The Problem with Proclamations
How Spending, Safety, and Structural Reforms under Wichita Mayor Wu are Being Displaced by a Misguided Focus on Performative Paperwork
In March 2025, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu stepped into a mess of her own making over a proclamation—or rather, her refusal to fully embrace one. The Transgender Day of Visibility proclamation, a first for the city, was meant to be a routine gesture. But when Wu declined to present or sign it, handing it off to Councilmember Maggie Ballard instead, the backlash was immediate. Critics like Ballard accused her of betraying her “All For Wichita” inclusivity pledge, while activist Helen Reicher filed eight ethics complaints, claiming Wu’s dodge undermined public trust. Wu’s defense? She signed two other proclamations that day—including one for Developmental Disability Awareness Month—and wanted to honor the council members who voted for it by letting them take the stage. Cue the eye rolls.
The uproar hit fever pitch online, with local commentator Meko Haze summing it up in a Facebook post: “Lily Wu said some stupid [expletive] to cover up some dumb [expletive] she did. Everybody was like, hey that [expletive] was pretty stupid but let’s move on to the next topic. Then Wu was like, wait, I have even stupider [expletive] to say about that stupid [expletive] I said in regards to the dumb [expletive] I did. Everybody was like, damn that was some really stupid [expletive]. Then Wu was like, hold my beer... I got some even stupider [expletive] to say!” Protests popped up outside City Hall, complete with notarized complaints, and social media became a circus of outrage. But here’s the thing: For all the noise, this proclamation spat doesn’t change a single denizen of Wichita’s life.
Sure, Wu’s selective enthusiasm for ceremonial paperwork raises eyebrows—especially for a mayor who campaigned on unity. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” It’s troubling, no question. But proclamations are just words on a page, not improved infrastructure or safety on the streets. They’re political cotton candy: fluffy, fleeting, and forgotten by next week. Meanwhile, Wichita’s facing budget cuts and firefighter shortages while half-million-dollar toilets (four of them) appear on the streets. This piece will unpack why the proclamation drama is a sideshow, starting with Wu’s rise, her backers, and the scandals that matter more than her signature. We’ll wrap with my own absurd stab at a novel proclamation cutting through the noise. Let’s dive in.
Who is Wu? From the Studio to City Hall
Lily Wu’s story is Wichita to its core: an East High grad who climbed the ladder with grit, polish, and a little help from her opponent’s fumbles. Born in Guatemala to Chinese parents, she landed in Wichita at eight and carved out a career as a TV news anchor for KAKE and KWCH. With a bachelor’s in International Business from Wichita State and a master’s in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong, she’s got the credentials. Before politics, she sat on boards for the Wichita Asian Association and WSU Alumni Association—solid community bona fides. In 2023, she ran for mayor on a platform of public safety, fiscal restraint, and economic growth, promising a fresh start after years of insider stagnation.
Her big break, though, came from former Mayor Brandon Whipple’s self-inflicted wound. In 2022, Whipple—a Democrat and ex-legislator—got caught skipping the line at a Community Dump event to offload mattresses from his rental properties. When challenged, he reportedly told police, with a smoldering Black & Mild hanging from his lips, he deserved VIP treatment because, well, he was the mayor. “Mattressgate” became a punchline and a rallying cry for voters fed up with entitlement. It handed Wu the perfect opening to paint herself as the anti-establishment fix.
Former Mayor Whipple declined any comment when I reached out to him on this story. As an editorial aside, I first met Brandon in community organizing circles. He had good ideas and spoke eloquently. When I would sit outside R Coffeehouse reading and working with my two large dogs near me, he never shied away and my dogs seemed to like him (and to me, that’s the best endorsement a politician can get). His election had me excitedly thinking, “finally a man of the people will fearlessly step in to save us from ourselves.” I still genuinely admire Whipple for his hard work.
But Mattressgate mattered. It misrepresented Whipple’s personality and politics, metamorphosing his optics from “reformer clawing back sweetheart deals from developers” into a Princess of the Plains stogie-puffing version of a Tammany Hall machine politician. The gaffe didn’t win Wu the election single-handedly, but it sure didn’t hurt. She rode a wave of frustration, media savvy, and big money to City Hall. But who wrote those checks? And why?
