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Monday, October 22, 1990/ University Daily Kansan
Opinion
Economic leadership
Hayden's record is mixed, but he offers a better plan for Kansas' fiscal future than does Finney
Most national economic indicators point toward a recession for the U.S. economy. Without sound planning
economy. Without sound planning and foresight, the Kansas economy is likely to fall victim to the national economic downturn. The next government will continue with decisions concerning taxes, the budget and state economic diversity, that will shape the Kansas of the '90s.
Voter discontent with real estate reappraisal has pushed tax issues into the spotlight. The candidates offer different sales tax plans as a remedy for property tax problems.
Incumbent Republican Gov. Mike Hayden proposes to ease the property tax burden by increasing the statewide sales tax on the existing tax base by one cent on the dollar. The estimated $217 million that would be generated would be given to school districts, which could then reduce property taxes by an estimated 14 percent.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joan Finney proposes to ease the property tax burden by levying a one cent sales tax on a large number of goods and services currently exempt from taxation. Money generated by the Finney plan would be transferred to school districts, similar to Hayden's original proposal
Originally, the goal of the Finney plan was to raise $800 million. Due to sharp criticism, the proposal was scaled down to the current goal of $460 million.
Schoolbooks; utility bills; legal, medical and dental services; and farmers' seed, fertilize, livestock, fuel and machinery are the likely targets of the tax proposed by Finney. According to the Wichita Eagle, "Finney has said that she does not care which exemptions are taxed, as long as the Legislature can raise $460 million."
One implication of both plans is that local governments will see a reduction in their total revenue due to lost property tax receipts from businesses.
Families also will feel the impact of these proposals. Whether the total taxes paid by the average Kansas family will go down will depend on the extent to which property taxes are reduced. Property taxes be reduced by at least $217 million under the Hayden plan if the average family is to pay less in total taxes. Property taxes would need to be reduced by $460 million before the same benefit would accrue under the Finney plan.
The Finney plan also will affect Kansas industry. Kansas is the largest producer of beef in the nation. A beef industry spokesperson was quoted in the Wichita Eagle as saying that 'taxing the production of cattle one-cent on-the-dollar at each stage of production — feed,
sale to the packing house and wholesale to the grocer — would make the Kansas cattle and slaughter industry uncompetitive."
Consumers will bear the costs of the Finney taxes in the form of inflated prices. The Director of Taxation for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimates that the price of a gallon of milk would jump from $2.55 to $2.95 if exemptions for ingredients or manufacturing parts, property used in production, and wholesale transactions are repealed.
Budgetary issues also will plague the next governor. For fiscal year 1991, which begins in July, the current estimate of the Kansas budget deficit is $150-200 million.
Finney initially proposed raising additional tax dollars to offset this deficit. Again, due to sharp criticism, she backed off this position and adopted the stance, supported by Hayden throughout the campaign, that the Legislature must find spending cuts in the budget to make up for this shortfall.
While both candidates call for the $200 million gap in the 1991 budget to be closed, only Hayden has provided direction to the Legislature. The governor set up the Weigand Commission to investigate government waste and look for potential targets for the budget axe. Finney has called for a total budget cut of $85 million, which specified which programs will be chopped.
The next governor must diversify and stimulate the Kansas economy if the state is to survive the recession. Kansas should not be completely dependent on agriculture, petroleum and aviation, its three major industries. Diversity of the Kansas economy is particularly important in light of proposed cuts in federal agricultural subsidies.
Hayden claims that his administration brought new industry and new jobs to the state Hayden points to the $2.63 billion highway plan supported by his administration and the economic development it has promoted as proof.
The Finney platform, on the other hand, is not conducive to economic development. She has called for cuts in the Department of Commerce budget and, once elected, would cut several economic programs currently running in Kansas lottery and parimutuel gambling.
Strong gubernatorial leadership is necessary for a strong Kansas economy. Decisions on taxes, the budget and economic diversity in the state will set the stage for the next decade. Voters must look carefully at what each candidate proposes and choose accordingly.
Sally Gibbs and David Harger for the editorial board
Senate reaching out
Student leaders try to improve communication
Students can take questions, concerns, grips and brown-bag lunches to the Kansas Union to make sure their voices are heard by student leaders.
This year's Student Senate is trying to bridge a communication gap that historically has brought complaints from constituents. To improve communication with students, Senate has scheduled lunch meetings for 1 p.m. every other Wednesday in Alcove D at the Kansas Union, said Aimee Hall, Senate vice president.
At informal lunches, students can share their views on neutral ground, Hall said. In addition, some full meetings will take place on students' grounds.
Optimism after last week's Senate meeting
in Oliver Hall has encouraged Senate members to consider having other meetings in living units, Hall said.
Few Olver residents joined the meeting in their dining room, but senators are confident that constituents eventually will take advantage of the YOU coalition's campaign promi-
A better understanding of Senate by stu-
dents ensures a more responsive Senate for
student leaders.
This year Senate is reaching toward students. Judging by its past performances, that openness should be surprising. Students should take advantage of the surprise.
Members of the editorial board are Bairy Biy, Brett Brenner, Rich Cornell, Kerrin Gabrielson, Sally Gibe, David Harger, Ji Hirlinger, Stephen Kline, June Mattenburg, Mary Neubauer, Christina Reinolds, Derek Schmidt, Carol B. Shiney.
