Editor’s note: This column was written in response to the Journal-World’s invitation to members of the Kansas House and Senate to share their thoughts about their hopes for Kansas and major issues facing the state.

In civics class we learned that governments are formed to protect and help those living within their borders, especially the elderly and the very young. Over the years, that protection role has expanded to include workplace and food safety, health care support and developing an education system. Changes in public attitudes for what constitutes the appropriate role of government occur as society evolves. For example, in Kansas, support for providing an eighth-grade education has evolved into investing in prekindergarten through university education opportunities.

Essentially, governments perform some functions better and more cost-effectively than can individuals or families on their own. It is important to remember that every government program was created to meet a perceived need by some segment of our society. What is a desired and beneficial program from one person’s perspective may not be to people not receiving or needing those same benefits, but our society as a whole benefits from them.

Elected officials and the public have the responsibility to anticipate problems and opportunities, and then develop the necessary political will, vision and policies that address those situations. From my perspective, government inaction in the face of opportunities and potential crises is inexcusable.

Kansans have several looming opportunities that can most cost-effectively be addressed today, before they become crises. However, it will take a concerted effort by the public and elected officials to look beyond a two- or four-year election cycle to find lasting solutions for health care, clean water and adequate energy supplies.

Many people talk about a health care crisis in terms of the number of uninsured. This certainly is a significant problem, and efforts are being made to affordably provide such coverage. A situation that does not attract nearly the same attention, but has the potential to cost-effectively provide enhanced health care benefits to all of us is the application of telemedicine technologies to connect residents, health care providers and medical facilities. Relatively small investments in computer technologies and authorizing insurance reimbursement for using those technologies can mean that health care providers, including referred specialists, will not have full waiting rooms, but can “examine” patients who remain in their own homes, adult care facilities or small rural hospitals.

The quality and quantity of drinking water will define where Kansans live, work and play. Municipal lakes and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs, such as Clinton and Perry, were constructed with useful life expectancies of 100 years. Reservoirs built in 1957 are now 50 years old and filling with sediment that reduces their ability to protect against flooding and provide drinking water supplies and recreational opportunities. Government and public policies must be revised from simply constructing and operating these water sources to extending their productive lives.

Energy is the third long-term issue important to our state’s economic future. It is not enough to voice support for conservation and fuel diversity, we must create the public policies that provide incentives for people to conserve energy, for researchers to develop alternative energy sources and for Kansas utilities to diversify their energy supplies.

Health care, water, energy – all defy quick fixes, all should be non-partisan issues and all should engage the public and their elected representatives in substantive discussions about where this state’s public and tax policies should be headed. It is easy to say that taxes are “too high” and must be reduced. A responsible public and elected official wants to invest in the future of our state, recognizing that small payments early are better than massive payments when the health care, water or energy crisis fully hits.

Please join me in working with the state’s administration and Legislature toward achieving long-term, responsible, cost-effective policies. Let your government officials know what your priorities and policy recommendations are so that Kansas remains a state of opportunity.

– Rep. Tom Sloan, a Republican represents the 45th District, which includes west Lawrence and northwest Douglas County. During the 2007 legislative session, he served on the House Energy and Utilities, Transportation and Government Efficiency and Technology committees.