Cashing In: Wu’s Donors and Her Road to Victory
Lily Wu didn’t just win hearts—she won wallets. According to reporting from The Beacon, in the 2023 primary, she raked in $207,202, dwarfing her rivals, with 329 donors maxing out at $500 a pop. The list is a Wichita power roster:
Billionaire Phil Ruffin (whose private plane ferried Trump to Moscow)
Spirit Aerosystems CEO, Tom Gentile
Developer Stephen Clark (her romantic partner)
Construction Titan and Board of Regents Vice-Chair Jon Rolph
and Wink Hartman (who famously was quoted as saying “Kansas is nothing more than a big business”).
These heavy hitters didn’t just donate; they bundled contributions, pooling influence effectively and legally. It’s how big businesses influences elections, like it or not. Then there’s Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the Koch-backed group, which dropped over $120,000 on ads and mailers. Did Wu take money directly from the Koch brothers or Koch Industries? Nope—no evidence in her filings. AFP’s spending was independent, and PACs don’t name names. Thus why it’s so troubling when some online commentators refer to her as a Koch Puppet—regardless of the veracity, it anonymizes the countless other puppet masters that truly pull the strings.
What’s in it for them? For the business crowd—Ruffin, Gentile, Clark—Wu’s pro-growth agenda means fewer regulations and more lucrative projects. Developers want build permits; CEOs want tax breaks. In short, this massive support was about buying back a Wichita municipal government that would continue sweetheart development deals with low or no taxes for years and no clawback mechanisms to hold big business accountable when they pull the plug at the end of the revenue abatement period.
AFP’s stake is more ideological: a mayor who’ll shrink government and pinch pennies aligns with the organizational playbook. Wu’s donors bet on a City Hall that works for them, and it paid off. In November 2023, she trounced Whipple, becoming Wichita’s first Asian-American and second female mayor. Her base? Suburbanites, fiscal hawks, and business owners. The red-pilled, by-your-own-bootstraps demographics turned out in droves. Whipple clung to progressive pockets but couldn’t match her cash or momentum. Money wins elections—especially in a ‘mittelpolitan’ city, as Russel Fox accurately describes Wichita—for better or, as we will see, for worse.
The Proclamation Play by Play: A Flooded Zone of Petty Rage
To the topic at hand. It helps to remember some basics about Proclamations in Wichita. The City’s own website tells us, “a proclamation issued by the Mayor and City Council office does not mean the Mayor or City Council endorses the group or project.” The request has to originate with a citizen, but drafts can be rewritten or edited at the discretion of the Mayor and City Council Office. Their purpose? “To increase awareness of an important issue, to celebrate an annual event, or to honor a group’s accomplishments.” It’s a PR bonanza without ever expending a shilling of political capital—at least, it’s supposed to be. So, how did this go so terribly wrong for Mayor Wu? A brief timeline of events follows:
March 18, 2025: The council approves the Transgender Day of Visibility proclamation. Wu opts out of presenting or signing it, passing it to Ballard. She signs two others that day, including Developmental Disability Awareness Month.
March 19, 2025: Ballard blasts Wu for dodging inclusivity. Helen Reicher files eight ethics complaints, claiming Wu’s snub insulted transgender Wichitans. Wu responds she respects everyone and just wanted to spotlight the council’s vote.
March 20, 2025 (ongoing): The internet loses it, with Facebook account Memes of Wichita commenting on City of Wichita- Government’s post, “All fascists are bound to lose.” “Wichita Protest Mayor Lily Wu,” a Facebook group, pops up and grows to hundreds of active member, staging rallies and notarizing complaints outside City Hall. Reddit’s r/Wichita explodes with fiery commentary, including, “What a half-assed excuse. [Expletive] Lily Wu and anyone who supports her. Disgusting.”
