Welcome to our online chat with Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley.

The chat took place at 1:45 p.m., Monday, Jan. 24, and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Welcome to our chat with Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley.

Jessica, Lawrence: In Ohio and Utah, lawyers are using the open-endness of their constitutional ban on same-sex marriage to keep unmarried, heterosexual domestic abusers from facing strict criminal punishment. Is the Kansas Legislature addressing this issue, and, if so, how are they acting to prevent such broad interpretation of this law?

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: The answer to Jessica’s question is no. And I believe many legislators haven’t even taken into consideration repercussions of passing the constitutional amendment. If passed by the voters, there will be many unintended consequences such as what has happened in Utah and Ohio that would happen here in Kansas.

Steve, Topeka: What sort of a tax package (size and composition) would the Legislature be likely to approve if it turns out that a constitutionally acceptable amount of increased school finance funding cannot be squeezed out of existing budgetary resources?

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: First, I am very skeptical about being able to adequately fund schools and respond to the Supreme Court’s order by using existing revenues. The reason I am skeptical is because we would be short-changing other areas of the budget, which would have adverse impact on many services provided by state government. The Speaker of the House, Doug Mays, was quoted last week as saying that he had a lot of ideas on school finance. He went on to say, “I can tell you some of them may be painful.” I believe the people of Kansas deserve to know what painful ideas he is calling for in what is thus far a secret school finance plan. By painful does he mean, cuts in services for Kansas seniors? Does he mean cuts in services to disabled Kansans? Does he mean reducing the budget for the Department of Corrections, KBI and law enforcement agencies? Or does he mean, taking away the 2 1/2 percent cost of living increase for state employees? Bottom line is, the existing resources budget is very conservative and really only increases by 6 1/10 of one percent next year. If you include those items that are mandated, then it is a 3.4 percent increase. By mandated items I mean making the employers contribution to the retirement system, making bond payments and those kinds of things. The governor and Democrats in the Legislature have made it very clear that we support a long-term school finance plan that will provide ongoing stable funding for schools. We believe any plan must be a long-term solution not a one-year fix using smoke and mirrors. We also believe that we should not raid the highway fund, which the Legislature has already done several times in the past. And we believe we should not raid KPERS, which the Legislature has also already done several times in the past. And we cannot meet the courts challenge of attaining high standards by lowering the standards as proposed by redefining what is a suitable education. I am hopeful that in the Senate, we will be able to propose a bipartisan plan that will not shortchange other areas of the budget to adequately fund K-12 education. We have shown a willingness to vote for additional revenue and to make sure that any plan that we pass will be a long-term solution. We have done so not because the court or a district court judge is telling us we must do this, we have done so because it’s the right thing to do.

Randy, Lawrence: Senator Hensley — Have you read the book: “What’s the matter with Kansas”? If so, why do you think this state has taken such a shift to the right? Why are so many of our fellow Kansans so ignorant about how the politics of the Republican Party are hurting them so much? Thanks for representing we the level-minded Democrats of the state. Randy.

Hensley

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: I have not had the opportunity to read the book. But I know what its message is. Unfortunately, many Kansans particularly working class Kansans have been distracted by the emotional and controversial social issues of the day. It is important that Democrats reconnect with those Kansans by emphasizing the issues which should be really important to working Kansans and their families. And the issues that I’m talking about are those issues that affect their pocket book and affect their daily struggle to make ends meet. We need to remind them that the Democratic Party has always been the party of the people and especially the party of those who work for a living. And for those who live on fixed incomes. I believe that the message has been mixed and we need to go back to the grassroots level and build the party and spread our message from the bottom up. But also recognizing that Democrats have strong family values and are people of faith. We cannot continue to allow the right wing of the Republican Party to demonize us and attempt to make us look unchristian. Not only must we appeal to what used to be our based, we must also embrace moderate Republicans who are very much concerned about the direction in which their party is heading.

Brian, Lawrence: Why are laws that try to make marijuana use legal shot down by legislators but alcohol is allowed to flow freely?

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: I do not foresee any change in laws related to the possession or use of marijuana in the near future.

