In his bid for the open seat on the Allen County Commission, John Brocker hopes to rein in spending and improve communication between local, state, and federal government.
Brocker is facing Republican candidate Nickolas Kinder in the Aug. 6 primary for Commissioner District 3. The winner of that race will face Independent Jon Wells in November.
Growing up south of Paola, Brocker moved to Allen County after meeting his wife, Linda, while attending college at Emporia. The pair, who have two sons and five grandkids, have called the area home since 1973. Brocker owns and operates Allen County Realty in Iola.
Through the years, Brocker has become increasingly involved in political matters. He had previously served on the county commission for a period of six months, finishing out a commissioner’s term who had resigned.
“I’ve been involved with the state and national political scene for quite a while,” said Brocker. He has served as past president of the National Association of Realtors and has sat on a Realtors Political Action Committee (RPAC) for the state, as well as governmental affairs at a national level for the Realtors Land Institute (RLI). “I’ve been involved, politically, for about 40 years,” he noted.
Brocker continues to serve as the Allen County representative for the SEK Regional Planning Commission, a position he has held for nearly a decade. Additionally, he serves on the St. Luke’s Board, the county maintenance board for the hospital, and as the chair of the Allen County Republican Party.
AMONG his accomplishments, Brocker helped keep the 1031 exchange alive at a federal level. “It was a big concern they were going to do away with it,” he said. A 1031 exchange allows real estate investors to swap one investment property for another and defer capital gains taxes, but only if IRS rules are met.
“Basically, it’s an exchange deal where if you are selling something and you declare a 1031, you can buy something equal to or greater than and defer your tax problems,” he explained.
Another point of pride and accomplishment for Brocker is the Rural Development Bill of the 1980s. “I actually wrote the bill,” he said. “It is for banks to be able to loan for rural development housing.”
Brocker was also instrumental in bringing the new VA Clinic to Iola. “We got them the building and got them settled here,” he explained. “It’s a big thing for Iola. It will cover all of southeast Kansas. It is very vital for veterans.”
If elected to the county commission, Brocker says he will bring his connections with state and federal legislators to the position. “I work well with state and national, which is probably one of my best assets,” he said. “I know all those people and I can get things done that a lot of people can’t get done. When I call them, they personally get back to me.”
A major concern for Brocker, and something he hopes to address if elected, is spending. He believes that elected officials — from the federal level and down — don’t take enough consideration with spending. “We need to be responsible with people’s money,” he said. “Whenever you earmark money to do anything, you should take really good care of it. Consider where it is coming from and where it is going.”
He further noted that commissioners should take the time to analyze what burden the spending will put on the taxpayers of Allen County. “They make decisions where they don’t understand the consequences until later. That’s what bothers me.”
Brocker believes his knowledge and past performances with the county will help him stand out against his contenders. “Anyone who has been around me knows that I will speak up to what the concerns are,” he said. “I’m not in this job for the money — they can keep it. I’ll survive without it. If we want to grow this county with more people here, we’ve got to change some of our philosophies.”
He added he may only serve for one term if elected. “If I can’t get it turned around in one term, at my age, I don’t need to be there. People know me and know that I’m a person of my word.”