March 27, 2025: Wu strikes back, accusing local media of false reporting on the issue—but as KSN noted, not to their face, stating “KSN has interviewed her twice on other issues, since the city council meeting on March 18. In those interactions, she has not told us that any facts were reported incorrectly.”
March 28, 2025: The predictable pro-Wu/anti-trans rage bait videos begin in earnest on X.com, shocking literally no one.
April 14, 2025: Protests roll on, with calls for “an ethical mayor who decides for all of us.” Wu doubles down, insisting her move was “fully appropriate.”
April 18, 2025: Kansas.com’s Kylie Cameron reports Wichita’s first Asian-American mayor begins receiving racist emails over the transgender proclamation controversy.
In my previous work, “Megalopolis, Muzzle Velocity, and the Mess of Too Much Power,” I examine how the Steve Bannon strategy of keeping the media and public so busy with so many stories, nobody has the energy or attention span to keep up. I also examined how that strategy benefits the Trump administration while they solidify the gains in executive power fomented by the last five administrations (both Republicans and Democrats). Writing it got me thinking about my next piece, because it feels like the Wu administration is doing the exact same thing—just not as skillfully to avoid backlash. But the Great Proclamation Schism, be it fair or not (and we will get to that) has distracted from much more pressing issues.
The True Scandals: Firefighter Fracases, Lucullan Loos, and City Management Meddling
Wu’s real headaches come from decisions with fangs, not just a slick culture war coat. Take the firefighter mess, as reported on Firehouse.com: In October 2024, the firefighters’ union filed an ethics complaint, alleging Wu leaned on Fire Chief Tammy Snow to axe 42 firefighters by late 2025. Those jobs, tied to a $10.2 million FEMA grant running dry, were part of budget cuts. The union says Wu’s meddling broke city rules by sidelining the council and city manager. Wu called it nonsense, Snow strategically backtracked, and the Mayor’s name was cleared. Little public uproar occurred, and no conservative backlash ever appeared.
Then there’s the Portland Loos debacle. In November 2024, the council greenlit $531,000 for two outdoor public restrooms downtown. That’s right—each costs more than a typical Wichita house. Wu pitched them as a downtown perk, but ended up turning Republican Councilmember, Dalton Glasscock, into a critic of her “ludicrous spending from the left.” Be she a Democrat or not, it’s a rather hilarious attack, placing the Mayor alongside Marx and Mao as if she nationalized municipalized the local aircraft industry to pay for this. Some say the stench of wasteful spending lingers as unhoused neighbors eye the free real estate. The topic still got far less discussion online than the proclamation debacle, as if the liberal and conservative affinity groups were afraid to appear like they agreed on something.
And don’t miss her latest: In early April of 2025, Wu proposed ditching the city manager role, folding its duties into the mayor’s office. Sold as efficiency, it’s been slammed as a power grab. Opponents say it risks turning City Hall into a political fiefdom; Wu says it’s just smart governance. It’s stalled for now, but it’s a bold move from a mayor barely a year in. It’s really too bad people are still too busy freaking out about a non-binding proclamation, because these are the fights that hit home, not some unsigned paper.
Peasant-Logic and Petty Rage Bait
Wu’s proclamation flip-flop isn’t a good look. Signing one but not the other smells like a calculated dodge—pandering to some while sidestepping others. It’s a legitimate knock on a mayor who sold herself as everyone’s champion. But let’s get real: Proclamations are ceremonial window dressing. They don’t pave roads, hire cops, or cut taxes. They’re cheap talk—$106,300 for 1,086 since 2008, per city records. Meanwhile, Wichita’s wrestling a $55 million budget hole, a 100-firefighter deficit, and a $531,000 bathroom bill. That’s where the stakes are.
Sure, Wichita’s elite are making some questionable decisions. But the outrage over a proclamation is like something out of Monty Python and the Holy Grail sequel: Aye, the grain harvests were more plentiful and our livestock more fecund before Archon Wu tore down the bishop’s theses from the door of the cathedral! Now the towers of our noble merchant houses will surely crumble as God punishes us for our sovereign’s heresy! Meanwhile the city faces serious infrastructure, public safety, and budgetary problems. Why do I get the distinct feeling Riverfest will have a special button price this year? Nothing like bread and circuses to quell the outrage of the masses.
