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Thursday, October 18, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Governor's race
Issue of reforming Kansas' welfare department largely untouched by gubernatorial candidates
O vershadowed by such controversial issues as abortion and property tax relief, the issue of possible reforms to Social and Rehabilitative Services has been bypassed for the most part by both gubernatorial candidates.
Gov. Mike Hayden, the Republican candidate, has adopted a wait-and-see approach that has limited his ability to propose needed changes during the campaign. Democratic challenger State Treasurer Joan Finney has advocated considerable changes but has not revealed how to implement or pay for them
SRS administers Kansas' welfare programs and accounts for 20 percent of the state's budget. Most of the department's costs are related to health care costs, which have risen dramatically nationwide in recent years. Also, the department is being sued in connection with allegations that its foster care program is not protecting the children it serves.
Hayden, however, insists that the state is doing all it can for now and that SRS assistance is adequate at present levels. Two commissions, the Governor's Public Agenda Committee and a legislative interim committee, both are analyzing the management and structure of SRS. Hayden has said that the
SRS budget cannot be cut substantially without cutting the education budget. So the recommendations of the committees may be limited to cost-cutting organizational changes.
For most of the campaign, Finney has placed a special emphasis on children's programs. She has stated that SRS programs for the mentally ill and mentally retarded should become separate departments. Finney has supported hiring more clerical workers to free up field workers. However, she has not outlined how all this will work or be paid for.
The Democratic platform, announced in August, called for a review of the SRS organizational structure. Hayden, however, is already doing this, and Finney is jumping the gun by calling for considerable change before all the facts are in.
This week, Finney stated that she would not cut the SRS budget at all, but instead would look for ways to increase office efficiency. Again, Finney has offered no specifics.
It may not make for exciting campaigning, but Hayden's prudent wait-andsee approach entails less risk than Finney's premature call for reform.
Carol B. Shiney and Bryan Swan for the editorial board
Meeting for Peace joins Soviet and U.S. citizens
Soviet visitors
For the past five days an extraordinary meeting has take place right here in Lawrence. It has for the first time brought together more than 250 citizens of the Soviet Union and the city of Lawrence.
The Meeting for Peace is important because it has allowed ordinary people from both countries to interact directly with each other. Those touched by the program no longer have television and politicians for their images of the Soviet Union or the United States.
Those involved in the program were exposed to a wide range of cultures, from Native American dances to ethnic foods, a
In a world that seems many times to overlook the significance of individuals, where too many believe that what you do really doesn't matter, the efforts of Bob Swann and Bob Ivanov are shining examples. They have made a difference. Through organizing the events of the past week, these men have brought two peoples closer together.
trip downtown and speeches.
Brett Brenner for the editorial board
And as our visitors leave today, one has to believe that we are closer to understanding each other, and closer to peace.
'If you look at the face of an older person, you will see the face of an elderly woman.'
arctic gubernatorial candidate, while speaking to Johnson County chamber of commerce members
What should be the role of the Legislature in higher education during the next two years?
Margin financing problem must be solved
The traditional role of the Legislature in higher education is providing funds, and nothing should be added or subtracted from this role during the next two years. The problems the Legislature needs to solve are ways and means of financing.
Money for the Regents budget comes mainly from the state general fund. Student fees provide about one-fourth of the Regents operating budgets. Income and sales taxes are the principle sources of general fund revenue. There have been years when money to increase financing, simply to keep up with inflation, has not been available. During economic drops because unemployment rates go up and incomes go down. Needs for service social services. It is a poor time to try to raise taxes.
There was widespread support across the state for the first two years of the Margin. This support
In past recession years the Legislature cut the Regents budget, along with the budgets of other state agencies. The cuts were not restored when the Legislature was able to resume work and move forward with requests. It was the failure to restore cuts to the budget base that caused the resources of Regents universities to fall behind those of their peer institutions. The purpose of the three-year program called the Marseille experience was to try to stop the year ago.
was generated by administrators of the universities, faculty members and members of the Board of Regents touring the state; by legislators representing their districts, and, perhaps most important, by students lobbying legislators in their home districts. The first year of the Margin was not quite financed, and some of the money came from University funds. Council receipts, but the second year's financing was completely satisfactory.
When the Legislature convened for the 1990 session, revenue was coming into the state general fund below estimates. The income tax windfall had been repealed, no economic miracle had occurred and the state was financing for the Margin was not in the governor's budget for fiscal 1991. All attempts to raise money with a tobacco tax increase or by delaying transfers to the highway fund failed. We will have to rebuild support structures this year. Meanwhile, peer institutions have not been standing still, and the third year of the Margin will not do in fiscal 1992 what it would have done in fiscal 1991.
