4
Thursday, April 12, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Legislative inaction
Unresolved tax fiasco promises to delay session tying loose ends left hanging by state legislators
The two-week hiatus taken by the Legislature could prove to be the most productive days spent this session.
After 90 days of debate and spending, the Legislature has adjourned with nothing to show for its effort. Nothing was done for property tax relief. Nine appropriations bills, including the Board of Regents, remain to be determined. What did the Legislature do?
It put moral and social issues before solving the reappraisal fiasco it created last year. Abortion consent and the death penalty occupied the House and Senate for weeks on end with no substantive measures for property tax relief making it out of their houses of origin
Traditionally, the final day of the regular session is marked by compromise. Both sides of the aisle come together to pass legislation and leave little to do in the veto session. But it has become a tradition for the Legislature to stay longer than a few extra days. Last year, prison construction and the highway program kept the Legislature in Topeka seven days, the longest session by a few hours.
If the Legislature does not become focused.
the veto session may be the longest session ever by more than a few hours or days.
Gov. Mike Hayden has stressed that spending must be kept to a minimum. Budget recommendations have been ignored. Current projections indicate an ending balance of a little more than $65 million. Hayden would like to see that figure near $100 million.
A spending cap to create a rainy day fund was approved by the Legislature, but it came at a time when the Social and Rehabilitation Services budget was $56 million over recommended levels. A 5 percent ending balance does not seem like much, but it may be the difference between sinking or swimming if another issue like property tax relief arises again.
It is not too late for the Legislature to begin doing its job and address the serious issues at hand. As Hayden put it yesterday, a definite change in the attitude of the Legislature is needed. Legislators are not doing any service to the state by delaying action. The state can't wait.
John P. Milburn for the editorial board
Diversity in government
Laws needed to ensure minority representation
Legislation making it general policy to ensure proportional representation of minorities and women on all Kansas boards and commissions should be made into law.
The bill, approved April 4 by the House of Representatives, would apply to all boards and commissions created by statute. The Board of Regents falls into this category.
This measure is an effective provision for encouraging officials who appoint boards and commissions to select people who accurately represent the diversity of the state's population.
The bill also states that a person's qualifications should be considered first. This is important so that it does not seem as though
qualified people are being overlooked.
On the other hand, a clause like this seems unnecessary. Many minorities are just as qualified as the rest of the population. The fact that they are a smaller proportion of the population means that the appointing officials need to look a little harder.
The measure should not evolve into a quota system. Minorities and women must not be appointed solely on the basis of their race or sex.
It is unfortunate that legislation is needed to ensure proper representation. Discrimination at the state level is the worst kind. It sets bad precedents for lower levels and tarnishes the image of equal opportunity for all citizens.
Cory Anderson for the editorial board
Member should be target,not SAE
EDITOR'S NOTE: Chris Evans did not attend the Kansan editorial board meeting at which the editorial calling for an apology by Alpha Epsilon fraternity was discussed.
With a few alcohol-induced actions 13 days ago, Matthew Willenborg unwittingly turned every member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity into racists.
Willenborg's actions started a bandwagon effect that led students campuswide to condemn SAE. Within days, posters appeared on campus likening the fraternity's members to Ku Klux Klanmen.
Even the University Daily Kansan editorial board chose to condemn the entire fraternity rather than Willenborg alone. At a meeting that I was unable to attend, the board's memoirs revealed how many students disbanded because it was "a blight on campus and must not be allowed to tarnish the University."
Few people, except the most ardent racists, would disagree with the opinion that Willenburg's actions were contemptible. The SAE member reportedly assaulted a Black woman delivering pizzas to the
Chris Evans
Staff columnist
fraternity. Such actions are inexcusable, but how guilty could Willdenborg's place of residence be?
I can't help but wonder what the reaction would have been if Willem borg lived somewhere other than a fraternity. If he had lived in one of the University's upstanding scholarship halls — which house about 50 men, most of them white, and all as closely associated with one another the members of a fraternity would the reaction have been the same?
Not in the least. No one would have called for the University to shut down the hall. No one would have depicted a rape scene, depicting white robes and burning crosses.
But then again, scholarship hall-bashing isn't nearly as popular as greek-bashing on this campus. Large numbers of students consider fraternities and sororites to be havens for
elitists. But that, whether right or wrong, is no reason to label a group of men racist because of the actions of one member.
