4 Monday, October 15, 1990 / University Daily Kansan Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Preferred candidate Ballard's willingness to examine issues in depth makes her the better choice in 44th District race Lawrence residents are lucky to have a choice between two qualified candidates for local office who are con- bauth their community cerned with their commitment. In the race for the Kansas House of Representatives in the 44th District, Democrat Barbara Ballard and Republican Sandy Praeger have emerged as outstanding candidates. They share several views. Both women are pro choice, support fee waivers for graduate teaching assistants and additional financing for the Margin of Excellence. Praeger, a former city commissioner and former mayor of Lawrence, also has served as a member of the board of directors for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and as chairperson of the United Way of Douglas County. County. Praeger wants to improve the education of children by identifying and helping at-risk students before they drop out of school and by using people in the business community to help educate students. She wants to decrease our dependence upon property taxes by introducing other taxes. In addition, Praeger supports Gov. Mike Hayden's proposal to finance the Margin of Excellence with increased alcohol and cigarette taxes. Praeger said that promotion of recycling could help find more uses for recycled products, thereby helping recycling companies. The companies then can make recycling more convenient for residents. In addition, Praeger wants companies to find more environmentally friendly methods of packaging products. Praeger's other concerns include a Social and Rehabilitative Services task force dedicated to improving the organization's efficiency, health care and aid for the elderly. However, Ballard seems to be the stronger candidate. Ballard has been a part of the University of Kansas since 1980. She currently serves as associate dean of student life and director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center. She was inducted into the KU Women's Hall of Fame in 1985. Ballard received a bachelor's degree in Music Education from Webster College in St. Louis. She received a master's degree in counseling and guidance and a doctorate in counseling and student personnel services from Kansas State University. In 1985, she was elected to the Lawrence school board for a four-year term and was elected as the first Black president of the board in 1987. In April, Ballard was reelected for another four-year term. Poverty and health care are Ballard's main concerns. Without the hesitation typical of politicians seeking office, she said that money was needed to ensure a balanced budget for Kansas and tax increases were the inevitable way to generate new financing. Ballard favors increases in income and sales taxes. Her stance on property taxes is her weakest. Ballard wants to scrap the current classification system, preferring instead to reach an unknown perfect solution to taxpayers' anger about the latest change in property taxes. Early education about recycling's benefits would make recycling part of people's daily lives. Ballard said, instead of a reaction after the fact. Ballard's passion for those who most need help from the Legislature is impressive. She cites the poverty-striken as one of her main concerns. Poverty causes people to do without some necessities such as insurance and ultimately leads to crime and other social problems, she said. But Ballard also understands that leaders from other areas of the state may not understand demands for more money to help the Lawrence community, and more specificly, KU. Those leaders need to be informed about what benefits money will bring to the Lawrence community, she said. That understanding of the goals of leaders from other areas of the state, goals that often differ from ones expressed here, tempers Ballard's passion and makes her willing to see the other side in an issue. That makes her the choice as 44th District representative. Sarah Bly for the editorial board Homophobia at KU Vandalism reminds us that intolerance remains Homophobia is a social disease - a disease that plagues the University of Kansas. Early yesterday morning, the information booth at the corner of Jayhawk Boulevard and Sunflower Road was vandalized — the third such incident in less than a week. The booth was the site of controversy because homophones feared the message of posters celebrating National Coming Out Day. The posters were placed in the booth Oct. 8 by members of Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas. During the most recent incident, someone broke the glass of the information booth and spray painted an indecipherable message over the posters. Further incidents on Thursday, National Coming Out Day, reflected a climate of homophobia at KU. Members of GLSOK distributed fliers in the Kansas Union on May 18, 2015. Out Day – in the shadow of a security officer Later that night, protesters harassed GLSOK members. National Coming Out Day celebrates the accomplishments in the fight for gay and lesbian rights. Unfortunately, the pervasive stigma of homophobia can keep KU muscles that fight much more difficult. It's time for homophiles to come out of their closets and resolve their irrational fears, a resolution necessary to ensure freedom and safety for everyone in the University community. Carol B. Shiney for the editorial board Formulating the annual budget has become a Congressional nightmare. Allowing popularly elected representatives to come up with a budget that reduces spending is next to impossible. No member of Congress wants to be the one who has to explain to his constituents why their taxes increased or their Social Security benefits decreased. Legislators wait Congress: beware of tourists Other Voices So what better way to illustrate the need to come up with a budget agreement than to hit the American taxpayers where it hurts their vacation? The media had a field day at the Smithsonian museum where faces pressed against the windows of the Smithsonian museum or staring dejectedly at the closed park in until the last possible second before approving a budget like a sophomore putting off a term paper. Maybe the complaints of angry tourists will force Congress to put together a budget. If not, the next step is cutting back essential services. Imagine those same people who were slightly upset about not being able to visit the Smithsonian when their mail stops arriving. the Rocky Mountains From the Kansas State Collegian Stouffer financing has options The residents of Stouffer Place family student housing and other concerned individuals have sharply criticized the department of student housing proposal calling for a 30-percent rent increase in apartment units over the next two years to pay for badly needed renovations. David Harger Souffleur Place was built to provide affordable housing to low-income students with families. This goal should be prevalent throughout the rent negotiation process. Residents claim that the rent increases promptly and without consultation. Souffleur Place rent beyond their limited range of affordability. Residents also have criticized the fiscal integrity of the project. The approximate cost to renovate each of the 25 