael0922: What do you see for the future of Southern Leavenworth County?

Moderator: We are having some technical issues, but Dave will be replying shortly.

Dave Taylor: I see more homes being built, economic development, and this will ease the tax burden. But I am talking about a smart economic growth.

Moderator: And here is our next question.

ttown321: There is plenty of commercial and residential growth in the county. How would you manage that growth, if elected?

Dave Taylor: First of all you must be very careful how you manage growth. When your children graduate and leave the area with growth there is less reason for them to move away and leave the hometown where they grew up because there will be more job opportunities right here. You can't pick and choose the businesses you want to move here. I would like to see businesses who want to locate here will meet with the commissioners and say I can do business with Leavenworth County.

Moderator: Here is another question.

ttown321: If elected, there are two major projects that you would be dealing with once you take office, the communications upgrade with the sheriff’s office and the County Road 1 project. How would you like to see these projects handled?

Dave Taylor: Regarding County Road 1, the contracts have all been signed for work to proceed however I would like to be able to keep some farmland and land for city parks. As for the communications upgrade I believe if the federal government is going to bail out these trillion dollar debts of the mortgage companies they should fund this upgrade. As the new commissioner I will ask these questions.

Moderator: We continue to welcome questions for Dave. In the meantime, could you tell us whehter you have any top priorities for Leavenworth County?

Dave Taylor: The two surrounding counties have eliminated rock roads I feel it's time for Leavenworth County to do the same. We should stop talking about it and take action. Rock roads are a hardship for everyone who uses them. Not only will the people who live on these roads benefit but the entire county will benefit by this very important upgrade.

Moderator: Roads certainly seem to be a major issue in Leavenworth County. Taxes, of course, are as well. What are your thoughts about the mill levy? Do you envision keeping it where it is mill levy where it is, or do you have other proposals?

Dave Taylor: We should always strive to lower the countys mill levy. We need to be deligent how the taxpayers money is spent especially now with the hard times of fuel costs. This effects us all in trying to budget.

Moderator: Thank you, Dave, for joining us today. This concludes our online chat with Dave Taylor, a Republican running for Leavenworth County Commission, District 3. Remember that our next chat will be at 1 p.m. when Leavenworth County attorney Republican candidate Todd Thompson joins us. Also, a scheduling note. The 5 p.m. chat with Leavenworth County Commission candidate Francis Hurla has been postponed. Please check back to the Web site for additional online chats.

Dave Taylor: Thanks to Joel and Shawn and thank you for having me.