Sunday, April 15, 2007

About 30 residents attended a Legislative Brown Bag Forum at the Rock
Island Depot Tuesday featuring State Representative Carl Holmes, State
Senator Steve Morris and State Senator Tim Huelskamp. Speaking first,
Carl Holmes began his remarks talking about his recent placement on
the agriculture committee and general issues that the House of
Representatives has faced recently, including school finance, the seat
belt law change, gambling and energy. He stated school finance was a
"big issue," and there were several bills relating to this issue to be
discussed during the next legislative session that convenes April 25.
The law requiring drivers to wear seat belts is now a "primary
offense" meaning that police officers may now stop a driver solely for
the offense of driving without a seat belt, he said. Before, it was a
"secondary offense" meaning a driver had to be pulled over for another
reason, for speeding for example, then cited for no seat belt as the
secondary offense. Fines will start at $60 for the first infraction.
Holmes spoke about concerns about energy and corn prices in light of
increased ethanol plant construction. He said corn prices will be
"driven as much by ethanol as by feedlots." "I'm taking a holistic
approach to energy," he said and believes ethanol production is a part
of that. The biggest issue at moment, Holmes said is gambling. Passing
the recent measure involved "heated debate" and a "very late" night
before being passed in the wee hours of the morning, he said. Governor
Kathleen Sebelius will be in Dodge City today, among other locations
across the state, to hold a bill signing of legislation "allowing
responsible expansion of gaming," according to a governor's office
news release. Senator Morris discussed such issues as school finance,
"it's not the dominant issue it has been in the past," and changes to
the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. "The main change with
KPERS," Morris said, "is the increase in contribution rates from 4
percent to 6 percent and the 85 point rule no longer being available."
These changes will only effect those enrolling after July 1, 2008. he
said. The reason for the change is an attempt to "preserve the
long-term financial health of KPERS."

For his turn, Huelskamp discussed the new gambling measure and its
potential effects.

He said the measure was passed after what amounted to a 12-hour
filibuster after which it passed by a narrow margin of 21-19.

"We'll be the first state to own and operate its own casinos," Huelskamp said.

Huelskamp did not support the measure, he said, in part, because of
the negative economic impact on communities and how little the state
would actually receive from such ventures.

The impact of gambling in a community would be a loss of around $40
million and, while a casino could generate a much as $200 million,
only 22 to 26 percent would be cut to the state of Kansas, Huelskamp
pointed out.

He said he is also pushing for stricter rules for voter registration.
Currently, no questions are asked and no ID is needed to register to
vote in the state of Kansas.

Huelskamp also contends that Kansas is not competitive in terms of the
tax environment and he is working to make the state as "hospitable as
possible" for incoming businesses.

The floor was opened for questions from the public. The first question
involved the lack of voter participation in elections. How do the
politicians suggest increasing voter turnout?

Huelskamp said some causes of low voter turnout involved recordkeeping
issues such as the death or relocation of a voter, so numbers could be
a bit misleading.

Holmes said demographic issues come into play as well. Surrounding
counties that had a higher turnout rate due, in part, to a higher age
demographic than Seward County.

Other questions were posed regarding the current high price of
gasoline. The answers centered on a lack of refineries.

"There used to be 20 refineries in Kansas. We lost 17 due to EPA
rules," Holmes said.

The refinery shortage translates into higher prices because, "out of
every three gallons of gas sold in Kansas, two are imported," he
continued.

The refinery shortage "is critical," he said. Efforts are being made
to, "put tools in place to encourage the refinery industry to return
to the state."

One of the last questions placed before the politicians sought their
opinion on what industries Liberal, as a community, should pursue and
recruit.

Morris answered, "Anything ethanol related. Ethanol is the bright star
in the future of rural Kansas with a good, long-term outlook."

He also advocates a focus on vocational education and said the state
legislature "wants to increase its involvement in vocational
education."

'Technology is our access to new opportunities," Huelskamp said. "Jobs
that were formerly restricted to the coast can now be done from
Liberal. We need to be more entrepreneur-friendly."

Holmes opts for the creation of new, higher paying jobs to lure people
back after they complete their college education.

"We have a good opportunity here with the ethanol plant," he said.