Mayoral Forums: Same Race, Separate Stages
A nonpartisan summary from your neighbors at OP Voice
Ahead of the November election, Overland Park voters were presented with two separate mayoral forums, each held independently. This division made it difficult for residents to directly compare the candidates' priorities and governing styles.
To foster civic clarity, OP Voice prepared this side-by-side summary of both events. Our goal is to provide a factual, transparent resource that consolidates each candidate's stated positions and public conduct in one accessible place.
This report draws solely from publicly available forum recordings and supporting materials. Links are provided below for independent review and verification.
Methodology
Items labeled (reporting) quote or summarize positions stated
directly by the candidates in the forums.
Items labeled (analysis) are OP Voice's comparative context or
interpretation.
Forum Recordings & Resources
Skoog @ JoCo Post Forum (Oct 6)
- 📺 Watch the JoCo Post forum (YouTube)
- 📰 JoCo Post recap article
- 📚 Library partner listing (context of format)
Dr. Farassati declined to participate in the Post's forum.
Farassati Campaign Forum (Oct 10)
What Farassati Asked the JoCo Post to Agree To
(per Post reporting and moderator remarks at the forum):
- Four campaign-written questions asked in exact verbiage, with the order pre-approved by his side
- Open mic for audience questions for half the forum time
- No notes or written materials for candidates
- Audience expressions (e.g., clapping) not suppressed
The Post declined; Dr. Farassati did not attend its forum.
Note: The moderator read Dr. Farassati's email containing these requirements verbatim during the October 6 JoCo Post forum (timestamp ≈ 00:04:55–00:07:10).
Two Forums, Two Formats
Skoog @ JoCo Post Forum, October 2
Host & Type:
A nonpartisan candidate forum hosted by the Johnson County Post and co-sponsored by the Johnson County Library.
Moderation Style:
Moderated by a single host (Kyle Palmer, Editor of the Johnson County Post). The format consisted of direct questions posed to the candidate.
Audience Format:
The event followed standard public forum guidelines: standard rules of decorum for public forums to ensure fairness and order.
Farassati Forum, October 10
Host & Type:
A campaign-organized town hall held by the Farassati campaign.
Moderation Style:
Moderated by a panel of individuals selected by the campaign: Maria Holiday (described in event materials as "fromer [sic] Johnson County Republican Party chair"), Mike Czenge (2021 Mayoral Candidate), and Mike Negley (Financial/Political Analyst). The format included moderator framing of questions and follow-up commentary.
Audience Format:
The event followed standard public forum guidelines: standard rules of decorum for public forums to ensure fairness and order.
Shared Topics and Comparable Positions
1. Housing and the Comprehensive Plan (Framework OP)
Mayor Curt Skoog
Follow the city's plan; allow more duplexes/townhomes/condos across price points. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Build apartments where already zoned; oppose up-zoning near single-family areas. (reporting)
2. Tax Incentives / TIFTax Increment Financing (TIF) is a public financing tool used to encourage development. When a TIF district is established, any new property tax revenue generated by increased property values (the "tax increment") is used to pay back the costs of public improvements (like streets, sewers, and parking) that made the development possible. It is intended for projects that would not happen "but for" this financial assistance. Policy
Mayor Curt Skoog
Says incentives help pay for infrastructure and are decided case-by-case; points to public reports on outcomes. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Says incentives are overused and hard to follow; would cut most and publish a yearly, plain-English report of all subsidies and results. (reporting)
What This Means for You
This is a fundamental disagreement about how to best use the new tax money generated by a development.
- Skoog's approach (pro-TIF): Argues for using that new tax money as a financial tool to help a specific project get built. The goal is to attract major employers or large-scale developments that the city believes wouldn't come otherwise, creating a larger, more valuable tax base for the long term.
- Farassati's approach (anti-TIF): Argues for collecting that new tax money immediately for the general fund. The goal is to use those funds to pay for current city-wide services (like police and parks) or provide immediate property tax relief, arguing that many of these projects would happen anyway without an incentive.
