Improving funding for public education and how to do it was the main focus of a candidate forum Tuesday night at Lawrence High School.

About a dozen state and federal candidates or their representatives participated in the forum, which was sponsored by the Lawrence Education Assn. and Kansas Families United for Public Education. The discussions during the forum were limited to education issues.

State funding for public schools has not kept up with inflation, causing increases in school fees, low teacher salaries and leaving some schools with inadequate teaching equipment such as computers, said 10th District Rep. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin.

“We need to be creative and find other ways to bring money into the state,” he said.

Holland suggested allowing gambling casinos and taking money from them. Otherwise, he would agree with increases in sales and income taxes for education.

Holland’s opponent, Republican Rich Lorenzo, said the school funding formula is broken and needs to be fixed.

“I cannot support a funding increase until we fix the formula,” Lorenzo said.

Roger Pine, Republican candidate for the state’s 3rd Senate District, said he would support a sales tax increase if it were necessary for school funding. But Pine also said there were indications the state could do better with the money it has for education. His opponent, Democrat Jan Justice, said she also would look at a tax increase but not a property tax increase

Marci Francisco, Democratic candidate for the state’s 2nd Senate District, said she would be willing to consider income tax increases for school funding. Incumbent 2nd District Republican Mark Buhler would agree to income and sales tax increases. He said some school districts were funded adequately while others were not, showing that the financing formula needs to be adjusted.

The candidates also noted that the Kansas Supreme Court is currently reviewing a ruling by a Shawnee County District Judge that requires the Legislature to come up with more money to adequately fund education.

But whatever that ruling is, there are some Kansas conservative Republicans who might be willing to ignore it, Democratic Rep. Paul Davis said.

6News video: Candidates discuss public schools financing

“If there is enough of these people, then don’t be surprised if they turn their backs on the Supreme Court,” said Davis, who is unopposed in his re-election bid in the 46th House District.

Democrat Lee Jones, who is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, attended the forum and criticized Brownback for his lack of support for improved federal funding for education, as well as for supporting vouchers that would allow students to attend private schools. Brownback was not at the forum.

Bill Wagnon, Democratic incumbent on the Kansas State Board of Education, participated in the forum and responded to the creationism/intelligent design and evolution controversy that is again at the forefront of the election.

Wagnon said he doesn’t support teaching creationism in science classes. But he does support development of curriculum standards that provide guidelines to local school districts to offer courses in humanities or social science classes that have to do with religion, as a way of taking pressure off the science courses.

Also attending the forum was Rep. Barbara Ballard, Democratic incumbent who is unopposed in the 44th House District.