Findley move leaves Lawrence seeking new representative

Legislator resigns to serve as liaison for Sebelius

? The Lawrence delegation to the Kansas Legislature is taking its second hit in about two months.

State Rep. Troy Findley, a veteran Democratic legislator from Lawrence, said Friday that he was resigning his seat in the House to take a key position in Gov.-elect Kathleen Sebelius’ administration.

Findley, 38, will become Sebelius’ legislative liaison. In that position he will be the main person pushing Sebelius’ agenda in the Legislature and dealing with legislative requests.

“I will be kind of like the eyes and ears of the Governor’s Office,” Findley said.

The job pays $53,000 per year, according to Sebelius’ office.

Potential replacements

Findley’s decision touches off a race for his seat that will be decided next Saturday when Democratic precinct committee members from Findley’s east-central Lawrence district vote for a replacement.

In that race, Findley is supporting Paul Davis, 30, a lifelong Lawrence resident who has been legislative counsel to the Kansas Bar Assn. for the past three years. Before that, Davis worked in the Governmental Affairs Office of the state insurance department when Sebelius was commissioner.

“I know the process and the issues and the personalities in the Legislature,” Davis said.

Findley said he wanted a replacement who could hit the ground running.

“Paul fits that bill on every level,” he said.

Allen Levine, a 36-year-old Lawrence native, also wants the job.

Levine, a one-term city commissioner elected in 1995, said he was a supporter and intern for Betty Jo Charlton, Findley’s predecessor in the House seat. Levine is sales director at Pines International. He is a Kansas University graduate and a former board member of Douglas County AIDS Project.

“The budget crisis is exactly what needs to be focused on and finding dollars for education, all levels of education,” Levine said.

Jason Fizell, 26, executive director of the Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance, also is considering running. Fizell said if he decided to run it would be “on a strong progressive platform of environmental protection, strengthening education and responsible economic development.”

A novice delegation

Findley has served in the House since 1995, and has been a member of the Democratic leadership team. During the 2002 legislative session he had a key role in redistricting legislation, when he unsuccessfully fought the Republican-led charge to split Lawrence between two congressional districts.

Sebelius praised Findley for his knowledge of the legislative process and ability to work with both Republicans and Democrats. Though Sebelius is a Democrat, the Legislature is dominated by Republicans, who have a 30-10 edge in the Senate and an 80-45 margin in the House.

Findley’s resignation from the Legislature will take effect Jan. 12, the day before the start of the 2003 legislative session.

His exit leaves Lawrence with an even less-experienced delegation. Ten-year state senator Sandy Praeger, a Republican, was elected state insurance commissioner in November and will be replaced by former Douglas County Commissioner Mark Buhler, who was selected by members of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee. And eight-year state Rep. Ralph Tanner, R-Baldwin, was defeated by newcomer Tom Holland, a Democrat from Lawrence.

The remaining members include incumbents Tom Sloan, a Republican, and Barbara Ballard, a Democrat.

Also Friday, Sebelius named Joyce Allegrucci, her former campaign manager, as secretary of appointments. Denise Moore was named director of the Division of Information Systems and Communications. Moore served as director of information and technology at the state insurance department.