**The MTAA is the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority (Topeka Regional Airport and related facilities in Shawnee County, Kansas).** It is a separate political and taxing subdivision of the state, created and governed by Kansas statutes (primarily K.S.A. 27-317 et seq., the public airport authorities act).
Its five-member board is currently **appointed**, not elected, exactly as described in **K.S.A. 27-330(b)**:
- 3 members: Topeka residents appointed by the Mayor of Topeka and confirmed by the City Council.
- 2 members: Shawnee County residents living outside Topeka city limits, appointed by the Shawnee County Board of Commissioners.
Each serves a 3-year term (max 3 consecutive terms), and no city or county governing-body members may serve on the board after 1980.
### How to Change It to an Elected Board Under Kansas Law
The board structure is fixed by **state statute**, not by local ordinance, charter, or the authority's own rules. The only way to make election mandatory is for the **Kansas Legislature** to pass a bill that amends K.S.A. 27-330 (and any related sections in the airport authorities act) to replace the appointment process with a popular election process. The new language would need to specify details such as:
- Which voters elect the board (e.g., all registered voters in the MTAA's taxing district, which is generally Shawnee County or the relevant portion).
- Election timing, districts or at-large seats, terms, qualifications, etc.
- Any transition rules for current board members.
The bill would go through the normal legislative process: introduction in the House or Senate, committee hearings, floor votes, conference if needed, and gubernatorial approval (or veto override). There is no shortcut or alternative statutory path that lets the city, county, or MTAA itself unilaterally switch to an elected board.
### How Citizens Can Implement This (No Direct Ballot Initiative Exists)
Kansas is one of the minority of states that does **not** have statewide citizen-initiated ballot measures (initiatives or referendums) for statutes or constitutional amendments. Only the legislature can introduce and pass bills that change state law. Local home-rule cities or counties have limited initiative powers for *their own* ordinances, but those do not apply here—the MTAA's governance is set by state statute, not local action.
As citizens, here is the practical, step-by-step way to pursue the change:
1. **Contact your state legislators** (the most direct and essential step).
Use kslegislature.org to find your House Representative and State Senator (enter your address or Shawnee County/Topeka district). Write, call, or meet with them and ask them to sponsor or co-sponsor a bill amending K.S.A. 27-330 to require an elected board. Provide a clear, concise proposal (you can draft sample language or ask a legislator's staff to have the Revisor of Statutes draft it).
2. **Build broader support to pressure the legislature**.
- Gather signatures on a petition directed at your legislators and the Shawnee County delegation (not a formal ballot petition, but a strong advocacy tool).
- Form or join a grassroots group of affected taxpayers, airport users, or residents in the MTAA taxing area.
- Get resolutions of support from the Topeka City Council and/or Shawnee County Commission (they appoint the current board and may be willing to back a change to elected status).
- Reach out to other stakeholder groups (businesses, neighborhood associations, taxpayer organizations).
3. **Engage the legislative process**.
Once a bill is introduced, testify in favor at committee hearings (public comment is welcomed). Track the bill on kslegislature.org.
Work with legislators to refine the bill so it is politically viable (e.g., addressing any concerns about election logistics or authority independence).
4. **Public education and media**.
Write letters to the editor, op-eds for the Topeka Capital-Journal, or use social media/local forums to explain why an elected board is preferable for accountability on taxing/spending decisions. This builds constituent pressure on lawmakers.
5. **Electoral strategy (longer-term)**.
Support or run candidates for the Kansas Legislature who commit to this reform. Because the change requires legislative action, electing sympathetic representatives is ultimately the most reliable path.
6. **Legal/technical help (optional but useful)**.
Consult a Kansas attorney familiar with municipal or airport-authority law, or contact the League of Kansas Municipalities or a taxpayer advocacy group for guidance on drafting language or process.
**Bottom line**: There is no citizen petition, referendum, or local vote that can directly force this change. Success depends entirely on convincing the Kansas Legislature to amend the statute. Start with your own legislators and local elected officials—they are the gatekeepers. The process is the same one used for any other statutory reform in Kansas.
If you provide your specific Shawnee County address or precinct, I can help point you to the exact current legislators and their contact info. Let me know how else I can assist!
Henry McClure
785.383.9994
