THE UNIVERSITY DAILY GANSAN
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008
ELECTION 2008
3A
The real Obama girls
ASSOCIATED PRES
Obama girls dance the Hula to celebrate the announcement that Barack Obama had been elected the president of the United States in Obama Japan at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Japanese time.
City mass transit will continue
Voters help save the T with taxes
BY RYAN MCGEENEY rmcgeeney@kansan.com
After months of wrangling and anxiety about the future of public transit in Lawrence, it appears as though the T will live to ride another day.
Voters overwhelmingly elected to approve the 0.2 percent sales tax needed to continue funding both the general public buses and the paratransit system, which caters specifically to disabled and elderly users, after Jan. 1 of next year. Voters also approved a 0.05 percent sales tax to provide a maintenance and bus replacement fund for the fleet, as well as a 0.3 percent sales tax to fund public infrastructure improvements.
The 0.2 percent sales tax, which appeared on voter ballots as question 2, received 70.29 percent support. The 0.05 percent sales tax — question 3 on the ballot — received 68.81 percent support.
The city transit system, which was previously funded through property taxes after its inception in 1999, will now be primarily supported by a 0.2 percent sales tax that will take effect April 1, 2009.
Lisa-Marie Wright, Overland Park doctoral student and campaign coordinator for the Save the T campaign, said she felt vindicated by Tuesday's results.
"Voters obviously decided that public transit is important to our community, and voted to support it," Wright said.
ELECTION 2008 Morgan loses to Francisco in race for state senator
Scott Morgan lost to incumbent Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence) in the race for state senator in the second congressional district last night. The district includes west Lawrence.
"Obviously I'm disappointed," Morgan said. "But it's clear that Senator Francisco represents Lawrence and I wish her the best."
Wright began working with the campaign in August, after organizers received a $5,000 start-up grant from the American Public Transportation Association. The decision to hire a coordinator was made shortly after the Lawrence City Commission announced the fundamental change in how the transit system would be funded.
As county results began rolling into the Douglas County Courthouse about 8 p.m., cautious excitement was palpable throughout the small crowd that had gathered around the projection screen on one side of the rotunda, witnessing periodic updates that brought the tax issues ever closer to fruition.
"I've lived in Lawrence a long, long, long time," said C.J. Brune, business manager for the KU School of Education, and the KU employee for nearly 35 years. "And this is the best election night in a long, long, long time."
"Transit is one of the most critical things a community can offer," Brune said. "Kansas City is about to pass a light rail system and we were about to take a step back. As much as I hate sales tax, because it's so regressive, I voted to keep the bus."
Brune said she had enthusiastically supported the two sales taxes that would likely secure the transit system for the next decade.
David Corliss, Lawrence city manager, said he found the vote a strong show of support for public transit. He said the city commission would begin discussing results of the elections at the next meeting on Nov. 11, when commissioners will look at ordinances necessary
to enact the sales taxes in April, and finalize renewal contracts with MV Transportation.
City commissioner Mike Amyx said that most of his contact with voters throughout the past two years left little doubt in his mind that the tax initiatives would pass.
"I think that one of the things that is incumbent upon me as a commissioner is to make sure that we have the best transit system we can have," Amyx said. "One that's efficient, one that's dependable, and one that can get people in and around our community."
Because the T, which according to the city provides about 1,200 rides each day, will continue to run, the KU Park and Ride system will also remain intact. Although the five-bus system is technically part of the KU on Wheels fleet, which is funded and maintained by the University, Park and Ride funding relies in part on federal dollars, the receipt of which is contingent on Lawrence's own bus system. Had the sales tax proposals failed to pass, the University would have had to either surrender the buses or buy out the federal share of the system at a cost of $1 million.
The next hurdle for transit in Lawrence is to begin the process of merging the city transit system with the KU on Wheels fleet. The city recently signed a letter of intent to merge the two systems by July 2009, and representatives from the University, Student Senate and the city have been meeting since September to discuss multiple merger scenarios between the two fleets.
