Andrew Payne

Payne, 41, a corporate attorney, gets our nod, though, because he gets into specifics about the competing demands on City Hall to provide great services while keeping taxes low. “The balance is this: Roughly 70% of our city budget goes to the people we count on like police officers, firefighters, and the crews who maintain our streets and sidewalks,” he said in his survey response. While rising home valuations shouldn’t be seen as a “blank check” to the city budget, “I don’t want to see those core services cut, because they are the basics that make Overland Park a premier city.”

Payne has demonstrated a commitment to civic leadership through his involvement with Framework OP and graduating from Leadership Overland Park. His forum/questionnaire responses suggest he has an excellent base of knowledge for a role on city council.

Payne has a thoughtful and well-stated plan for his policy priorities. He also has a varied and extensive history of community engagement.