Rich Cornell for the editorial board
Sexuality can be tough to define
I suppose it was careless of me to put the newspaper under the fishbowl. I just wanted to protect the countertop. I didn't realize that Fibonacci not only could talk but could read as well. But Fibonacci not only could talk with a question when I got home "What are homosexuals?"
Fibonacci considered that for a moment. "What's a sex?"
Fibonacci is a healthy, normal (though unusually intelligent) snail. Like many kinds of snails, Fibonacci is a hermaphrodite. Not surprisingly, the snail has two alternatives: don't have many alternatives to being homosexual, since they only come in one sex. Therefore, I thought the question would be easy to answer. "Homosexuals are people who prefer heterosexuality and are the same sex they are," I explained.
Simha Ruben Staff columnist
Maybe it wasn't going to be so easy after all. I decided to back up a little.
"Well." I continued, "humans divide them up that way and have different names for them. The egg-producing organs are called 'female,' and the sperm-producing organs are called 'male.'"
"Oh, yes. I never thought of dividing them up that way before, but I suppose you're right," Fibonacci said.
"I understand." Fibonacci said.
"Two kinds of organs. Two names. Is
matt, I decided to back up a little.
"You know how snails have two different types of sex organs," I began. Fibonacci looked blank. "You know, if I swear." You have one kind of organ. "And another kind of organ to produce sperm."
"No, there's more. You see, humans, with very few exceptions, have only one set of sex organs."
that all?"
Fibonacci began to look confused again. "Which one?" xe asked. (Xe is the pronoun for individuals of mixed or indeterminate sex.)
"Some have the male kind," I said. "They're called males. Others have the female kind, so they're called men." So about an equal number of each.
"You mean the people are named after their sex organs?" Fibonacci found that very amusing. Then he had a startling thought. "Wait a minute. Do you mean that humans not only don't have all of their parts, but they all don't even have the same parts of the parts they don't have all of" (Fibonacci tends to talk in spirals when he gets excited).
"Yes, that's right," I said. I waited awhile for that to sink in. Then I added as gently as I could, "Most humans are heterosexual. That means they prefer to mate with humans and the males prefer to mate with males."
"So what?" Fibonacci asked. "What difference does it make which parts the like better?" Then xe realized: "Oh, I forgot. They can't
get all the parts on the same person.
But then, that would mean they select different people as mates depending on their . . . ?"
"Sexual orientation," I filled in. Fibonacci's eyesatkins were writing. "And you say most of them choose mates whose parts are different from their own?" That would be like me trying to mate with one of the goldfish in the next tank. How can I do that, so much intimate with something alien? Although, "scientific objectivity struggled to reassert itself," I suppose it does make a twisted kind of sense. After all, there would need to be at least one of each part for anyone to lay eggs."
“Well, sort of Humans don't lay eggs. But” I added quickly, as Fibonacci began turning pale, “you have the general idea. There does not exist more humans. And most humans choose mate who have the paris they don't. But some humans are homosexual. That means the females prefer to mate with other females. That means the prefer to mate with other males.”
"Just like snails prefer to mate with other snails," Fibonacci cheered up considerably. "I was beginning to think humans were all unnatural pervers. If I nice to know humans are not unnatural, Al least." xe amended, "as normal as they can be with only half their parts."
Simha Ruben is a Lawrence graduate student studying human development and family living.
Arguments pointless
I am writing this letter to Lisa Reboy, Matt Jackson and the countless others who insist on filling the voids in his manners with their useless arguments.
I speak for thousands of students on this campus when I beg you to quit fighting a battle that never will be won.
You are proving nothing and accomplishing even less. The only thing you have created is a feeling of tension on both sides that inevitably leads to panic. What, what we already have experienced here on campus in the past week.
I believe in freedom of speech and the right to form an opinion. I also recognize the right we have all been given to act upon our opinions. But the point is that we do not the Kansas for the past month has reached the point of the extreme.
practice their beliefs, but I also agree that "homophobics" (as they are called) have the right to voice their opposing opinion. Your points have been taken. You will accomplish nothing by carrying on. Can't you see the tension that has already occurred?
These acts of vandalism are the sole responsibility of the vandals and the students who provoked it. You know as well as I do that you can't be safe alone, but you can be so hard for everybody to put away the beliefs and live in peace?
Homosexuals have the right to
Scott Parks Lansing sophomore
Homophobia medieval
My first reaction as I read Matt Jackson's guest column in Wednesday's Kanan was shock and utter disbelief. I could not believe that it was possible for someone living in the '90s to be so completely ignorant about AIDS, homosexuality and people in general.
At first I told myself there was no point in responding to such a medieval, patriarchal spewing forth
of non-facts.
However, upon further thought and reflection I came to realize that Jackson, unfortunately, is not alone in the story. My think link I must set the record straight.
First, there certainly are examples of homosexuality in nature. But this argument is too base to be brought forth here. Perhaps a trip or two to the library — you know, Mr. Jackson, that big building with all the books — would help to clear up this misconception.
Second, I am sick and tired of hearing people blame the AIDS crisis on one group or another. Does it really matter at this point who, if anyone, is responsible for AIDS? It is important to find a cure and a vaccine?
As far as calling Jackson and those like him close-minded and homophobic, why bother? He makes that quite clear in his letter. What I will call him is pathetic and sad. How tragic to condemn a huge portion of the population because of your own unfounded fears.
KANSAN STAFF
Jeannette Bonjour Lawrence graduate student
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Three Imaginary Girls
By Tom Avery