buildings is $550,000. Allowing for inflation and minimal cost overruns, the total cost of the project is The Stouffer Neighborhood Association, on behalf of current residents, has agreed to support a 5-percent increase to finance the renovations. Residents also want assurance from the department that they will be openly included in the planning and implementation phases of the renovation project, that all relevant information will be made available to them and that regular maintenance will not be neglected. Staff columnist likely to approach $10 million. That price tag does not include the regular costs associated with administering and maintaining the complex. In short, if the department wins a 50-percent rent increase, alternative financing is necessary. Forcing 300 low-income families to pay this $10 million price tag is not a very palatable option. Now is the time for Stouffer Place residents, department officials and other concerned individuals to collaborate and explore alternative methods of financing the renovations. Residents have expressed interest in financing the renovations by issuing bonds. The current buildings were built with revenue generated by the sale of bonds to the public. Although finding buyers for bonds that will finance renovations of existing structures is sometimes difficult, the credibility of this idea should not be discounted. Similarly, financing alternativee through local and regional banks could be explored. Lending money to the University, no doubt the ideal debtor, would seem to be a safe and attractive investment. The money could be borrowed at the beginning of the renovation of each building, or purchasing land for front office or minimizing interest charges throughout the life of the project. Residents have come up with other ideas that are not without merit. Donations and grants from alumni could be secured. Some have suggested that naming the buildings after the major contributors could help raise donations. Income-based rental rates also have briefly been discussed. The renovations already have begun. In the weeks to come, an agreement must be reached outlining rent increases for the next few years. Negotiators must not lose sight of the goal of affordable family student housing. Financing alternatives are available which would ease the financial burden placed on low-income families currently living in Stouffer Place and families that will live there in the future. ▶ David Harger is a first-year law student from Olathe. Democracy requires honest debate Silber, the outspoken president of Boston University, surprised pollsers and, especially, the news media, which portrayed his provocative comments about the state's welfare policies, health care for the elderly, race relations and feminism as extremist and politically suicidal. Bay State voters apparently disgraced. John Silber's victory in the Democratic primary for governor of Massachusetts is, on balance, good for the United States. Michael Castro Although his success partly reflects the voters' desire to remove all vestiges of the Dukaiis administration, Silber's victory also may reflect increased public interest in more honest political debate. Guest columnis If so, this is a very healthy development. The United States, for all its sincere respect for freedom of speech and thought, has often been guilty of significant social censorship of expression. Such social censorship, which leaves people free to speak their mind but vilifies them or takes away their rights, then deviate from curatively "correct" views, probably is rooted deeply in a human desire for certainty and consensus. It is, however, unhelpful to decision making and especially unhelpful to a democracy, where decision making is so dependent upon public discussion. On the other hand, in many places one cannot express reservations about the wholesale use of abortion or about the effect of two-career families on children's welfare, without being derided as sexist. Still other issues fall outside the liberal-conservative framework: If one suggests reducing Israel's yearly subsidy, one may be attacked as anti-Semitic. The dangers of such censorship by intimidation are likely to increase in coming years. Given the proliferation of our intellectual taboos and the zeal with which we enforce them, our national blind spots probably will grow in scope, making us ever more treated to deal with future events. Currently, America's de facto center-runhips runs in both conservative and liberal directions. In many quarters, the Democratic Party has not, without being labeled unpatriotic. John Silber's victory is a hopeful sign regardless of the wisdom or foolishness of our institutions and ourselves (of people) truly can speak their minds, we may begin however, mere public honesty, although essential, is not enough. In our polarized public arena, where both sides have grown accustomed to hiding their feelings, it is tempting — after long suppression — to begin by publicly expressing one's views in a negative, needlessly provocative manner. Such hostility can debate, and can be desirable to problem-solving, impedes problem-solving and produces its own reactions of excess. Silber's campaign appears to exemplify both needed honesty and the disadvantages of divisive rhetoric. If Silber carried his casteistic style into office, he would underwrite the good he accomplished with his forthrightness. As governor, he would work in those with the he has afflicted. It is not only necessary to disagree honestly and publicly, but also to disagree in a spirit of cooperation and good will. Indeed, if we insist too much on style, we will merely have more polished actors as leaders. - combining honest speech with genuine efforts at cooperation is a worthwhile goal, and is the logical conclusion of what we've achieved in his Massachusetts campaign. KANSAN STAFF Michael Castro is a second-year law student from North Plainfield, N.J. DEREK SCHMIDT Editor DEREK SCHMIDT Editor JKISTER GABRIELSON Managing editor TOM EBLEN Computer manager, news adviser Editors News Julie Mettenburg Editorial Mary Neubauer Planning Pam Sollin Campus Holly Lawton Sports Brent Maycock Photo Andrew Morrison Features Stacy Smith Editors to address the problems we face. MARGARET TOWNSEND Business manager JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser MINDY MORRIS Retail sales manager Campus sales mgr. Christo Dool Regional sales mgr. Jackie Schmalzried National sales mgr. David Price Co-op sales mgr. Deborah Salzer Production mgr. Missy Miller Production assistant. JyllAxle Marketing director. Audra Langford Creative director. Gail Einbinder Business staff Letters should be typed, double spaced and exceed 200 words. They must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. Written affiliation with the University of Kansas or a relevant university is required. JEANNE HINES in mode stats and multiboot. Guest columns are should be typed, double-space and fewer than 700 words. The writer will be The Kansen reader the right to reject or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansen newsroom, 111 Stairwater Flint Hall, Letters, columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily reflects the views of the Kansen. Editorials are the opinion of the Kansen editorial board. Three Imaginary Girls By Tom Avery