Despite what some might like to think, Willenborg is not the Greek system incarnate. Because he uttered racist epithets, every member of his house or of the Greek system is not racist.
Ann Dean, the delivery person whom Willenborg reportedly assaulted, has filed a police report and has filed a complaint with the University. If Willenborg is found guilty, the SAE government immediately should expel him from the university. Pratermity's leaders decide otherwise, and deserve treatment as harsh as and harsher then they have received.
But until that time, unless someone can prove that SAE is more racist than any other greek house, scholarship hall, residence hall or apartment complex, the growing animosity toward SAE should cease. It is hard to believe that Willenborg was acting on behalf of all SAE members when he reportedly assaulted Dean. ► Chris Evans is a Hutchinson senior majoring in journalism and French.
LETTERS to the EDITOR Mad at Stan Diel
Upon reading Stan Diel's column printed in the April 9 Kansas, I felt compelled to reply, and I wrote this.
Who are you Stan Dial? What ancient bit of murky ignorance released you from its grasp? Look at yourself Stan; armed with that pointy smile, teeth alaze, uttering sentences such as, "Fraternities are not any more or less bigged than society as a whole." Your rationalization turns my stomach. What makes you tick? Certainly the truth. For it is more than the truth that you would rather sit in the sludge-pudge slime of greckdom than seek a world, a society, free of elitism. You know what I am talking about, Stan. Perpetuation. The perpetuation of racism by the Greek system.
You say, with so much flippancy, that the Greeks simply reflect society. Yet shouldn't they do more? Since any Greek house is a microcosm of society as a whole.
the opportunity presents itself for true justice and equality. Given the smallness of the environment, why then does racism persist?
Concedingly, I must recognize the worthwhile and valued community work practiced by greeks. With an open hand, Sigmas and Gammas of themselves. But sadly, the other sometimes grips a person's heart and sheesh it way through college, its jeweled joints" and with stiff finger, signals out those it finds of no use.
Bryan Brunton
Topeka freshman
All of us should forever be moving toward perfection, re-created in both ourselves, and therefore society. Instead, Stan, you slide backward down into stagnation. Eberhart once asked, "Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity?" If yes, then one day I hope you shall. But I can only hope.
Vote today
Vote in the Student Senate elections. Like broccoli, it's for your own good.
William N. Sanders
Student Senate Executive Commit-
tee Chair
News staff
NEWS START
Richard Breck ... Editor
Daniel Niemi ... Managing editor
Christopher R. Ralston ... News editor
Liee Mose ... Planning editor
John Milburn ... Editorial editor
Candy Niermann ... Campus editor
Mike Conaldine ... Sports editor
E. Joseph Zurge ... Photo editor
Stephen Kiliman ... Graphic editor
Kris Bergolgi ... Arts/Features editor
Tom Ethen ... General manager, news admirer
Margaret Townsend...Business manager
Tami Rank...Retail sales manager
Miles Miller...Campus sales manager
Kathy Rush伍强Region
Nike Lehman...National sales manager
Mindy Morris...Co-op sales manager
Hate Stamos...Production manager
Mint Landmark...Assistant Product Director
Carrie Sininka...Marketing director
James Gisanapp...Creative director
Jason Rotholm...Classified manager
Wayne Stitter State
Jeanne Hines...Sales and marketing adviser
Business staff
Letters should be typed, double-spaced and less than 200 words and must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University of Kansas, please include class and homework, or faculty or staff position. Guest schedule should be typed, double-spacing and less than 700 words. The writer will
The Kansan reserves the right to reject or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newsletter, 111 Stauffer Hall, Hail. Columns, columns and cartoons are the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University Dalkan Kansan. Editorialists are the opinion of the Kansan editorial board.
Election rules: Who needs 'em anyway? Campaign material blatantly distributed near Senate ballot boxes
W walking across campus yesterday. I was heartened to see students actually lining up to vote.
I saw all kinds of voters. Some wore greek letters, some carried skateboards, some dressed in black. Some ate their lunch as they stood in line, some were reading, others talked about the protest at Strong Hall. But all of them seemed enthusiastic to be there, waiting to vote.
