4A
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
》 LOCAL POLITICS
FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2007
Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative - you won't find these terms peppered into discussions of city politics in Lawrence, as they are in debates about national and state politicians. But some people involved in city politics say Lawrence's politicians, including this year's city commission candidates, do fit into distinct groups.
BY MATT ERICKSON
Some of the commission candidates, though, say it's not so simple.
Burdett Loomis, professor of political science, has been involved
in city politics for about 20 years through his position with his neighborhood association and his support for candidates in city races. Loomis said this year's candidates fell into two groups based on their views about retail, business and residential development.
One group, he said, could be called "pro growth" or "pro development." These candidates — which he said included business executives Rob Chestnut and Mike Dever and, to a lesser degree, former pastor James Bush — want to make it easier to develop businesses and residential neighborhoods in Lawrence,
he said.
Loomis said the other group — the "smart growth" or "progressive" group — showed more caution with development and favored more restrictions on developers. He said incumbent commissioners Dennis "Boog" Highberger and David Schauner and retired school social worker Carey Maynard Moody fell into this group.
Dever and Chestnut finished first and second in the primary election Feb. 27, and they have raised more money from campaign contributions than the other candidates. The top three vote getters in the general election April 3 will win commission spots.
Chestnut said he disagreed with the characterization that he or any other candidate was a member of a group.
"The opinions of some may have common threads versus the opinions of others, but the use of phrases, such as 'pro-growth' or 'progressive', do not accurately describe the issues at hand in this election" he said.
Dever and Bush also said they didn't think they could be accurately grouped with other candidates.
Chestnut said he did think the two incumbents had not showr
enough commitment to economic development.
John Nalbandian, professor of public administration, was a city commissioner and mayor during the 1990s. He said momentum had swing back and forth between the two camps of Lawrence politics for years, and he said it was swinging the way of the pro-development candidates.
Loomis said Chestnut, Dever and Bush were linked by the support they received from residential developers and people in the real estate industry.
"I just call it pendulum politics," he said.
Schauner joked that he wouldn't object to being called smart, but he said he differed from other candidates in that he wanted to make sure the city maintained control over its growth.
"If we have a city that is run by, and the rules are made by, people whose goals are to make money by building houses, then we're going to have a city where it's very expensive to live," he said.
Maynard Moody said she wasn't sure how accurate it was to put the candidates into groups, but she said many voters might view the candidates that way.
"Sometimes it's not the reality but the myth that voters latch onto, that drives the election," she said. "Whether this managed growth or smart growth versus pro-growth or pro-development is a myth or reality, I'm not sure."
All three candidates received $500 contributions from the Kansas Realtors Political Action Committee.
Kansan staff writer Matt Erickson can be contacted at merickson@ kansan.com.
In past elections, Schauner and Highberger were supported by the Progressive Lawrence Campaign, a group that promoted a policy of "smart growth." The group is not operating during this election.
Schauner and Highberger did not object to being grouped together.
— Edited by Will McCullough
money will go toward debt reduction, infrastructure and reduction of local property taxes.
Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer (R-Grinnell) said that state-owned casinos were a bad idea.
"I have a concern about what it's going to do to small businesses," Ostmeyer said. "I think we got up this morning and Kansas is not the same."
CASINOS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Students said Kansans could make their own decisions about gambling.
"I wouldn't go, but it should be a persons choice," said Dominique
Franklin, Wichita junior. "I don't like to lose money."
Davi Serrao, Salvador, Brazil, senior, said that those who wanted to gamble would find a way.
"My roommate just went gambling in Oklahoma, so why not here? It's not that far away."
Kansan staff writer Joe Hunt can be contacted at jhunt@kansan. com.
Edited by Kelly Lanigan
POLLS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
"Voters
for the survey service and that she chose to spread her campaign message through other media outlets.
She said she had even received telephone messages from the survey company, but she had not returned them. She also said push polls have their place, but she hoped Lawrence voters would ignore the calls when they get them.
Kansan staff writer Tyler Harbert can be contacted at tharbert@ kansan.com.
"Some people take a while to find a product they like." Thrasher said. "Students will have to balance the cost of the product with the cost of raising a child."
in the urban core of Lawrence are extremely discerning," she said. "We've been through this before."
an original brand, and then other "copiers" called generics, which are cheaper but have the same effects as the original. Thrasher said students have concerns about not being able to afford these, and not being able to replace it with a different product.
Nicole Schmidt, Olpe junior, is financially independent, paying her bills, tuition and birth control, herself. Schmidt said she switched to NuvaRing about a year and a half ago because it was affordable at $7. Now that the price increased, she's thought about changing her birth control.
"I still really like the product, and would love to keep using it," Schmidt said. "But, I've already looked into
— Edited by Kelly Lanigan
BIRTH CONTROL (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
other options because I just can't afford it."
"Both are benefiting from the ring, and I would think many guys would be willing to help with the cost," Johnson said.
Carolyn Johnson, gynecologist at Watkins, said if patients wanted to stay on the ring, which does not have a generic, many insurance companies would pay at least part of the cost.
Johnson also recommends that students who do not have insurance can share the cost with their boyfriend.
Kansan staff writer Danae DeShazer can be contacted at ddeshazer@ kansan.com.
CELEBRITY TROUBLES Hilton could be sent to jail after probation violation
Edited by Trevan McGee
LOS ANGELES — City prosecutors said Thursday they will ask a judge to revoke Paris Hilton's probation in a reckless driving case, a move that could lead to a jail term.
The decision followed an investigation into whether the hotel heiress and reality star violated terms of her probation by driving last month with a suspended license.
Hilton could face up to 90 days in jail if a judge finds she violated her probation, Velasquez said. A hearing was scheduled for April 17.
In January, Hilton pleaded no
contest to alcohol-related reckless driving stemming from a Sept. 7 arrest in Hollywood and was sentenced to 36 months' probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines.
Hilton was pulled over on Sunset Boulevard on Feb. 28, Police said they saw her blue Bentley Continental GTC speeding with its headlights off. She was ticketed for misdemeanor driving with a suspended license.
Hilton's spokesman Elliot Mintz said at the time that she hadn't been aware that her license was suspended.
Mintz did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
---