To repeat, the role of the Legislature in higher education is to provide funds for faculty salaries, salaries and wages of all non-faculty personnel, GTA fee waivers, library acquisitions, laboratory equipment and other operating expenses. If necessary, the Legislature should make general tax increases, as fair as possible, and put the money into the state general fund for education and other social services. The Infant Forms on Ways and Means and Appropriations is studying alternative financing mechanisms that are not enrollment-driven. In my opinion, this is one of the most important tasks of the Legislature in the next two years.
The role of the Legislature does not include involvement in the internal affairs of the universities. Legislators and other state officials should not try to decide what shall be taught, who shall teach, who may attend and who may be excluded. The Board of Regents was established to prevent such intervention. In making appropriations, the Legislature is able to make some policy decisions by customarily giving one budget item another. Otherwise, responsibility for higher education should remain where it is – with the school departments, the administration and the Board of Regents.
▶ Betty Jo Charlton is the Democratic candidate for the Kansas House of Representatives in the 46th District.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
'Unnatural' reasoning
I have two responses to Matt Jackson's guest column in yesterday's Kansan First, by claiming that gay and lesbian people are unnatural and (as implied in his law) will be used as the basis for Mr. Jackson used the same arguments that have been used for centuries to oppress people.
At one time, Blacks were not allowed to learn to read, own land, or make decisions for themselves because it was considered unnatural. Biblical reasons were also used to support slavery.
Anti-Semites have used the legitimacy of their practices on religious grounds for centuries. Not only are these arguments tired —
they are baseless. They are designed to prey on people's fear and ignorance.
Second, Mr. Jackson claims that gay men are responsible for AIDS. This is the same as saying that children are responsible for measles. True, in this country, men currently comprise the largest group of people diagnosed with AIDS, but they are not the cause of AIDS nor are they responsible for the growing number of cases and the associated costs. Government inaction, institutional greed and ignorance are.
You are homophobic, Mr. Jackson.
Hopefully, you are not so closely minded that you will refuse to examine why you say the things you do.
Hopefully, you are open to education. Hopefully, you find something wrong with the notion that it is all right to oppress a group of people simply because it is the natural thing to do.
Lisa Reboy Lawrence graduate student
Legislature must back Margin to create a strong economy
The role of the Legislature is to provide stewardship for higher education. Our educational systems are being starved by political positioning over budget problems and controversy over property taxes. The Legislature must appropriate funds for administrations to feed their educational systems. In the next two years, the Legislature must finance and maintain the Margin of Excellence. But it can't stop there. In addition, we must reinstate basic budget improvements, continue the merger of Kansas and Illinois, and keep Kaiser College of Technology, finance our graduate teaching assistants and graduate research assistants and accept a qualified admission policy for Regents institutions.
Education is not an expense; it is a resource. Higher education deserves more support.
The Margin is not intended to finance superiority, but merely to ovevent Regents schools from falling
behind. It was designed to bring faculty salaries to 100 percent and overall spending to 95 percent parity with peer institutions. Kansas is behind in its plan because the Legislature did not fully finance the Margin in its first year and delayed implementation for another full year. In the meantime, our peer institutions have increased their own resources by shooting at a moving target with its gun in the holster! Every moment the program is dormant, higher education in Kansas loses ground.
Higher education's basic budget requests have not been met by the state in recent terms. We are predicted to have more budget shortfalls. Where is the money going to come from? This must be addressed by the Legislature in the next session.
Job diversity is lacking where people are dependent on one industry for more than 10 percent of their jobs. Kansas ranks among the lowest of all states in job diversity. The state of Kansas suffers economic decline. We need our major industry to support. Our diversity to buffer our coffers when one industry is down and makes it impossible to finance our budget. There are many things Kansas can do with funds. We can save them, spend them or invest them. Spending money to mask the symptoms of problem economies in long-term solutions. Education is a longer-term solution for the state of Kansas.
Spending efficiency must be emphasized by the Legislature. All ways of conserving state funds need to be supported.
qualified admissions. Opportunities should recognize a qualified admissions policy does not keep students from seeking higher education. It does, however, place the burden on these students and our secondary schools in preparing for the university academic environment. Students desiring higher education must be motivated to prepare.
Another efficiency measure is
The Legislature's role is to support higher education without being specifically directive. The next two years are crucial for the future of Kansas. At the heart of our economic growth lies a strong educational system. The system turns out trained and educated workers that attract industries, provide more jobs and fill our state coffers. For the benefit of Kansas, we must invest in our future through educational excellence.
Sean Williams is the Republican candidate for the Kansas House of Representatives in the 46th District.
KANSAN STAFF
By Tom Michaud
DEREK SCHMIDT
KJERSTIN GABRIELSON
Missouri editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
Editors
News  Julie Mettenburg
Editorial  Mary Neubauer
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MARGARET TOWNSEND
Business manager
MINDY MORRIS
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JEANNE HINES
Sales and marketing adviser
Business staff
Campus sales mgr...Chris Dool
Regional sales mgr. Jackie Schmalzmar
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Co-op sales mgr...Deborah Salzer
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Marketing director...Audra Langford
Creative director...Gail Einbinder
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