Editor’s note: Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, was appointed to fill out the remaining two years of the term of former Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence. Buhler’s journal-style column will be published online throughout the 2003 session of the Legislature.

Tuesday, March 24, 2003

Well, Tuesday was a great day. The governor told us how we were going to fix our financial problems this year. I couldn’t have been more disappointed. Her basic solution was two fold.

Borrow money (sell bonds for improvements) for the highway fund and move other money not encumbered in the highway plan to the general fund. We have now borrowed money from the highway fund, taken money from the highway fundm and now borrowed money for the highway fund and taken it to the general fund. We’re just about out of smoke and mirrors!

The other main component of her plan is to require property tax payments in May as opposed to the normal due date of June 20. A June 20 payment will be remitted after July 1 and be in the next fiscal year. This seems very simple. We are to pay taxes a month earlier and all that money goes into the bank in the current fiscal year.

If I’m not mistaken, we haven’t really solved our problem. This is not new money, and by making payments due a month earlier we all get to have our mortgage escrow accounts adjusted. That ought to be fun! If it sounds like I’m not excited, I’m not.

Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27

I’m writing this together because they run together in my mind.

We passed a budget that won’t be the final budget, nothing is ever really done around here.

It’s getting interesting!

Root for the Jayhawks tonight! I almost forgot they were playing!!

Friday, March 28, 2003

This is the third 12-hour day in a row!

It will end sometime tonight and we will reconvene on Wednesday April 2 after conference committees have had a chance to work out differences between the House and the Senate.

The Senate approved a resolution honoring the life and accomplishments of Bob Billings today.

It was an honor to recognize him publicly for all he did for KU, Lawrence and the people he influenced.

Its apparent that until the final gavel goes down in early May (I hope) nothing is safe and nothing is dead in terms of bills that are being moved from one house to the other!

Thank goodness our Jayhawks won, that made my week so much better. Go Hawks!