Spending big on outdoor toilets, slashing emergency crews, and eyeing a mayoral power boost—these hit you where you live. Proclamations? They’re gone with the next news cycle. At least, they should be. Wu’s critics aren’t wrong to want better, but they’re yelling at a shadow while the house burns. Councilmember Brandon Johnson nailed it: “We can’t chase symbolic wins when the city’s falling apart.” He’s right—focus matters. Thus, I have decided to fight fire with fire.
A Proclamation Proclaiming Proclamation Awareness Day
Hardly to poke the bear, but because this is such a significant issue, I submitted a “Proclamation Awareness Day” request—because if we’re drowning in symbolic nonsense, why not own it? I figured it was high time to nail my own 95 theses to a big door.
Full text of the proclamation I sent city hall for anyone using a screen reader:
WHEREAS, proclamations are often issued to highlight causes, events, or days of significance, yet frequently serve as hollow gestures lacking tangible impact; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Wichita recognize that such proclamations can be cynical tools employed by politicians to feign support for issues without committing to meaningful action; and
WHEREAS, these symbolic acts rarely address the pressing needs or interests of the community, instead prioritizing political optics over substantive change; and
WHEREAS, proclaiming a day to acknowledge the futility of proclamations poses no risk of political capital to city officials, as it demands no resources or accountability; and
WHEREAS, irony itself deserves a moment of recognition in a world where empty gestures are commonplace; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Wichita, in their wisdom, see through the veneer of such proclamations and demand governance rooted in action rather than rhetoric;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that I, Lily Wu, Mayor of the City of Wichita,
Kansas, along with the Wichita City Council do hereby proclaim May the 20th, 2025, as "Proclamation Awareness Day" in the City of Wichita and encourage all citizens to submit more requests for pointless proclamations.
And what response did I get? Not going to lie, they weren’t great. But Norma from city hall was very sweet to me and I want to thoroughly apologize for the frustrating nature of communicating with a functional autistic person to her. It’s hard to notice a developmental disability when the day of visibility was so long ago. Here was her (first) response:
Good morning Mr. Schoch,
Thank you for submitting your proclamation request. After review, we regret to inform you that the request will not be processed as it does not meet our established guidelines.
The purpose of a proclamation is to raise awareness about a significant issue, celebrate an annual event, or recognize a group’s accomplishments.
For your reference, our proclamation guidelines are attached.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office.
Kind regards,
Norma [Redacted]
Hardly deterred, I decided to dig a little deeper and potentially see if I couldn’t do some good old fashioned ‘GOTCHA journalism.’ I typed up this polite reply:
Dear Norma:
I am very disappointed to hear that initial decision. Even after reviewing your guidelines again, I am slightly confused by how this request does not meet your attached guidelines.
Given how substantial the public interest in the issue of City Council proclamations has become, could you please expound on the reason why this issue would not be significant? A large sampling of social media shows that a majority of people referencing the Wichita City Council and Mayor Wu in the last month are discussing proclamations. The issue does seem rather significant to them.
The City Council also spends a significant amount of time reading and announcing proclamations. Are you potentially insinuating that proclamations of city governments are not inherently worthy of attention?
Thank you, again, for your quick reply. Eagerly awaiting further answets to all of these pressing (and significant) questions.
Sincerely,
Charles Schoch
Norma was not deterred either. Maybe she’s a stickler for rules. Maybe she thought I wasn’t serious. Either way, her reply was crushing:
Please note that requests intended solely to promote awareness of a procedure or policy are not eligible for proclamation consideration. Proclamations are ceremonial in nature and are generally reserved for the recognition of annual events or the celebration of a group’s achievements.
Requests for proclamations that seek to raise awareness of a significant issue must include relevant historical context and/or verifiable supporting information.
Thank you again for reaching out, and I truly apologize for any continued frustration this may cause. We understand how important this is to you. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, your request falls outside of our current guidelines, and we're unable to proceed. We appreciate your understanding and are happy to help with any requests that do meet our criteria
Have a wonderful day!
