Don’t send taxpayers bill for ALEC meetings

Especially after their record 114-day legislative session ended with a record tax increase, it took a lot of nerve for 14 of the GOP legislators who are attending this week’s American Legislative Exchange Council conference in San Diego to ask the state to pay their registration fees, totaling $7,300. Those who did included Wichita Reps. Steve Brunk, Dan Hawkins, Dennis Hedke and Gene Suellentrop. Some national meetings and networking certainly have value. But with the state’s budget problems ongoing, those leaders who want to participate in ALEC – a secretive conservative and corporate-driven bill mill with a record at odds with its “nonpartisan” status – should do Kansas taxpayers the courtesy of paying their own way. – Rhonda Holman

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 2:01 PM.