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Thursday, May 4, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Legislators divided on highway plan
by John P. Milburn and Alan Morgan Kansan staff writers
TOPEKA — The 1989 Kansas legislative session ended Tuesday evening, but the effects remain to be felt by the state, legislators said yester
Fred Logan Jr., state Republican chairman and Marvin Barkis, D-Louisburg and House minority Leader, held press conferences yesterday to express their views about the session.
The major disagreement between the two parties concerned the highway plan enacted Sunday.
Logan called the highway plan a badly needed comprehensive program.
"He (Gov. Mike Hayden) had the courage to risk calling a special legislative session to focus attention on the state's crumbling roads and bridges." Logan said. "In my view, had there been no special session, there would have been no comprehensive highway program."
He said that because Hayden was able to propose the comprehensive program and to deliver on his promise, voters would be supportive of him when he sought re-election in 1990.
Democrats disagree
However, Barkis saw the highway issue in a different light. He said the highway issue would provide ammu-
nation against Hayden during the 1990 election. He said the tax increases combined with the state's debts would turn voters against Hayden.
"The taxpayers," Barkis said, "have just been hit with a massive tax increase.
"Republicans are now uncloaked for what they are. They're not conservatives; they're not even moderates. They're big-spending liberals who'll raise big taxes and borrow billions to pay for programs that they like, in this case, a big-spending highway program."
Barkis did commend House Speaker Jim Braden, R-Clay Center, for his work on children's programs, and encouraged her pay-plan and reappointment.
"Kansans saw both the good and bad sides of the Kansas legislative process this year.
"On one hand, the political parties worked together doing good work for the people of Kansas. On the other hand, in too many cases, the governor and his Republican leadership set the agenda, dictate the debate and dominate the votes of legislators." he said.
Barkis said that voters would not remember the Legislature's tax cuts, the largest in Kansas history. He said that property reappraisal and the high wage program would be the issuer voters would remember.
port a comprehensive highway program." Barkis said. "But the governor chose to endorse the biggest program.
"Democrats were willing to sup-
"The highway debts from this session will be enormous. Old Kansans will be paying on the bond debt of the program for the rest of their lives, and Kansans not yet born will be paying the bills as well."
Hayden's position stronger
Logan said that Hayden's political position was vastly strengthened as a result of the session. He said that a comprehensive highway plan had been approved, but it wasn't for 30 years but that many legislators thought it could not be accomplished.
"The Democrats' war cry before this session was that Mike Hayden could not get his programs passed in the legislature," Logan said. "The Democrats will have to go back to the drawing board."
State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., R- Lawrence, said that it was too early to tell what the situation would be like when the 1990 Legislature convened, but that what it did this year was historic.
"I think it was an extraordinary session." he said.
Winter said the Legislature dealt with many complex issues and came up with results, something that impressed him.
Winter said the financing of prison construction, public employee pay increases and higher education were greater than in any other session.
"Just about any where you look we made a great investment," Winter said.
He said financing of the second year of the Margin of Excellence and other requests of the Board of Regents were high, but would help the state in the long run. Some analysts think that there might not be a third year of the Margin because of the highway program and other big ticket items.
Despite other legislators' concerns that the Legislature overspent,
The Margin of Excellence is the Board of Regents three-year plan to bring the total financing of its seven institutions to 95 percent of their peer schools and to bring faculty salaries to 100 percent of their peers.
Effects too early to tell
“It’s too early to guess what may happen. I wish the Legislature had not approved the decrease in income tax. We will regret that.” Winter said. “It was more than we could afford.”
The Legislature returned more than $70 million in personal and corporate tax receipts through tax reductions at Hayden's request.
He said the final year of the Margin would cost the state about half of this year's total, easing the strain on the general fund. As long as the economy
Winter said the Legislature should be able to maintain the status quo on spending next year, provided no emergencies arise. However, any revenue increases that may be made by the House or the House and difficult for Hayden to sign. Hayden and all 125 Representatives are up for re-election in 1990.
remains strong, money should be around, Winter said, but it depends on the severity of the drought and other industries.
Winter said he was pleased with the session, especially the accomplishments of the judiciary and ways and means committees. He said the reforms for child protection, prisons and justice were completed to his liking, despite the issue of Washburn University becoming a Regents school.
Winter said it was an honor to fill the position and that he was fortunate that it occurred when his duties as chairman of the judiciary committee were easing.
Late in the session, Winter became chairman of the ways and means committee because State Sen. Gus Burris was diagnosed with a heart attack and needed surgery.
"It was tough, but anytime you have an emergency you have to do the best job that you can," Winter said.
City groups will pitch in to clean city
by a Kansan reporter
Local civic, scouting and living groups will have a chance to do a good deed for the city as part of Lawrence Pride Weeks.
"Let's keep it beautiful!" is the message that about 10 groups already have taken to heart. About 25 groups are expected to participate in a city clean-up campaign on Tuesday, March 13, said Jim Schubert, chairman of the Senior Council of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber is sponsoring the event and the council initiated it last year to raise community awareness of the litter problem in Lawrence.
"If we can get every household in Lawrence conscious of the problem, we will have accomplished something," Schubert said.
He said that the council was concentrating on cleaning public roads. But the project is not involved in cleaning up public parks because that is a city responsibility.
Schubert said that 10,000 biodegradable trash bags were printed with Lawrence Pride Weeks information and would be distributed one to a family at area grocery stores.
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