Area legislators heard a common theme this morning during an annual breakfast sponsored by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.

Leaders from Douglas County, Lawrence, the Lawrence school district, the chamber and Kansas University implored legislators to “do no harm” during the upcoming legislative session. They also outlined their hopes for additional funding or legal changes, including School of Pharmacy expansion at KU and the authorization of excise taxes on growth for the city of Lawrence.

Legislators, however, cautioned that the session that starts Monday likely will be a tough one. Rep. Barbara Ballard, a Lawrence Democrat, reminded those attending the breakfast that 104 other counties are competing for limited state resources.

The legislators also told local leaders that there likely would be fallout from the rejection of the coal-power plants in western Kansas. Lawrence locals were very vocal in their opposition to those plants.