I talked to voters who had given much thought to their choices in the election and who waited in line holding a list of the candidates they would vote for when they got to the balloting table.
I met a group of my colleagues on their way to vote. They told me they had made a date to go to the polls together, and now they were enjoying themselves as they stood in line to cast their votes.
I ran into presidential candidate Brad Sanders of the New Blood coalition, who also was making the rounds of the rolling places.
After making the rounds of the polling places and seeing the crowds, I wasn't surprised when I found out last night that nearly as many people
"I think more people are voting for New Blood because of the story," he said, referring to Monday's Kansas rally against members of Sanders and his running mate.
I replied, "I knew we would either kill your chances or raise you to the level of folk heroes." He laughed, he shook hands, and he walked on.
Richard Brack
Editor
voted yesterday, in the first day of balloting, as voted in both days of last year's election. I wasn't surprised, but I wondered why.
My first reaction was that it was because of the Kansan's coverage of the campaign. I went to dinner last night thinking that the Kansan had proved itself as a good newspaper by single-handedly getting out the best voter response that I could remember.
After all, we had published stories explaining the importance of the Senate and how much money senators were responsible for doling out. In the words of one of the senators (we believe), the story about New Blood's records probably helped out, too.
Not to say that it was an easy decision to publish that story. We heard the rumors, and it took some time to substantiate them. The allegations that the Kansan sat on the story for weeks were, of course, based on the fact that they could run the story until reporters could similarly check the backgrounds of all presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Then I began to realize that the presidential candidates and the hum-
dreds of coalition members probably had something to do with the great turnout yesterday as well. After all, most of the coalitions ran vigorous campaigns based on solid issues and good ideas.
I knew the campaigns were solid because each coalition's leaders had spent an hour detailing their platforms to the Kansean editorial board. After that, I realized that no matter who won the election, all candidates
'No campaign material of any kind shall be in sight of any polling place.'
Student Senate Rules and Regulations
could handle the job, and all that was left was for us to shake the wheat from the chaff and make our endorsement.
The candidates had all been out there on Wescole Beach day after day, rain or shine, pressing the flesh and handing out campaign information (some on recycled paper, some not). I remembered wondering how they could spend all that time campaigning and still be academically successful.
Yet to go with every silver lining, there must be a dark cloud. And as I recalled yesterday's unexpected turnout, that dark cloud loomed in the form of blatant campaign offenses.
Turning to my well-worn copy of
Something to consider: Is this but one on a list of Senate rules going unenforced?
But the overriding problem in yesterday's election came not from a lack of enforcement but a shortage of ballots. In the face of other election problems, the shortage of ballots suggests that another rule of Senate elections is being broken. That's the rule that the elections will suffer low voter turnout. And when compared with the big picture of low voter turnouts in elections across this country, there are worse things than the violation of a few measly Senate rules, right? Who needs 'em anyway?
> Richard Brack is a Great Bend senior majoring in journalism.
CAMP UHNEELY
The coalition that is running a clean campaign and not badgering voters at the polling places is being penalized by elections officials who refuse to enforce their rules and by coilations less concerned with such "triviality."
But yesterday it was. I saw campaigners encouraging people to vote and handing them campaign literature in clear view of polling places. I even spoke to one voter who said he was accosted by a campaigner as he stood in line waiting to vote.
Senate rules and regulations, I found in stark print the words, "No campaign material of any kind shall be in sight of any polling place."
A NAVE FRESHMAN AND A SCUZBALL
2. WE'VE PRINTED ALL OUR PUBLICATIONS ON RECYCLED PUKE-GREEN COLORED PAPER!
3. WE SPENT THE MOST MONEY ON THIS LOUSY CAMPAIGN.
B. OUR CAMPAIGN SLOGAN IS:
"MIKE HAYDEN SUCKS."
BY SCOTT PATTY
9. WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN AIR-
TIME ON KJH K!
10. WE HAVE CAMPAIGN CONDOMS!
11. WE NAMED OUR COALITION
AFTER A POPULAR SYNDICTED
TV SHOW!
IT'S FAST
AND
EXCITING!
12. WE HAVEN'T BEEN HARASSING
STUDENTS IN FRONT OF WESCCO!
13. FACE IT. WHO ELSE
ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE
FOR?
PAID FOR BY AMERICAN GLADIATORS
.