The University Daily
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
KANSAN
Thursday, November 4, 1982 Vol.93,No.54 USPS 650-640
Deve HornBack/KANEAM
Sam and Allison Hardge and their son Adam, 7, faced a group of conceded defeat in Wichita. Hardge supporters as the Republican gubernatorial candidate
Hardage aides reflect on defeat
By BRUCE SCHREINER Staff Reporter
WICHTHA-Aides of Republican Sam Hardage returned to an empty headquarters yesterday to pick up both the debris scattered throughout the building, and pieces of a campaign that once predicted victory.
Republican hopes for an upset over Democrat Gov. John Carlin on Tuesday faded into the dark November night when Carlin notched a victory in Sedgwick County and northwest Kansas.
Carlin dominated the four most populous
counties in the state, which offset any Hardge advantages in conservative western Kansas.
THE 42-YEAR-OLD SMOLAN dairy farmer Wendy Sedgwick and Johnson counties by a solid 55 to 24 percent margin, Shawnee County by a 57 to 21 percent margin, County by a resounding 73 to 23 percent margin.
During their clean-up work at the morgue-like headquarters in the heart of the state's largest city, a room which 12 hours earlier had rocked with noise as 300 supporters anxiously awaited the first returns, the aides had a chance to reflect on the campaign.
Both Hardage and his running mate, State Sen. Dan Thiessen, refused to speak with reporters
AN OBVIOUSLY DEJECTED Dave Matthews, Hardage's campaign manager, refused to single out any one reason that led to Hardage's downfall in the polls.
But Matthews, who said he needed more time to determine exactly why voters abandoned Hardage, did list a few issues he said contributed to Carlin's connection to another four-year term.
about Carlin's easy victory, and aides yesterday still were trapped to piece together all the reasons.
"Carlin managed to make people think the severance tax was a cure-all and a free lunch," he said in his office, which a few hours earlier served as a refuge for Heritage to escape the
re refuge for harriage to escape the
See HARDAGE page 5
Senators deny mandate for Carlin, severance tax
BY JULIE HEABERLIN
Staff Reporter
Several oil lobbyists and Republican senators yesterday denied that Gov. John Carlin's re-election to a second term Tuesday was the result from fear for a severance tax on the oil and gas industry.
Carlin told reporters after his win against Wichita businessman Sam Hardage that he was confident the Senate would reconsider its two-year rejection of his tax proposal.
Throughout Carlin's campaign, which Hardayden denounced as misleading and single-minded, the governor said that senators were anxious to "clarify" for constituents their position on the severance tax in upcoming sessions. The Senate is up for re-election next year.
BUT JOSEPH HARDER, R-Moundridge, who has voted consistently against severance tax proposals, said the governor's victory hinged on more than a pro-severance tax sentiment.
"I still oppose a severance tax, and I don't see this election as a clear mandate," Harder said. "The state is in dire fiscal condition and we might have to consider several alternatives.
"I would vote for a severance tax only if it was part of a tax package. We already have a severance tax, and most people don't know that. To add a tax on top of a tax is grossly unfair."
"I really think it was an exercise in futility." Schnake said. "The only thing that has really changed is that Wendel Lady will no longer be speaker of the house, and that a plus for us."
The oil industry in Kansas already pays an ad valorem severance tax.
But two anti-severance tax senators said Hardage's sound defeat could stimulate some legislators to re-analyze their constituents' wishes.
DONALD SCHNACK, lobbyist for Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, agreed, and said the balance maintained in the House elections disproved Carlin's theory.
"First I want to say 'boo' to Carlin's victory," said Ben Vidrickson, R-Salina. "I don't necessarily see it as a mundate but I do think it will work." He would stick again to find out what my constituents want."
VIDRICKSON SAID he philosophically opposed the severance tax because it transferred revenue from western Kausas into low industry
areas in eastern Kansas, such as Johnson County.
In the west part of the state, Salina County and Ellsworth County together receive about $900,000 in ad valorem revenue from the oil industry to finance education, Vidrickson said. He said constituents feared that this tax base, which is used instead of state aid to finance schools, would deteriorate if an additional tax on the oil industry stimulated lower production
"THIS IS REALLY a political thing," Vidrickson said. "Johnson County is the 15th richest county (for personal income in the United States, but its property tax base is high because there is no industry. That's why they are hot on the severance tax."
