Topeka ? The three-week break in the legislative session didn’t bring lawmakers any closer to agreeing on school funding, but it did spark new life into a proposal to ban gay marriages.

Wednesday, the first day of the wrap-up session, was marked by rallies, rhetoric and raw politics.

“We’re arguing,” Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, said after a one-hour closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans on school funding. “We’ve had months to talk about education, and we’re still struggling with it. It’s really frustrating.”

Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, conceded, “Today was not one of the banner days.”

The major impasse continued over a tax increase for public schools. The Senate has failed to adopt a position, and Republicans in that chamber, who hold a 30-10 majority, met off and on throughout the day in private sessions to debate various plans.

“It is difficult to find 21 votes for any particular plan,” Kerr said.

The proposals that got the most attention ranged from increasing the state sales tax from one-tenth of a cent to two-tenths of a cent and the state income tax from 2 percent to 3 percent. The plans would raise $77 million to $114 million.

Outside attacks

But while lawmakers privately argued about the nuts-and-bolts of various school plans, a public display of political fighting was touched off by a massive anti-tax advertising campaign by Washington, D.C.-based Americans for Prosperity.

The conservative group sent thousands of pamphlets that criticized lawmakers who have voted for tax increases for schools.

Rep. Carl Krehbiel, R-Moundridge, was one of the targets.

Schools advocates rally for fundsMore ‘first day’ news: Governor criticizes anti-tax lobby effort (4-28-04) Disabled Kansans lobby for more funding (4-28-04) Lawmakers take up gay marriage ban issue again (4-28-04) Sebelius: ‘Most important work’ remains on school funding (4-28-04) More legislative news

“This is a compilation of half-truths, misrepresentations and bald-faced lies,” Krehbiel said.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, headlining a pro-tax rally, criticized the advertising campaign; even some business leaders cried foul.

Terry Dunn, chief executive officer of J.E. Dunn Construction Co. and chairman of the governor’s business education partnership, issued a statement that said: “For out-of-state groups with narrow ideological agendas to meddle in this important debate with false and misleading claims is counterproductive.”

But in a news conference, Alan Cobb, a lobbyist representing Americans for Prosperity, defended the organization’s statements.

“We stand by our numbers. We’re here to oppose any tax increase,” Cobb said.

Cobb was backed up by several Kansas business organizations, including the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Wichita Chamber of Commerce and others who said a tax increase would hurt the state’s economic recovery.

“I don’t see how a tax increase at this time will make the situation better,” said Christy Andruss, of Shawnee.

Darryl Taylor, the owner of a hardware store in Paola, said if he could keep more of his tax money, “I’ll hire more people.”

Cobb said that although Americans for Prosperity was based in Washington, it had about 2,500 members in Kansas.

Chamber gets involved

The fight over school funding also spilled into chamber of commerce politics.

The Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been an outspoken opponent of a tax increase, a position that has been at odds with some of its members, including the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, which has come out in favor of a tax increase for schools.

On Wednesday, the Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce, led by former Kansas Republican Party Chairman Mark Parkinson, left the Kansas chamber over the school funding issue.

“Our No. 1 legislative priority has been the proper funding of our schools. The state chamber has taken an opposite position, and we can no longer in good conscience remain as members,” Parkinson said.

Jim Gregory, a spokesman for the Kansas chamber, said the state group wasn’t concerned about the Shawnee chamber’s departure. “It’s not unusual, with 7,500 members, that there would be a difference of opinion,” he said.

Gay marriage resurfaces

It became clear Wednesday that lawmakers had not yet had their fill of the gay-marriage issue.

Some senators said a resolution dealing with voter registration lists being dealt with by a conference committee would be gutted and become a vehicle for a proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage.

“The Taliban would be proud of these procedures,” said Sen. David Adkins, R-Leawood, who has opposed anti-gay measures.

The conference committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. today in room 519 of the Capitol.

Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate before being placed on the ballot for voter consideration.

Earlier this year, the House approved by two-thirds a proposed amendment barring gay marriage, but the Senate rejected the measure.

Kerr said he brought the issue up again because “there’s a lot of interest in it.”

But Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka said Kerr revived the issue because he and several other Republicans were feeling political heat from party conservatives that could result in primary election challenges.

“There is a lot of Republican Party primary politics in this amendment right now,” Hensley said.

Kerr denied that was the case.