Source of Jenkins’ proposed list of budget cuts is conservative think tank

Boyda lags in recent fundraising

A fundraiser last month for Republican Lynn Jenkins, which featured first lady Laura Bush, raised $205,918, according to campaign finance records.

Jenkins is challenging U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, for the 2nd congressional District, which includes west Lawrence. Invitations to the fundraiser at a private residence requested $7,500 per couple.

President Bush was scheduled to headline the event, but then canceled to visit Texas to view damage from Hurricane Ike.

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Nancy Boyda raised less than half as much money since mid-July as Jenkins, according to campaign finance reports. Boyda has $622,000 cash on hand. Jenkins reports $550,000.

Overall, Boyda has raised more than $1.5 million, compared with Jenkins’ $1.05 million.

? Republican Lynn Jenkins’ plan to cut $310 billion from the federal budget comes from the Heritage Foundation and, if implemented, it would reduce spending in many programs affecting Kansans.

Jenkins brought up the proposal during a televised debate with U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka.

The two face off Nov. 4 for the 2nd Congressional district, which includes western Douglas County and west Lawrence.

During the debate, Jenkins provided a half-page typed sheet of nine bullet points that she said she had been working on. She said she would provide details later, but didn’t specify when, nor did her campaign staff.

“I think we’re on it,” said Jenkins. “This is what I do and I’m anxious to get to Washington.”

The source of her plan was based on the research and writing of Brian Riedl, a fellow in federal budgetary affairs at The Heritage Foundation, a self-described conservative think tank in Washington, D.C.

Part of the $310 billion in cuts states that 22 percent of federal programs, spending $123 billion, failed to show any positive effect on the populations they serve.

Riedl said he arrived at this figure from assessments of federal programs developed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and listed on the Web site expectmore.gov.

He said he included programs rated “ineffective” or “results not demonstrated.”

Included in that group are many that affect Kansans, such as food stamp nutrition education, seniors and woman, infants and children farmers’ market programs, federal Perkins loans, federal work-study, assistance to rural school districts, and assistance to children in foster care, and many others.

Riedl said he is not suggesting that every one of these programs be eliminated, but that they get a closer review by Congress.

“Taxpayers deserve that,” he said.