(Syndicated to Kansas newspapers Sept. 5, 2016)
It’s now officially campaign season—though some of us wonder whether the real high-intensity campaigning couldn’t be put off until maybe the first of October—and it’s also the time for figuring out just what breed of Republicans is going to be running things.
Some giant issues aren’t likely to be solved while Gov. Sam Brownback finishes out the final two years of his final term, so some observers are hoping they have enough gas to keep the car idling in the garage for the next two years.
Everyone under the dome is expecting more Democrats in each chamber, and the division between moderate and conservatives is likely to shift slightly but probably not yield majority-sized moderate/Democrat linkups.
Probably the key for Republicans in virtually all House and Senate races is to remain polite to the governor but not show up close enough to him that a chat in the hallway or at a parade or at the grocery store turns into a “Brownback and lackey” photo for Democrats’ campaign use.
So a tilt toward moderation…less iron-handed budget cutting and taxing of everyone except maybe those Limited Liability Companies and the rest of the 300,000 or so who don’t pay state income taxes is likely, but this upcoming session will see some real debate, not committee action that is already slated for defeat before a bill is printed up.
But…there are going to be those candidates on your doorstep, and once again, we’re down to making that time talking through the screen door worthwhile.
Candidates by this time often have some background on individual voters…whether they can just say “2nd Amendment rights” and be done with it, or “dismemberment abortion” and move on, having sealed the deal with the constituent.
But besides just party affiliation or one or two hot-button issues that are deciders for many voters, it’s probably worth your time to ask about the budget, and whether the candidate is willing to vote for tax increases for anyone specific, or in general. This is probably the best time you’ll spend while air conditioning is leaking out onto the porch: Where’s the money coming from? By this time, candidates ought to have some idea (unless they were unopposed in the primary in which case they might not have a clue, but have gotten good at tossing candy to children along parade routes).
Now, not all the candidates have served time in the Legislature, but they’ve gotten enough mail from lobbyists and party organizations to get at least some ideas.
And, it’s probably school finance positions that some will try to get away with by just saying “adequately fund schools” with no concept of where that support—it’s all tax money, after all—is going to come from.
Besides some federal assistance for specific programs, that tax money comes down to state income and sales taxes or local property taxes. Do legislators vow to raise taxes, if needed, to meet Kansas Supreme Court mandates on adequately financing K-12? Or, maybe just meet the court demands with spare change from other areas of the budget?
A tax is a tax, but local property tax for schools is always a touchy issue: Voters (they call them patrons in school districts) where special local property taxes are levied want those taxes to stay right at home in the district, not be spread around the state. That’s something that candidates will probably respond to differently district by district. But…you might want candidates to have an answer before you sew up the vote.
And…maybe if they have to come back with an answer, they can bring some of that extra parade candy that they didn’t get a chance to throw…