Osage County commissioner files for Humerickhouse’s Congressional seat

An Osage County commissioner is filing for the 59th Kansas House District, which covers most of western Franklin County.

The filing by William R. “Willie” Prescott means that Rep. Joe Humerickhouse won’t run for re-election.

Prescott, Osage City area farmer who is a Republican, said he was asked by Humerickhouse, a six-term legislator, to run for the legislature.

“He has said he has wanted to retire and he asked if I would run,” Prescott said.

In addition to farming, Prescott also has operated an agriculture spraying company.

As a county commissioner, Prescott said he’s aware of the impact of the legislature’s actions on local governments.

When the legislators cut taxes, they’re careful to cut the taxes that bring revenue to cities and counties and not the states, he said.

Unfunded mandates, property tax exemptions for new business equipment and eliminating programs in which the state shared tax revenues with local governments have put a dent in Osage County and other cities’ and counties’ budgets, he said.

Although such actions are trumpeted as tax cuts, local taxpayers end up paying more as a result, he said.

Prescott said he’s in favor of long-term stable funding for public education but would like to see a standard accounting system for all school districts so it’s easy to compare to see if they’re spending money efficiently and effectively, he said.

Prescott also said he’s in favor of more enforcement  of existing state laws regarding illegal immigration.

Filing for the legislature means that Prescott, in his first term as commissioner, wouldn’t run for re-election as commissioner because his seat is up for re-election this November.

He is a member of the board of the East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity Corp., Ottawa, and has been  president of the Osage County Farm Bureau.

He and his wife, Daresa, have two high school-aged children.

Prescott is the second person to run for the 59th District seat.

Jim Irey, retired educator and Democrat from Melvern, has filed. Irey nearly upset Humerickhouse two years ago. Irey ran against Prescott four years ago for the county commission.