Ted Ingerson, a Republican, is running for State Representative in the 42nd District

Moderator

Hello and welcome to this delayed start of this LJWorld.com Election 2008 online chat. I’m your moderator Jonathan Kealing. We’re cosponsoring this chat with a group of our weekly newspapers so this chat may look a bit unusual.

Moderator

We’re still looking for more questions but we’re going to jump right in with what we have.

Moderator

Mr. Ingerson, could you take a little time to introduce yourself and explain why you decided to run for state representative?

Ted Ingerson

It’s hard to put into words why I’m doing it. I’ve wanted to for a long time. I’ve followed it a lot. I pay attention. I just want to be the one to represent this district, and I know I could do a good job.

Moderator

Tyson: Why do you feel you would make a better representative from our district then Connie O’Brien?

Ted Ingerson

I can’t really answer that, because I don’t know Connie. I don’t know anything about her, but I am from here, and I think I share the same principles and values as everyone else. And I care about what happens to the people in this district.

Moderator

Ted, if elected, you would be replacing longtime state representative Kenny Wilk. Are there specific issues that you agree/disagree with Wilk on or are there changes you would make to how he represented the district for the past 16 years?

Ted Ingerson

There aren’t any specific issues that I disagree with. I think he’s done just fine. I don’t know that I would make any changes over how he’s done. But I’m not him, I’m me. I would do things how I would want them done. I don’t know what differences there would be, but I would hope to continue the integrity he brought to the office.

Moderator

As we wait for more reader-submitted questions, I might note that energy policy has been a controversial issue on the state level recently. Would you support the location of additional coal-fired power plants in Kansas? How do you feel about utilizing other renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power?

Ted Ingerson

I’m definitely in support of the power plants. I know people are worried about the emissions, but at this particular plant they’d be some of the lowest in the nation. We really could use the jobs, especially in that part of the state. But this must be done in conjunction with wind and solar power. We can’t rely on just one. They have to be done together. There’s an estimated $6 billion in revenue for the state for the whole project, and facing budget shortfalls, that would go a long way to help. And in the project, this will cost the state zero dollars. There’s no funding by the state. It’s all done by Sunflower.

Moderator

Tyson: How do you see the district since it is split between the people around Tonganoxie and the Lansing / Leavenworth Area? Do you think it will be hard to balance the two centers? What about those of us that live in between the two towns? Our needs maybe different. I want roads and police officers, others may want low taxes or new schools?

Ted Ingerson

You have to go through each department, and each one is going to have fat in it so to speak. And you have to trim that fat out from each department. Each department’s going to have to cut back and they’re going to have to wait another year to buy an office chair. You can also cut by attrition. If someone retires or they leave for whatever reason, they just don’t get replaced unless its an absolute essential position, and any non-essential funding would get cut. But the last thing that would ever get cut is school funding, in my opinion.

Moderator

Here’s our last question.

Moderator

Communities across the state have enacted various smoking bans and increased taxes on cigarettes. Would you support a statewide smoking ban in indoor places or increasing the cigarette tax?

Ted Ingerson

I would support one in indoor places except in bars, because that kind of goes hand in hand with the majority of people that go to those places. I know there are people that want to go to a place like that that is non-smoking. Maybe they can contact an owner of an establishment and make it non-smoking, and then everyone has a place to go. But I would not support a cigarette tax. I think that’s an unfair tax.

Moderator

Thanks to everyone for joining us today. I invited you to check out transcripts of previous chats at LJWorld.com/chats. Make sure you come back tomorrow for more Election 2008 chats.