Editor’s note: Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, was appointed to fill out the remaining two years of the term of former Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence. Buhler’s journal-style column will be published online throughout the 2003 session of the Legislature.

Wednesday, April 30, 2003

A very interesting beginning to the wrap-up session. Obviously, Sen. Wagle’s proviso concerning Dennis Dailey’s Sexual Awareness Class at KU, vetoed by the governor, is a much-talked-about issue. Sen. Wagle and her intern were on the Bill O’Reilly show on Tuesday night. Formal requests for information to KU have occurred, and KU is responding quickly to their request. As of Wednesday, Sen. Wagle did not think she had the votes to override the veto but is looking at other ways to “affect” KU in some way. I have spent a considerable amount of time on this issue and don’t feel provisos are an appropriate way to deal with this issue. But that doesn’t matter in this place.

The Senate passed the Boeing bill 34-6 and sent it to the house. This bill authorizes issuance of $500 million in bond for Boeing-Wichita to be a part of the new 7E7 jet liner, a more fuel-efficient plane. Boeing is responsible for both principal and interest on these bonds but the state withholding on up to 4,000 jobs related to this project would offset some of the interest.

This bill allows the Wichita plant to secure the engineering and possibly some construction related to the project, if Boeing is successful in getting the work. We’re competing with other countries on this project. By the way, there are 12,000 unemployed air-industry-related workers in Wichita and an additional 4,000 others without work.

Thursday, May 1, 2003

Confirmation hearings began today. Lawrence’s own Dan Watkins is offering his services to the Kansas Finance Authority. The Senate Commerce Committee held hearings this a.m. The FI&I (Financial Institution and Insurance) committee passed a recommendation for new Banking Commissioner Clancy Norris, former K-State basketball player and retired banker.

Gaming is back in the air. Lots of plans; we’ll make everybody mad before this is over. The governor said she wanted to see some type of gaming bill on her desk before we leave. Translation: Without a gaming bill we don’t get to go home. That’s pretty interesting. I’m not sure why she is so intent on a gaming bill. Most bills offer some where near $30 million. That’s money, but not the savior we need. But remember, we can’t say the “T” word!

We haven’t heard these bills in the full Senate. The House is trying to send one our way as of Friday 10:30.

Friday, May 2, 2003

The plans as I know them now are:

1. Casinos at Horsetracks — that’s the one that gets us a $30 million loan until we earn it in tax revenue. They’re the ones that bought the half-page ad in the Lawrence Journal-World so you all would call your Sen. Mark Buhler.

2. SB 283 — A state-owned casino: we make all the cash and pay 30 percent to someone to operate it. This bill was explained briefly on Wednesday by lobbyists.

3. Native American Gaming Proposal — This one needs a new compact with the governor. They need land in trust that the governor says will take three years to resolve. It would, through a new compact, allow the state to receive some revenue and put a casino in Wyandotte County and keep the others that currently are operating.

This is a huge issue that should take some time to explore. It has the prospect of redirecting huge amounts of spending in our state. Not just spending to build the facilities but the redirecting of yours and my dollars if we have gambling throughout the state.

We are running out of chances to do anything additional for schools this year. The Senate ran a funding bill that included flexibility for school districts to spend new capital outlay funds on building insurance and utilities for one year. It’s a bandage; it’s not the way we should fund schools. It allows the state to pass their responsibility to the local level (i.e., mil levies will go up if this is done), and it might hurt us in the current lawsuit against the state. There’s only one reason to vote for this! Allow locals to use this provision “if” they want to. It’s a measure that might help them until we can do better. It may be all we can do. I voted for it — it lost 25-15.

We won’t fund education at a higher level, but we won’t let locals help themselves, because now we think it will raise local property taxes.

Oh, wait a minute, we cut transfers to cities and counties to the tune of $50 million and didn’t care about property taxes then.

We’ve got gambling, education, social services, a budget and money problems. It’s Friday, and we are working Saturday. Thoughts of going home, saving the taxpayers’ money for our time here, are dim. If we’re lucky, this will be my last report. We haven’t been too lucky lately. See you later.