HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce and Hutchinson Regional Medical Center hosted a Democratic Forum for the candidates vying for their party’s nomination for governor.

The candidates were questioned about the raiding of funds from the Transportation Department. Those dollars have been used for other items in the budget and have caused delays in some highway projects.

All agreed that this has to stop and spoke of the importance of a strong infrastructure in the state.

Candidate Joshua Svaty talked about the issue from a farmer’s perspective. Svaty was raised on a farm in Ellsworth County. He discussed what the issue means for getting goods to market. But, he also talked about his days at Sterling College and what happened to the plan to expand the K-14 and K-96 bypass west of Hutchinson:

 

Other topics included school funding, the effect tariffs will have on products from Kansas, and taxes, including sales tax on food.

Others candidates who participated in the forum were Arden Andersen, Jack Bergeson, Carl Brewer and lieutenant governor candidate Lynn Rogers.

About 100 people attended the event at the Stringer Fine Arts Center on the HutchCC campus.