1) Most Legislative sessions involve hard choices among state agencies competing for limited funds.  What are your spending priorities and how should budget shortfalls be addressed?

While serving on the Appropriations Committee and the Ag and Natural Resources Budget Committee, I look at the need and the plans to address those specific needs.  This year I will be working for children’s issues such as pre-K-16 education, including special education; child care; health care, including mental health issues; technical and vocational education; workforce development, job training and retraining so that people can make the most of their talents and strengths; and expanded student loan programs; social services including home and community based services, foster care and adoption services; and a new comprehensive transportation plan.

Though money will be tight, the current transportation plan, ending in 2009, has a funding source that could be applied to a new plan (the state gas tax of 24 cents/gallon plus federal funds), creating jobs and attracting workers to Kansas.

The Legislative Administrative Agency has proposed replacing our very old management information system with a compatible computer management system that all state and university systems can interface.  This will help to develop accurate statistical data for more efficiency in management, track student progress, and develop uniform and consistent policies for the state agencies and Regents’ systems.

Shortfalls should be addressed by responsible management, establishing spending priorities, eliminating duplication of services, collecting accounts receivable and eliminating or putting a hold on unnecessary and underutilized  programs.

I support Governor Sebelius’ request for all state agencies to develop budgets that can be reduced by 2%, if necessary, rather than the Governor making across the board cuts.  We must maintain sufficient funds to provide for future emergencies such as we experienced from storm damage in 2007-2008, and a 7 ½% ending balance is required by Kansas law.  Since July1, 2008, we are ahead of projected revenues by $14 Million.  The outlook has improved.    

2)  How do you balance the need for additional energy production in the state with environmental concerns, including the use of water? 

Kansas does not have a short term energy problem.  What we need is a long range energy plan that will evaluate the economic and environmental impact of all energy production sources, including coal, natural gas, ethanol, nuclear, wind and solar.  Some sources are economical, but pollute our water and air, others use large amounts of fresh water which is one of our most precious natural resources and is needed to maintain our agricultural production. Other sources are more costly, but better protect our environment.

We have sufficient time to develop a long range energy plan, which could include such proposals as the governor’s goal of 20% alternative energy by 2020 and the education of the public on their role in conservation efforts.  There is a great deal of research now directed to create new approaches and improve the costs and environmental effects of all current sources of energy production.  Whatever course we take, we as legislators must make sure that the laws enacted pertaining to energy production are good laws.  It was very difficult to vote against legislation that was purported to bring a $360 Million economic impact to Kansas in jobs and construction.  My extensive work in economic development has taught me to look very carefully before committing to a project, and to be sure that the long range effect is beneficial.

I work on issues and I vote on bills.  While I welcome the opportunity to find a solution to the dilemma, the energy bills that came before the Kansas Legislature in 2008 created great risk for ratepayers.  Public utilities must be regulated for the public good.  Both bills removed the oversight of the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) whose function is to make sure that the rates do not rise too quickly.  Both proposals also stripped the authority of the Secretary of Kansas Department of Health and Environment to deny future permits and to regulate air quality standards, an oversight that KDHE has always maintained. 

Coal will be a part of our energy future in the short term, but these bills were all about maintaining the status quo while shifting all of the risk to the ratepayers.  We need to look to the future.  At this time there the coal industry has no significant competition. That is why regulatory authority is an essential protection for ratepayers.

Kansas will play an enormous role in the new renewable energy economy.  Farmers, machinists, contractors, and families will benefit from the production of wind turbines, solar panels and natural gas and from Kansas taking advantage of its own natural resources.

3)  What is your assessment of the level of funding for education at all levels (pre-K – University) and how do you intend to address issues such as deferred maintenance and faculty salaries to keep our schools competitive on a national level? 

It is extremely crucial to provide Cost of Living increases for teachers to prevent us from regressing during FY09 and FY10 and to keep up with inflation.  In 2006 we adopted legislation that requires this. Based on the current fiscal condition of the state we must maintain this requirement to keep our great teachers and faculty.

In May oil was going up, gasoline was up, and the value of the American dollar was down, impacting foreign trade.  The economy of Kansas, farming, aviation, the service industry and the growth in our Military has dramatically improved and the result is that there is more money available for local option budgets and for the state to support education.  We also anticipate expanded lottery start-up funds to contribute to our growing Kansas economy.

Educational results in Kansas continue to improve.  There is no question that Math & Reading scores have increased dramatically.  Reading results from 2006-2008 have significant increases in many districts.  The difference is the ability to refocus teacher attention and efforts toward student achievement. Setting standards, having well prepared teachers coming out of our universities and better communication between teachers (mentoring, team teaching, time reserved for collaboration to help students identify and eliminate personal barriers to learning and providing support for this) have accounted for much of our success in continuing to improve education in Kansas.

The Kansa Board of Regents oversees the operations of the six public universities and Washburn, as well as the nineteen community colleges.  During my six years in the legislature Operating Grants have been provided disbursement by the Board of Regents.  The Deferred Maintenance question was addressed in my Appropriation committee, with a schedule of the needs of specific buildings, an estimate of the costs for each, and then ranked in priority order by each university.  The universities and the Board of Regents are satisfied that this plan, if fully implemented, will provide the necessary funding to solve this problem and at a pace that will not be overly disruptive to student progress.

4)  What policies do you think Kansas should have regarding illegal immigrants?

The core of the immigration problem lies in federal jurisdiction, making it hard to create, comply, and enforce employment and immigration laws.  During the past session I supported HB2680 which would prohibit employers from intentionally or knowingly employing an illegal worker.  It also created penalties for worker misclassification, protecting them from unfair wages.  The bill did not make it through the Senate.

This is a very divisive issue. Supporters of statewide immigration reform argue that business owners cannot compete against contractors who employ underpaid illegal workers and wish to prevent illegal immigrants from voting in elections or receiving public assistance.  Our election laws are adequate to prevent undocumented persons from voting in Kansas.  There is no record of any such problem here.

Public assistance does occur when the desperately ill risk going to hospital emergency rooms for care and those costs may be passed on to others if they cannot pay.  Opponents of statewide immigration reform warn of unintended consequences, including a significant workforce decline and discrimination by law enforcement who must ask individuals detained about their citizenship or immigration status.

The immigration problem needs to be solved without hurting businesses who are trying to abide by the law.  Current law makes both dealing in false identification documents and the crime of identity fraud severity Level 8 nonperson felonies.  Immigrant workers have always been a part of our workforce, but when the federal government ignored the rising numbers of undocumented workers in our country, it became a significant concern to many people.  Many came into the country legally and are waiting for Naturalization and now are in a difficult political situation due to war and the need for political asylum.  We need to balance the need for workers with protection for our citizen laborers, and their earning ability.