Print edition: 
In a dire budget year for the state, Visioneering Wichita is just hoping to hold steady with its legislative agenda.
It aims to retain jobs, subsidize airfares to keep the price of flying down, boost nursing programs and encourage medical research.
All those issues were included in past years. Now Visioneering members just hope to hang on to past successes as the state prepares to make more cuts.
The group, which is a volunteer organization focused on long-term planning for the Wichita area, released its agenda Thursday evening after a series of meetings beginning in September.
The agenda includes:
* Continued state money to support the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita Sate University and funding for technical training at the National Center for Aviation Training at Jabara.
* Money for a 25 percent expansion in capacity of nursing education programs.
* Funds for the ongoing WSU medical education and residency programs.
* Money for a Kansas Center for Innovation of Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research.
* State support for subsidies to keep airfares relatively inexpensive.
* Money for the city's aquifer recharge project.
* Support for Kansas Small Business Development Centers.
Gov. Mark Parkinson has already cut about $750 million from the state budget, leading to
teacher layoffs, service cuts for people with disabilities, and less road maintenance. State budget officials say next year will probably be worse.
Jon Rolph, chairman of Visioneering Wichita, said the programs Visioneering advocates have already proven successful, which will make it easier for lawmakers to make their case in Topeka.
Sen. Dick Kelsey, R-Goddard, is optimistic the programs will get funding.
But, he said, "they may have to take a little bit of a haircut."
"Everyone shares the pain," he said.
Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick, said it's essential that the state protect the aviation industry despite budget shortfalls because of the jobs it provides and because it accounts for about 22 percent of the state's budget.
"The name of the game is to sustain good programs," she said.
