February 12, 2010

Third Annual “Eggs and Issues” Forum

Speakers:

Majority Leader Ray Merrick

Speaker Pro Tem Arlen Seigfried

Minority Whip Rob Olson

Representative Lance Kinzer – District 25 and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee

Barbara Bollier – Was ill and did not attend

Representative Lance Kinzer:

Kinzer reviewed legislation that will be before the Judiciary Committee. Jessica’s Law was passed last year and needs to be strengthened. This year legislation is being proposed that will strengthen the law to allow cell phone companies to assist in finding missing persons. Legislation is being proposed that will increase the time served for those convicted of sex crimes against children under the age of 14 to 25 years to life. The Supreme Court dismissed the case that would re-open the Montoy case.

It did not address the issue of entities supported by tax money using taxpayer dollars to sue taxpayers. Legislation to address this issue has had difficulty being heard. The way Supreme Court Justices are selected needs to be addressed.

Minority Whip Rob Olson:

Olson stated that he carried Kelsey’s Law last session. This year legislation is being proposed to add texting. This bill has passed in twelve other states since it was passed in Kansas. Olson is carrying a bill that will outlaw the synthetic drug K2. The effects of this drug are similar to Marijuana. As yet there is no drug test for K2 but the effects of the drug are detrimental. The Senate has passed a similar bill. The Utilities Committee will most likely look at the full range of electrical generation. The Financial Institutions will hold hearings concerning PMI insurance that will allow a little more leeway in the down payment. Changing the ratio cap from 25-1 to 20/25-1 will be considered. In the Federal State committee the issue of allowing grocery stores to sell full strength beer will be considered.  Next week will be ‘turn-around’. That means no new legislation will be considered after Friday. Olson reported that he signed the no tax pledge.

Speaker Pro-Tem Arlen Seigfried:

Finances influence everything under consideration this year. Kansas went from a $950 million surplus to a $450 million deficit. There was too much spending which is unsustainable. No one knows when the recession will be over. Appropriations are operating in the reality of today. A tax increase is a certain job killer at a time job losses keep climbing. More cuts to programs this year will decimate those programs since most of them were cut 10% last year. As a member of the Education Committee, the issue of tax exemptions for charities will be discussed. Seigfied stated he would oppose a 5.3% increase in utility bills. Johnson County pays a disproportionate amount of the taxes collected by the state. The school funding formula is flawed and local control must be restored. Recent audits discovered where six school districts could save money. There is a definite need to consolidate schools. The Tax Committee will study the Fair Tax and the Flat Tax. A bill that proposes tax deductibility of privately funded medical insurance is under consideration. There is also a need to review the defined contributions to KPERS. There appears to be a need to raise the rates for new employees entering the system.

Majority Leader Ray Merrick:

Merrick stated that he was a member of the Appropriations Committee. Currently there is a rescission bill that needs to address the $48 million deficit in the 2010 budget. There may be an even larger deficit. School districts are again collaborating to sue the state Schools for Fair Funding will use $7 million of taxpayer dollars to do so. Last year’s cuts under-funded the courts by $5 million. These dollars need to be restored. A constitutional amendment is needed to change the wording for school funding. It will take 2/3 of the Legislature to pass the amendment and then voted on by the public. Currently the bill states that adequate provision will be made by the Legislature to fund schools. The word adequate should be removed.  The stimulus money was accepted before the strings that were attached were fully known. www.opengov.org is a website that compares school district’s cost per pupil. School districts need to verify the claims for the school lunch program. The free lunch program qualifies those at risk students and then access to other programs. MRDD is not being targeted for funding.

The 2011 budget will be more difficult than ever. On the best day the majority has 25 votes when 63 votes are needed. The legislators need to remember they are spending the people’s money. The Legislature will have to back-fill the governor’s increases from last year. The employment growth in Kansas has only been for government employees and this growth needs to be considered. Some of the governor’s increases in his proposed budget will need to be backed out in order to balance the budget without harmful tax increases.