Vidrickson said he also opposed Carlin's severance tax because it exempted royalty owners, who receive one-eighth of the revenue from the oil on their land.
He said that revenues from the severance tax, if it passed the Legislature, would not flow in for several years because the oil industry would lose its revenue against the state for unfair additional taxation.
"If Carlin got everybody up in arms about the severance税, I would have to bite my lip and vote for it," Vidrickson said. "But it would bother me now. I don't believe it is in the best case."
Senate Majority Leader Robert Talkington, R-Iola, also said Carlin's victory might cause senators to be more flexible about taxing the oil industry.
"ITS UNCONSICIONABLE and unforgivable for the chief executive of the state to mislead the voters and attack the oil industry as bad guys when they provide between 25,000 and 30,000 jobs
SEN. AUGUST BOGINA, R-Lenexa, expressed his surprise that Carlin had defeated Hardage in Sedgwick County, the Republican candidate's base home.
"Even Carolin said that the severance tax was the only issue in the campaign." Talkington said. "but I don't think the Legislature can ignore the majority of voters are supporting a severance tax."
"I don't know what that happened," Bogina said. "It was why my understanding from legislators that Sedgwick was anti-severance tax. But I think he had plenty of money, I think was the severance tax speaking."
Weather
Tenight will be clear and cold with a low of 15 to 29.
Tomorrow will be sunny and not as cool with a high of 45 to 50.
Today will be sunny and continued cool, with a high in the low 45s, according to the National Weather Service. Winds will be from the southwest at 5 to 15 mph.
Senate OKs $17,000 budget; women's shelter to get funds
By DON KNOX Staff Reporter
The Student Senate overwhelmingly passed a supplementary finance budget last night that will ultimately give more than $17,000 to about 20 student groups at the University of Kansas.
But the approval came after more than 10 supporters from a Lawrence shelter home for battered women argued against a Senate committee's recommendation that they not be financed.
The Senate then voted 20-16 to restore $3,010 in financing to the group, Women's Transitional Care Services Inc.
BUT THE BUDGET restoration came after a half-hour debate by several senators, including Loren Busby, co-chairman of the Student Senate Committee on Finance and Auditing, the committee that recommended the group's finance request be dropped.
Busby said after the meeting that he was disappointed by the Senate's action.
THE APPROVAL OF funds for WTCS tailed the total supplementary budget to $17,272, after the Finance Committee had recommended a total budget of $14,262. Busby and finance co-chairman Jill Eddy said they had hoped the budget would be kept under $16,000.
"I am upset that the Finance and Auditing Committee exercised fiscal responsibility in the budget hearings and then the Student Senate did not budget considerations into concern." Bussy said.
Robert Walker, Liberal Arts and Science senator, said last night that WTCS provided a valuable service, but he argued that the group's scope of activities was limited.
"It's too bad that these type of groups even need to fund." Walker said. "But I can't see us funding this group the total amount. It's not fair to the other organizations we have cut."
But Kris Falle, a volunteer for WTCS, said
SEVENTH NAME
Reagan satisfied despite GOP losses
By United Press International
WASHINGTON—Despite House Republican losses, President Reagan told reporters yesterday that he was "very pleased" with the results in which the GOP retained control of the Senate and the Democrats picked up 26 seats in the House.
"We feel very good about what has happened," he said.
According to a UPI count yesterday, Democrats had won 267 seats in the 435-member House. 26 more than they now hold. Republicans held 166 seats with all races called. The election in two Georgia districts was delayed because of reapportionment problems.
THE ADMINISTRATION official said the Republicans will have a pool of 248 Republicans and conservative Democrats to pull together as a team "from time to time" to pass Reagan programs.
But Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, Democratic Speaker of the House and the outcome was "a victory," said he would not aid for the TPP.
Senate Republican leader Howard Baker was worried about the added Democratic strength in his backbenchers.
"We will not compromise on principle — on what we absolutely believe is essential to the process."
Reagan said he looked forward "to working with this Congress now in a bipartisan fashion to solve the major problems that still have to be solved."
"The one thing we mustn't permit to happen is for the two parties to be in conflict to the point that the Congress will be immobilized," Baker told CRS News.
REAGAN SAID the economy will be the
The Novosti news agency added that the election results were a "serious warning to the Reagan administration" to stop cutting social programs and to revise its military strategy.
