Acceptance, not land restrictions, will guarantee Kansas success in the future

The announcement, groundbreaking and construction of the Panasonic plant in De Soto is a transformative event for Kansas, painting a pathway for the future. Our state has been the beneficiary of fantastic financial news that will change the look of our population and makeup of our industries, while attracting new residents.

We can already see shifts. As example, in 2019, more California residents came to Kansas than Kansans went to California, more residents came from Florida than left Kansas to head to the South, and the pattern of more coastal state ingress is clear from the census data.

This 2019 information is the most current tabulated, and it was gathered before job-creating announcements that will be attractive to new residents with the right skills, and help retain younger Kansans. The data nearly balances out; however, it is a matter of who came into the state versus who left the state that matters overall.

As a Kansan who worked for a California-based company, I remember when one of my coworkers discussed the idea of moving here. They cited the fact that their costs would be lower, they would still be able to do their work as a software engineer with gigabit internet anywhere, and they could build the home they really wanted by cashing out from their current home in California. This is possible because of the new economy, and the effect it will have on states like Kansas will be permanent.

This new economy means we are going to have to rethink our definitions of rural and urban and where expansion in our state is likely to happen. It also means communities will need to grow in their acceptance of new residents, new ideas, and new businesses.

When Kris Kobach pushed for legislation during the 2023 session ruling out the ownership of land classified as agriculture by anyone not a U.S. citizen or U.S. corporation, he gave a few exceptions, saying that he did not want to impede business, only prevent a foreign takeover of agricultural land. His legislation would have also prevented someone like my friend, a longtime software engineer on a Green Card, from purchasing land to build the home of his desire, or subject him and that transaction to an investigation by the attorney general’s office.

Would he be part of a global conspiracy regarding the U.S. food chain? Of course not.

This is where shifting population matters. The location of the new Panasonic plant, as well as new technology-oriented facilities that will follow means more population and more investment from other states and countries.

More employers equal more opportunities in the Northeast Kansas metro. We are likely to see new residents occupy Leavenworth, Miami County and Douglas County, as all of them are equal distance of the Johnson County core, where prices are higher. Buying land to build a home? That dream may become impossible for many.

For residents of Johnson County, this should not be surprising. As a child, many years ago, I remember when 151st Street and I-35 had no development at all, with farmland all around. That changed decades ago, and the metro has continued to expand and move, with no signs of stopping.

While we can debate the intent of Kobach’s proposal, the result is to paint an entire class of people as though they are unwelcome, that we should be suspicious, and we should doubt their motives. Is Kansas so bad that we worry why people would choose to live and invest here?

The change in how our population is growing has led to conversations inside the Statehouse cloaked in code words that mean redlining. “Responsible selling.” “Responsible buying.” Such practices would allow property sellers to refuse buyers based on who they are, or let lenders and vendors justify shutting out new residents.

Why take this approach? The change in demographics will bring a huge influx in funds for many Kansans and Kansas counties from tax revenues and business opportunities, but the change could alter our residents as well. When population demographics change, fear results.

Rather than address that truth, that attorney general resorted to the scare tactic that China is buying all of America’s farmland — a belief that can cause real damage to Asian Americans. The truth, however, is often hidden away because the facts do not line up with the fear. In a report by the USDA to congress over the matter in March, it was noted that China owns less agriculture land in the United States than 18 other countries.

Even the tiny nation of Luxemburg owns twice as much land in the United States as China. In discussing the issue with congress regarding foreign investment, Kansas already receives a special mention: “USDA has identified 339 counties in Iowa, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin as having the strictest prohibitions on foreign ownership of agricultural land and other nonagricultural real estate.”

Rather than rely on conspiracies theories, we need to welcome investors who will help build up commercial and economic opportunities in communities where land is available, dormant and waiting. Northeast Kansas will continue to grow, and as it grows it will expand in every direction, with residents looking for the right fit for their family. That is great news for Kansas. Unfortunately, that change in demographics — in which younger, more educated families enter our state and younger students graduate and express their civic concern — sparks fears that keep too many in the state house up at night.

Christopher Reeves has served as a member of the Democratic National Committee for the state of Kansas and has been an advocate of expanded rights for persons with disabilities. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.