Kansas.com: State Government

Health care, wages top District 29 race

JEANNINE KORANDA — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:39 CDT

Quality of life issues -- health care, education and good-paying jobs -- dominate the District 29 Democratic primary for an open state Senate seat.

Rep. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, 48, and Kelechi "KC" Ohaebosim, 29, both see jobs that pay a living wage as important to the district.

Roughly half the voters in the district are registered Democrats. About 17 percent graduated from college. About 60 percent of households have an annual income of less than $35,000.

Bringing new living-wage jobs into the community is imperative, Faust-Goudeau said.

"I hear so often that the costs of living goes up, but our wages stay the same," she said.

Legislators to study gas prices

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:40 CDT

Legislators aren't sure how much -- if anything -- they can do about high gasoline prices, but a committee will study the issue later this year to make sure they aren't missing something.

Legislative leaders have assigned the topic to the Special Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy. The committee hasn't set its first meeting, but its review and any recommendations would come before the legislative session starts in January.

"We wanted to make sure that there's not some barrier that we've got that we've set up artificially that's hampering prices in Kansas," Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, said Wednesday.

Rep. Joe Patton, R-Topeka, requested such a study. He said that with gasoline prices hovering around $4 a gallon, he's receiving plenty of questions from constituents as he campaigns for re-election. He said he sees a duty to respond.

"I'm going door to door; they're saying, 'What about these gas prices?' " he said. "I don't know, quite frankly, whether Kansas public policy is influencing gas prices or not."

Legislature cuts its own spending

JEANNINE KORANDA — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:39 CDT

TOPEKA _ Legislative leaders responded to declining state revenue by cutting the Legislature's current budget by 2 percent.

The move, announced Friday by the Legislative Coordinating Council, will save about $600,000, said House Speaker Rep. Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, who chairs the council.

"In spite of the Legislature's hard work to limit new spending, recent revenue reports show bigger decreases than expected and we need to do more to keep our state's budget in line," he said.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius told state agencies to find 1 to 2 percent cuts in their budgets.

Specific cuts have not been announced.

Voters have voice in state's financial future

JEANNINE KORANDA — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:41 CDT

You might be worried about gas and grocery prices, but the state faces its own money problems.

And decisions you make at the polls will help determine how legislators react to those problems: Will they find more money -- through taxes or fees or other means -- to avoid cutting programs? Or will they cut spending to avoid raising taxes? Or both?

All 165 state legislative seats are up for election this summer. Whoever is elected will face a state economy that is flat at best.

"The budget is going to be very, very difficult next year," said Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, who has decided not to run for re-election.

Two years ago, Kansas had nearly $1 billion in reserves. Since then, the state has spent more money than it has taken in. To make up the difference, lawmakers have dipped into reserves, which are now estimated to be $67 million.

State has $58 billion roadmap

JEANNINE KORANDA — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:32 CDT

Improving existing roads and bridges, decreasing congestion and fostering economic growth are among the state's top priorities in a long-range transportation plan that has a $58 billion price tag over two decades.

The Kansas Department of Transportation's plan, to be released Wednesday, is a broad look at needs ranging from interstates to bike and pedestrian paths. It will be a springboard for a more specific 10-year plan lawmakers will approve next year.

The report outlines needs that would cost $2.9 billion annually, but notes that federal, local and state transportation revenues are expected to equal $1.4 billion -- leaving a $1.5 billion annual gap.

"An awful lot of it (the Legislative plan) is going to depend on what happens with our revenue in the next few months," said Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

The last 10-year plan, approved in 1999, totaled $12.6 billion.

Climate group to assist state on energy plan

JEANNINE KORANDA — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 01:41 CDT

A center with strong ties to environmental groups is helping a state advisory panel that is planning how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Kansas.

Some conservatives and business groups say they are concerned the Center for Climate Strategies will manipulate the process to achieve its own goals.

People who are working with the center in Arkansas and Michigan said it has not done so, and simply provided a starting point for discussion. But a Minnesota businessman thought the center guided the discussion in his state toward its own perspective.

Some members of the Kansas Energy and Environmental Policy advisory group suggest its makeup -- it includes 25 members from business, academia, the Legislature, environmental groups and the energy sector -- will balance any decisions.

At stake is how Kansas will meet its future energy needs, and at what cost to consumers and to the environment.