WASHINGTON'S COMMITMENT to military spending has "made it see a military threat where none exists," Novosti said. "This has led Washington to invaded Washington's relations with Moscow."
The official Tass news agency said the results were "a public vote of no-confidence in Reaganism, the anti-people foreign policy of the Reagan administration, the policy of economic crisis, of slashing social welfare and of an increase in extravagant military appropriations."
Tass concentrated on the economic aspects of the Republican setback.
The White House, "following persistently its cannons- instead-of-batter policy, has slashed again social welfare spending which was the result of subsistence for many Americans," Tass said.
The Dow Jones industrial average soared a record 43.41 points and closed at an all-time high of 1,065.49 yesterday in a huge post-election stock crash that ended in a trade war era. Trading was the fifth heaviest in history.
One trader yelled: "Reaconomics works!"
ANALYSTS SAID the breathtaking surge indicated Wall Street felt President Reagan's economic programs would not be crushed by the
dominant domestic issue and his policy will be
"to continue doing the things that will reduce
The Soviet Union said yesterday that Americans dissatisfied with President Reagan's economic and foreign policies gave Republics an "awake" in congressional and gubernatorial elections.
THERE WERE MORE state referendums decided Tuesday than in any election since 1932.
Geese heading south for the winter
California voters overwhelmingly rejected the gun control initiative, with 4,688,272 voting
election results in which Republicans retained control of the Senate and lost ground in the House.
In Maine, voters decided against closing the state's only nuclear power plant.
decided Tuesday than in any election since 1932. California voters defeated a handgun registration referendum and the vote signaled a nationwide repudiation of gun control efforts.
Several analysts and Standard & Poor's Outlook publication pointed out that since the 1980s the market had scored impressive gains in the manpower mid-term elections regardless of the outcome
The bond market also staged a dramatic rally because of investor belief the mid-term election returns will prod the Federal Reserve Board to cut its discount rate soon.
District of Columbia residents approved an amendment that could pave the way toward a new state law.
In Oklahoma, Love County voters approved operation of a pari-mutual race track. The vote marked the first effort to legalize horse race betting at the county level.
And in Berkeley, Calif., voters banned electroshock psychiatric treatment in their schools.
Davtime temperatures below normal
By BONAR MENNINGER
Staff Reporter
Black crystal nights with temperatures plummeting into the upper teens are expected through the weekend as the last leaves of autumn fall, and the first snow geese from Canada ride cold air waves down over the state.
Gary Aless, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topkapi, said temperatures were running 20 degrees below the normal daytime average for this time of year of 61
Meteorologists said daytime temperatures will hover in the mid-40s through the weekend.
He said the snow storm was a fluke and no accumulation was recorded.
"IF EVEN SNOWED in Concordia for about 15 minutes today," Alaset said yesterday.
accumulation was recorded.
A high pressure system centered over
The past several days of cold weather have carried the first wave of migrating gees across the state, according to Marvin Kraft of the Kansas Fish and Game Commission.
Stoddard said no precipitation was expected for the next several days, however a storm was located off the coast of Oregon and Washington yesterday morning, heading east. He said the system could bring rain or snow flurries to the area by Monday or Tuesday.
Colorado and Wyoming was responsible for pulling the cold, aircid air down over Kansas, according to Greg Stoddard, staff meteorologist with the KU Weather Service.
A flock of white snow geese was spotted Tuesday night, making their way over the University heading for winter grounds to the south.
"I THINK WE have seen the end of the really nice weather, for a while at least." Stoddard
"Snow geese are generally the first to come down. Their nesting areas are up along the Artic Circle in the James Bay area." Kraft said.
KRAFT IS THE waterflow project leader for the Fish and Game Commission in Pratt. He said that the birds follow the major river systems as they come across the Midwest.
Kraft estimated at least 300,000 snow geees would fly over Kansas in the next two months.
He said the state is located under the Central highway, which is a main migration route for wary residents.
ACROSS THE REST of the country yesterday,
3 to 6 inches of driving snow blinded motorists in Minnesota's Iron Range and intense thunderstorms and damage in the Rio Grande valley of Texas.
Thunderstorms were scattered yesterday from the southern tip of Texas into eastern Tennessee and Kentucky ahead of a sharp cold front moving toward the east coast.
Clouds roll gently across the sky above the KU campus on a recent fall day.