Who is going to blink first? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius or Republican members of the Kansas Legislature?

The state is facing a true fiscal crisis and, so far, neither the governor nor state legislators have publicly acknowledged the need to raise taxes.

Sebelius needs to admit she made mistakes and misled the public during her campaign by claiming she had a strategy to lead the state out of its fiscal mess. Time and time again during the campaign she refused to say how she planned to handle the state’s financial problems, saying she did not want to speak out on this matter while Gov. Bill Graves was in office.

She has made a few short-term, Band-Aid-type suggestions, but nothing of any lasting significance.

Do Republicans let her swing in the wind, or do they help get Sebelius and the state out of the hole? Do GOP lawmakers show genuine leadership and do what is best for the state, not worrying about who gets the credit? Should GOP legislators help get Sebelius off the hook?

The 2002 Kansas gubernatorial campaign was a tough race that left some deep scars. Democrats tried to paint GOP candidate Tim Shallenburger as a far right-wing conservative, and the Sebelius campaign was based more on her personality, her attractiveness, smoke and mirrors and the split within the Republican Party.

Can politics be put aside when the fiscal health of the state is at risk? Chances are the state will start the next fiscal year in worse shape than it was at the beginning of the current fiscal year. Legislators can play some sleight-of-hand maneuvers to produce a balanced budget, but the truth of the matter is that tax receipts are down and the shortfall is terribly serious — and getting worse every day.

Unless Sebelius can pull a magical tax revenue rabbit out of a hat, she will either have to call for severe cuts in many state-funded programs or call for a substantial tax increase. There’s no other way to try to address the state’s growing shortfall. She pledged not to cut funding for education, and if she makes good on that campaign promise, she will have to make additional major cuts in other programs.

Obviously, Sebelius is the state’s Democratic leader and commands a certain degree of respect, but who is the most respected leader in the Kansas GOP? Is there a Republican House or Senate member who has the ability, the political courage and the leadership qualities to get his or her fellow lawmakers to do what is in the best interests of the state, even if they still are smarting from their own internal party differences and the manner in which Sebelius hoodwinked the public and won the governorship?

Is there any way to heal the split within the state GOP or will Republican lawmakers, as well as rank-and-file Republicans throughout the state, remain so rigid in their differences that those in the so-called moderate wing of the party will continue to sit on their hands or even vote in favor of Democratic efforts and candidates?

It’s dumb and shortsighted, but many Republicans apparently don’t care that their actions help their political opponents. This does not improve the odds for success for the Republican agenda, even though the GOP holds commanding majorities in both the House and Senate.

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Speaking of the deep split within the state GOP, some knowledgeable Republicans don’t hesitate to suggest that U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback may not have the support of many Republicans and may be vulnerable when he seeks re-election in 2004. He is looked upon as the leader of his party’s conservative wing and offended many moderates during the 2002 election campaign.

These same observers suggest U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore has decided not to challenge Brownback because Democratic Party leaders already have selected their candidate — either former Rep. Dan Glickman or former Rep. Jim Slattery, now a well-paid Washington attorney.

Time will tell, and, in the meantime, Brownback apparently needs to devote substantial time to mending fences within the state Republican Party.

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With the state facing financial crisis, now might be the ideal time to take a hard look at the state and study how all state programs could be made more efficient. State laws, political boundaries and policy actions haven’t changed for years and, just because something was done a certain way 25, 50 or 75 years ago, there is no reason to continue to follow those practices if they are wasteful, ineffective and outdated.

Why not have Kansas be a true leader and modernize where practical? Design a more efficient and effective governmental system that will deliver more bang for the bucks (tax dollars).

Nothing would be off the table in such a study. School districts, law enforcement, K-12 and higher education, transportation, community colleges, county government, congressional redistricting all would be fair game when studying possible restructuring and consolidation of state government and state programs.

Such a study would have to be conducted by a true blue-ribbon, nonpartisan panel. It would have to be composed of a superb cross-section of Kansans representing all facets of state-assisted operations and supported by state legislators and the governor.

The public would need to have confidence that the sole purpose of such an effort would be to figure out how to have the state operate more effectively, more efficiently and, in the process, improve opportunities for the state and its citizens to move ahead and prosper.

Some states are going to emerge from the current economic downturn in fighting trim, ready to do battle and move ahead on economic, education, high-tech, employment, environment, health care and human resources efforts. Other states will be treading water, falling further and further behind.

Kansas has every opportunity to be a leader, but it will take individuals with vision and courage to challenge the state and its residents. Why not have Kansas set an example for the rest of the nation by updating the way the state operates and, in so doing, help set the stage for Kansas to emerge as a national leader?

The current fiscal crisis and lack of forward action by too many elected officials, as well as a lethargic, complacent public, would seem to make this an ideal time to give serious thought to a statewide, no-holds-barred examination of how the state and its multitude of units operate.