Does delegation reflect your opinions?

The Kansas City Star did a survey last week of state lawmakers. Here are the totals for the 32 lawmakers from the Wichita area who responded:
Support a tax increase for schools? Yes, 3. No, 23. Undecided, 6.
Support expanded gambling as a way to raise money for schools? Yes, 5. No, 18. Undecided, 9.
Think the Kansas Supreme Court acted within its authority? Yes, 11. No, 18. Undecided, 3.
What do you think? Click on “comments” below to give your opinion.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

14 Comments

  1. Posted June 20, 2005 at 3:29 pm | Permalink

    My thoughts?

    There will be no tax increases and no expanding gambling in this special session, based on the survey!

  2. G. Calles
    Posted June 20, 2005 at 8:15 pm | Permalink

    Sounds about right.

    I willing to bet they take the easy way out and spend the reserve money. Doing so will put us on course for a budget crisis in the near future. But hey these cronies have to protect their political careers.

    They dont want to lose any votes by allowing gambling in the bible belt. Typical Politicians.

  3. Dennis Towner
    Posted June 20, 2005 at 9:47 pm | Permalink

    You know, I am sick and tired of hearing about what our elected officials want or don’t want. Whatever happened to our politicians representing what WE WANT and putting their personal feelings aside? Or do you suppose that in the history of America that has ever really happened?

  4. Emily
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 7:49 am | Permalink

    They absolutely DID NOT represent what I want. It negates “representative democracy.”

  5. Posted June 21, 2005 at 9:53 am | Permalink

    By they are representing what the majority of the people want. I think there is a poll somewhere, maybe on one of the local tv news station that shows a majority of the people do not want a casino.

    Back in 2002, most of the area Legislature were elected in office based on their stances against expanding gambling and no-new-tax pledges, and of course gay marriage ban and the all important, aborition ban.

    Most of Kansas feels the way the legislature does, so they do represent the majority (of the people who voted).

  6. bumm
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 10:55 am | Permalink

    I wonder if Emily even bothered to vote. She doesn’t sound smart enough to find her butt with both hands, much less her polling place.

  7. Paul
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 1:05 pm | Permalink

    We absolutely don’t need any casino’s to ‘help’ our state or schools. And our schools need to be accountable for the money they are given. Why is it that Wichitans allow the school district to supply some schools with a bare minimum of computers, while purchasing color palm computers for each student of a class in another school? And how much money do we waste bussing students around, taking them away from their friends and their home?

  8. D Collins
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 8:24 pm | Permalink

    The local lawmakers DO represent the local opinion. Public polls are skewed with questions designed to achieve the sponsors preferred solution. The question of a tax increase or gaming will always come up in favor of gaming. Or gaming vs. poorer schools – gaming wins again. It is Gaming, by the way, not gambling. Gambling implies a fair chance to win.

  9. Dennis Towner
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 9:23 pm | Permalink

    Apparently Mr. Williams hasn’t read any of the newer polls. Hate to break it to you, but it’s 2005 now and opinions have changed. At least according to the latest polls posted right here in this fine newspaper. Oh, by the Mr Bumm (Is that really your name?) I think you owe Emily an apology for your rude comments.

  10. bumm
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 10:06 pm | Permalink

    Dennis, I couldn’t help myself. When I hear an bedwetter like Emily raising her voice and whining, I just have to respond. Anyways, I’ll apologise when little dick durbin does.

  11. Jay Rimel
    Posted June 21, 2005 at 11:28 pm | Permalink

    Education is fundamental. I am puzzled that so many on the right do not see this. Those folks who they so eagerly EXPLOIT have to have at least minimal skills. Now I know they must not be allowed to be TOO educated, as they then might rise up and DEMAND better treatment and compensation.
    Fund education? Simply lay a big fat tax on all the exploiters……..er I meant employers. They should at least fund the education of those who they so eagerly exploit.

  12. E. Ireland
    Posted June 22, 2005 at 12:25 am | Permalink

    bumm,
    Durbin apologized.

    Jay,
    Once is eough.

    Paul,
    I agree, especially about the waste of buying PDAs for a class and the costly waste of busing; but bussing is another thing entirely!

  13. Colleen Kelly Johnston
    Posted June 23, 2005 at 7:37 am | Permalink

    It’s high time the public got it straight that taxes have to go up in order to educate our future — our children — so they can cope with the needs of continuing this country’s top rating in the world. There is no other way. We have cut and cut and cut. It is no longer expedient to think we can maintain the status quo in budgeting for government and its business. Legislators who refuse to recognize this fact are simply playing political games to continue their positions and get reelected. Whatever happened to “citizen legislators” who put their duties before their continuance in office?

  14. E. Ireland
    Posted June 23, 2005 at 2:28 pm | Permalink

    Colleen,
    What has been cut?