Senate debates cigarette tax Margin's third year might be up in smoke without financing
By Derek Schmidt
By Derek Schmidt
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — A bill in the state Senate would tax tobacco products to finance the third year of the Margin of Excellence.
On Friday, State Sen. Dick Bond, R-Overland Park, and State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., R-Lawrence, filed the bill, which would raise by five percent the number of cigarettes and by 5 percent the tax on other tobacco products.
The increase would bring the tax on a pack of cigarettes to 29 cents and would be paid by tobacco wholesalers.
Winter said he and Bond chose a tobacco tax because it was acceptable to many people and because the state should discourage tobacco use.
Bond said the tax would generate $1 million a month, and the money would be earmarked for the third quarter, beginning, which now is in its second year.
The Margin 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.
The senators had the proposed tax was designed to support the Margin
during a tight budget year.
"This bill is out of a great fear that there will not be the money in the general fund to fund the third year of the Margin." Bond said.
The second year of the Margin was financed in full at $29.16 million. The Regents are requesting $45.48 million — an increase of $16.32 million — for many money supporters worry that the additional money will not be available.
"We're going to be lucky out of the general fund to be able to fund the base budget for higher education," Bond said.
The base budget would provide $29.16 million in year three.
The $4 million difference between the $16.32 million requested increase and the estimated $12 million generated by a tobacco tax still would have to come from the general fund, Winter said.
"Without the tax, it's going to be really tough to do it," he said of fully financing the third year. "With the tax it's still going to be hard."
Twenty-three of the 40 senators are co-sponsors of the bill, virtually ensuring Senate approval when the bill is debated after the Lawmakers meet. If Finance predicted the Senate would take up the bill in February.
Support in the House of Representatives is not as certain.
"I question whether this funding method will have the buoyancy it takes to pass through both houses," said House Minority Leader Marvin Barkis, D-Louisburg. "What we're going to do instead of taxing big business is end up taxing every guy on the street. It's easier."
University Daily Kansan / Monday, December 11, 1989
Winter said he was disappointed at *Earkis*' doubts of House support for the
"I think the House is going to have to decide whether they're really for the Margin of Excellence or not," he said.
Barkis said he doubted if a tax increase, even on cigarettes, would have house support in the wake of the state's property tax problems.
Barkis said that he would support the Margin and that even though he doubted the cigarette tax would have been not was personally on吾话 to it.
State Rep. Jessie Branson, D-
Louisiana, questioned using a
tolerance test.
ASK lobbies in Topeka for Margin
By Kate Lee
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — After hearing that financing for the Margin of Excellence could be in danger, Associated Students of Kansas organized a trip to Topeka to demonstrate continued student support for the Margin.
The Margin 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. The Margin is in its second year, and several legislators have said that third-year financing could be in jeopardy because of budgetary problems.
On Thursday evening, ASK representatives contacted students through a phone network to organize the trip.
"We phoned people from the lobby-day list and Student Senate committees," said Bill Moseley, vice
Mark Tallman, executive director of ASK, said it had become clear during the week that financing for the Margin was in trouble.
chairman of the ASK Board of Directors. About 60 KU students made the trip.
He said, "The funding for the tax relief has to come from one of three places: new revenues, which means raised taxes, the highway plan or from everything else, of which the Margin is a part."
Moseley said, "We were very visible. I talked to several senators and representatives, and they knew we were there."
Tallman said the students were in Topsail to remind legislators about the need for a new law.
"Legislators recently haven't been hearing about the Margin," he said. "Part of this is to remind them that the Margin is important."
Mary Robertson, Lawrence senior, said she went because of what the church said.
"I learned more from the professors that the Margin brought in," she said. "It won't affect me directly, but it affects the long term if faculty leave and classes have to close. I would hate to see KU do that."
"I think it's important for students to teach and show that they know what's going on."
Sallee was particularly receptive, Schuetz said.
Scott Schuetz, Horton senior, said he was able to talk to State Sen. Wint Winter, R-Lawrence, and State Rep. Don Sallee, R-Troy.
Schuetz said he thought the students accomplished their goal of being noticed by legislators.
"He's very public-oriented and willing to listen." Schuetz said. "He definitely represents the queetus in his district."
"Most of us had on KU sweatshirts, so they knew something was up," Schuetz said. "We did our best with the time we had, and I think we were effective."
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