Pat, Topeka: I’m a state employee and last Thursday 1/20, I asked Senate president Steve Morris about the step increases and longevity pay, which state employees haven’t received for the last 4 years. He replied in part, “I am certainly sympathetic to the state employees and their needs. I feel that the Legislature has done everything they could do to respond to those needs within our financial resources.” Sympathy is nice, but it doesn’t pay our bills, put gas in our cars, pay our outrageously expensive parking just to go to work in the Capitol Complex, or cover the annual increase in our health insurance premiums and co-pays. Having 3,500 state employees eligible for HealthWave is a sad commentary on the state pay system. All we state employees want is to be treated fairly and receive the merit raises, longevity pay and COLA’s we were informed we could reasonably expect when we hired on. Also, the KPERS pension fund isn’t being fully funded, so our retirement is being jeopardized by the Legislature. Please Mr. Hensley, tell me why state employees always seem to come last to the table? Does the Legislature not understand that a pay increase for them is an economic “shot in the arm” for ALL 105 counties of this state, not to mention a huge “shot in the arm” for employee morale? We state employees know of the state’s financial difficulties over the last several years, however, when times were good and the state ran a $700 million surplus, we were treated the same way. Thank you.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: I would respond to Pat by informing her that I have a long standing record for state employees in large part because I represent hundreds if not thousands of state employees in the 19th district. In 1988, I was the co-sponsor of the original longevity pay plan, which is still in affect. After 10 years of service, a state employee is entitled to a longevity bonus of $40 per year times years of service. There is no effort underway to eliminate longevity. Although there have been efforts in the past to do that, I have consistently opposed those efforts. Last year, Legislature approved a three percent cost of living adjustment for state employees and the governor is proposing a 2 1/2 percent increase this year, which I will support. The one most critical area that we must address is the rising cost of health insurance. I stand with the governor in her health care initiative to work towards reducing the cost of health insurance not only for state employees but for all Kansans. In addition to that, I stand with the governor in her initiative to make sure that the thousands of Kansans who currently are uninsured will be covered. And finally, I have appointed myself to be the Senate Democratic representative on the governor’s Health Care Cost Containment Commission headed by Lt. Gov. John Moore. This commission will examine how and make recommendations to cut health care costs and prescription drugs. I fully agree with Pat that there is no greater crisis facing state employees and the people of Kansas than the issue of health care.

Randy, Strong City: How do you think Governor Sebelius’s re-election chances look for November 2006? Who are her leading challengers who are emerging? Do you think she can do what former democratic Governor Joan Finney couldn’t in being re-elected?

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: To set the record straight, Joan Finney did not run for re-election. She was elected for one term and chose not to run for re-election. In her first two years of governor, Kathleen Sebelius has established herself as a strong leader who is willing to take on the most important issues facing the people of Kansas. She has accomplished much even when put in a position of working with a sometimes confrontational Republican Legislature. The people of Kansas look at her as a leader who is willing to find compromise and who is willing to work for what is good, not for one particular party, but what is good for all of Kansas. I believe this year, her agenda speaks directly to what the people of Kansas are concerned about. I would caution people to not become distracted by partisan politics as we lead into the 2006 elections. House Speaker Doug Mays, Attorney General Phil Kline and others, have their sights set on the governor’s race. They are working everyday to embarrass the governor and to play the political games they are so capable of playing on every front. Gov. Sebelius is staying above the fray and concentrating on the people’s business. As I said before, her agenda focuses on the concerns of hardworking Kansans. In particular, making sure that our schools are improving and adequately funded and making sure that working Kansans and those living on fixed incomes have affordable health care. This includes affordable health care and prescription drugs. We must continue to improve our economy while at the same time investing in our transportation infrastructure and keeping our homeland safe. I’ve known Kathleen Sebelius for almost 30 years and I can assure Randy that she will continue looking out for the people of Kansas and always putting them first. To me, by doing that is a recipe for success and will no doubt re-elect her to the office of governor in 2006.

Moderator: This will be our last question for this chat.

Shawn, Lansing: With so many polling experts showing that Democrats are losing seats based on values issues, will this finally be the wake-up call that causes the party to drop abortion from the platform? Imagine how many more seats the Democrats could pick up if pro-life voters had options other than the Republicans.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley: In the 2004 elections, the Senate Democrats didn’t lose any seats. And I don’t know of any candidates who were defeated on the issue of abortion. There is no litmus test taken on abortion when we recruit candidates to run for the Legislature. Each candidate reflects the values and positions on the issues that are important to their district. We have several Democrats in our caucus and we had several candidates this year who are pro-life. In fact, Shawn’s state senator, Senator Mark Gilstrap, who is a Democrat, has a consistent pro-life voting record. I would encourage Shawn to become more informed about candidates based not only on the abortion issue and party affiliation but on other issues as well.

Moderator: Well, that does it for our chat this afternoon. We’d like to thank the senator and our readers for participating in today’s online discussion.