Robert Thomas - Kansas House 61 - STAR Bonds and Public Investment Accountability

Robert Thomas is running for Kansas House District 61, representing parts of Jackson, Pottawatomie, and Riley counties, including Holton, Delia, Westmoreland, St. Marys, Onaga, and parts of Manhattan.In this portion of the conversation, Thomas and Reicher discuss the use of STAR bonds and public funding for large development projects, including concerns about how those decisions are made. They talk about the scale of recent projects and the role of public input, questioning whether communities should have more direct say when large developments could significantly change their areas.The discussion also explores how these investments are evaluated, including whether they provide a return for taxpayers and how benefits are distributed. They highlight concerns about transparency, decision-making processes, and long-term accountability, noting that outcomes of these projects may not be clear until years later, often after the officials involved are no longer in office.See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about Kansas House District 61, including the most recent campaign finance analysis here: https://kansashelen.substack.com/s/kansas-houseYou can now also watch on Kansas Helen Youtube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify#kansas #ksleg #vote #2026elections #kansashouse Get full access to Kansas Helen at kansashelen.substack.com/subscribe