At this point, she had stopped using salutations, or even terminal punctuation. I realized I was starting to stress her out a little bit. Maybe this could be the break in my case. I fired off one more email asking for the one thing City Hall employees hate the most—assistance. At the same time, I felt like giving her some kudos for her stellar work so far:
Dear Norma:
Thank you for your clarification. You have given me some excellent options to recraft the Proclamation Awareness Day Proclamation Proposal. I will get to work updating the request and resubmitting it to celebrate City Council's achievements in reading proclamations.
As an expert in these matters, could you potentially tell me how many proclamations the City of Wichita has issued since the city's founding? If this would be hard to calculate, would you be able to tell me how many proclamations the current city council members have issued? I just want to make sure my next submission provides relevant historical context and verifiable supporting information. I am sure you understand.
I am so blessed to have a faithful public servant such as yourself assisting me with this very significant issue of great public import. Without your hard work, I certainly would be frustrated. Thank you so much for assisting me with this matter. Can't wait to hear back and continue this enlightening correspondence.
Sincerely,
Charles Schoch
A couple days later, she wrote me back. I think she is still working on this issue based on her response:
Mr. Schoch,
Thank you for your email. I’d like to take some time to research this further, as it appears you may either need to submit a KORA request or manually view the agenda/council meeting videos and minutes to find that information.
I’ll follow up with you as soon as I receive clarification.
But as of this writing, Norma hasn’t actually wrote me back. I’m actually starting to miss her. I felt like we were nurturing a budding friendship. [Norma: if you are out there, drop me a comment. You’re a saint.]
With no help from City Hall, I took it upon myself to run some numbers using AI. And let me tell you, it paid off. Since the Granicus platform only started tracking Wichita City Council meeting minutes in 2008, I asked Grok to analyze a sample of 15 meetings from 2025, identifying 26 proclamations, yielding an average of 1.733 proclamations per meeting. With an estimated total number of meetings from 2008 to 2024 of 612. Add the 15 from this year and the math works out like so: 627 × 1.733 ≈ 1,086 Proclamations since 2008. Assuming approximately 15m of meeting time per proclamation, that equates to nearly 271.5 hours of proclamations since 2008. With 7 Council Members and 1 Mayor in attendance, this equates to 2,172 hours of labor. Using 2021 salary data from the Wichita Eagle, ($49,000/year per council member, $113,000/year for the mayor) and approximating a 2,080 hour/year work week for each, I estimated an average of $48.92 per person hour. Of course, this doesn’t account for staff, overhead costs, or inflation, but it gives us a ballpark figure. The city of Wichita has spent about $106,300 on passing proclamations since 2008. Seems pretty significant to me, Norma!
But alas, irony’s dead, folks. My emails asking for proclamation stats got a haphazard “we’ll look into it” and a firm nudge to file a KORA request. I’m writing a free substack, so that is out of the question to pay those fees. So don’t be afraid to get on the city website and submit your own proclamations. It’s honestly kind of fun. It’s a perfect snapshot of a system that loves its rituals but not its reflection.
Conclusion: Ditch the Paper, Fix the City
I hope this has illustrated how our most vocal community members are missing the forest for the trees. Wu’s proclamation fumble is a symptom of petty politics in a city with bigger fish to fry. The real scandals are the ones draining your taxes, structurally hobbling government from changing material conditions, and risking your safety—not a mayor’s pen. Councilmember Dalton Glasscock said it best during the toilet debate: “This is ludicrous spending, and we need to watch every dime.” He’s onto something, whatever your politics.
So, what hits you where it hurts? Potholes? Slow response to a housefire? Rent hikes? Needing your Wichita ID to vote in future elections? How about a criminal justice system so out of whack with modernity the aging county jail literally surrounds the African-American History Museum on all sides? That’s where the pressure belongs—not on hollow words. Support my Proclamation Awareness Day push—let’s laugh at the absurdity and refocus. What changes do you want? Speak up, because City Hall’s not fixing itself.