Edited by Arthur Hur
Morgan said his positions on many of the issues, such as
energy and the drinking age were relatively similar to Francisco's positions.
Morgan said the differ-ence came in who would be
Morgan
with other Kansans with differing viewpoints.
"You can have the best views in the world, but if you're ineffective, it's pointless," Morgan said.
Morgan is a 1979 graduate of the University and 1983 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law.
Morgan currently serves on the Lawrence School Board.
willing to compromise and work
Brandy Entsminger
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
funded by:
Student Senate
November 5, 2008
Kanakuk & Kids Across America
Ryan McGoonov/KANSAN
Love Kids? Love Sports?
Love Summer Kamp?
Love Christ?
Come see what working at
Kanakuk Christian Sports
Kamp is all about at the movie tour!
After the movie there will be sign-ups for summer job interviews!
Francisco defeats Morgan
When: November 5th at 8pm Where: Alderson Auditorium on the 4th floor of the Union For More information: www.kanakuk.com
Marci Franco (D-Lawrence), 2nd district state senator, dances with Jacob Hill, Wichita senior,itae Abe & Jake's Lunday Tues night after watching Obama's acceptance speech on television. Fransisco, the 2nd district incumbent, retained her seat with more than 62 percent of the vote.
Democrat to continue to represent district
BY BRANDY ENTSMINGER
bentsminger@kansan.com
Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence) won a second term as Kansas state senator last night. Francisco, who defeated Scott Morgan 62.3 percent to 37.7 percent, will continue to represent the 2nd congressional district, which includes West Lawrence.
"I knew I had quality voters," Francisco, who has worked at the University for 34 years, said. "I'm pleased also to have quantity."
Burdett Loomis, professor of political science, said Francisco was a good senator who was elected easily in a Democratic town.
Gina Burrows, Salt Lake City junior, attended the Douglas County Democrats election night watch party at Abe and Jake's Landing and said Francisco was committed to reaching out and speaking to students.
During her campaign, Francisco addressed a number of other issues including minimum wage, the smoking ban and the drinking age.
Francisco began serving as Kansas state senator for the 2nd congressional district in 2005.
With the election, Francisco said she had been concerned that voters would be swayed after controversy surrounding her "pass" votes. She said the results showed voters understood a "pass" was also a "no" vote.
Francisco said she introduced a bill to increase the Kansas minimum wage because it was one of
This semester Francisco attended Young Democrats meetings and made an appearance at "Take Back the Night," a sexual violence prevention program.
"She won pretty handily this evening," Loomis said.
Students involved with Young Democrats volunteered mainly with the Kansas Democratic Party, but they also handed out literature about Francisco's campaign while
Francisco said she had a strong reputation for representing higher education and already had relationships with students. She has been employed by the University as both an instructor and staff member.
tabling for voter registration.
"It meant that their voice was being heard," Francisco said.
"She usually fights for that cause tooth and nail!" Dungan said.
"I know she's really willing to fight for what she believes in," Burrows said. "I never feel like he's going to lose herself to the bigger machine."
George Dungan, Lincoln, Neb., junior, who also spent last night at Abe & Jake's Landing, said students needed to pay more attention to local candidates and issues. He said Francisco represented the "green" side of issues that many students agreed with.
Burrows said Francisco was one of the greenest candidates the Democrats had to offer and that it wasn't likely she would compromise on issues.
Although federal highway funds are currently dependent on a drinking age of 21, Francisco said she also encouraged discussion about changing the age to 19 in the future.
Francisco is a 1977 graduate of the University. She served on the Lawrence City Commission from 1979 to 1983 and was Lawrence mayor from 1981 to 1983.
the lowest in the nation. She said she would also work to impose a smoking ban, similar to the one in place in Lawrence, on the entire state.
Edited by Arthur Hur
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