3. Public Safety / ICE Cooperation
Mayor Curt Skoog
States OP does not participate in ICE operations and has not entered a 287(g)The 287(g) program refers to Section 287(g) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows federal immigration authorities (ICE) to enter into voluntary agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies. These agreements delegate specific federal immigration enforcement powers to designated local officers, such as investigating the immigration status of individuals in their custody. agreement. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Supports cooperation with federal immigration enforcement consistent with state law. (reporting)
4. Homelessness / Low-Barrier Housing
Mayor Curt Skoog
Open to partnerships with providers; references Johnson County efforts and existing city emergency shelter capacity. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
"Humane and firm" approach: support charities, remove encampments from parks/public spaces; connect people with services while protecting parks. (reporting)
5. Economic Development / College Boulevard Corridor
Mayor Curt Skoog
Reimagine College Boulevard with a modern employment/residential mix of uses to maintain the city's economic engine. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Prioritize core services and fiscal tightening; skeptical of large civic or hotel-style public projects. (reporting)
6. Royals Stadium Proposal
Mayor Curt Skoog
Open to evaluating any state-led Overland Park proposal; would weigh incentives and community fit. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Opposes a stadium in Overland Park, citing crime/traffic/policing impacts. (reporting)
7. Diversity and Inclusion
Mayor Curt Skoog
Positions OP as a welcoming city, in accordance with FrameworkOP. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Emphasizes merit-based hiring; opposes DEI/CRT as screening criteria; supports education investment for opportunity. (reporting)
8. Community Amenities / Pools
Mayor Curt Skoog
Stated that neighborhood pools have high capital costs and that policy has tilted toward regional facilities; review underway. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Favors restoring neighborhood pools where feasible; questions the city's cost estimates; "keep promises." (reporting)
9. Budget & Taxes
Mayor Curt Skoog
Backs current budgeting and service levels; says going fully "revenue neutralIn Kansas, the revenue-neutral rate is the property tax rate (mill levy) that a city or county would set to collect the exact same total amount of tax dollars as the year before. If property values go up, the revenue-neutral rate goes down to keep the total tax revenue flat. If a city's budget proposes collecting more total property tax dollars than the previous year, it is said to "exceed the revenue-neutral rate" and must hold a special public hearing to approve it." means service trade-offs. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Favors zero-based budgeting, a citizens budget commission, and targeting revenue-neutral / property-tax freeze. (reporting)
What This Means for You
This debate is about the city's overall spending. Skoog favors funding services at current levels, while Farassati wants to freeze or lower the property tax rate, which could mean changes to services.
10. Campaign Finance / Conflict of Interest
Mayor Curt Skoog
Cites existing city rules; no new specific changes proposed in this forum. (reporting)
Dr. Faris Farassati
Would require recusal if a councilmember took >$500 from an applicant and publish a searchable online voting record. (reporting)
Quick Comparison Guide
| Policy Area | Mayor Curt Skoog | Dr. Faris Farassati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing / Framework OP | Follow the city's plan; allow more duplexes/townhomes/condos across price points. | Build apartments where already zoned; oppose up-zoning near single-family areas. |
| Tax Incentives (TIF, etc.) | Use case-by-case to fund infrastructure; points to public reports. | Cut/curb most incentives; publish a simple annual "where the money went" report. |
| Public Safety / ICE | No 287(g); city doesn't participate in ICE operations. | Cooperate with federal enforcement consistent with state law. |
| Homelessness | Partner with providers; leverage existing county/city resources. | "Humane and firm"; remove encampments, connect to services. |
| Econ Dev | Re-imagine corridor with jobs + housing mix to keep economy strong. | Prioritize core services; skeptical of big civic/hotel-style projects. |
| Royals Stadium | Would evaluate any Overland Park proposal on fit and financing. | Opposes a stadium in Overland Park. |
| Inclusion / DEI | "Welcoming City" in acccordance with FrameworkOP | Emphasizes merit-based hiring; opposes DEI/CRT as filters. |
| Pools & Amenities | Notes high costs; recent tilt toward regional facilities; review underway. | Restore neighborhood pools where feasible; questions cost estimates. |
| Budget & Taxes | Keep service levels; acknowledges trade-offs with full revenue-neutral. | Zero-based budgeting; citizens budget commission; target revenue-neutral/freeze. |
| Campaign Finance / COI | Points to current rules; no new changes offered here. | Recusal if >$500 from applicant; public online voting database. |
Conclusion
Why There Were Two Forums
The Post declined conditions requested by the Farassati campaign (as read aloud by the moderator at the JoCo Post forum): pre-written questions in exact wording, open-mic for half the event, no notes, and allowing audience applause and reactions. Dr. Farassati then held a separate campaign-run forum with invited moderators. Notably, they took audience questions via notecard; no open mic was present. We link both events so you can review them directly.
Check the Sources Yourself
The Johnson County Library's partnership with the Post explains the neutral, moderator-led format of the Oct 2 forum. The Oct 10 event is a campaign-organized town hall; our timestamps note where moderators add color or framing so you can judge tone for yourself.
OP Voice is committed to nonpartisan, verifiable civic info. If you spot a factual error, send the timestamp or link and we'll fix it promptly.
Last verified and updated: October 17, 2025