Election picture still fuzzy
You have a little more than two weeks left to decide who should be the next governor of Kansas.
With Nov. 5 just a short time away, the television ads and the accusations are flying. Republican candidate Tim Shallenburger trails in the polls, and now he's trying to play catch-up.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Kathleen Sebelius has caught the eye of many Republicans who are wary of Shallenburger's hard-line "no new taxes" approach.
Before you go looking for the bottom line, let me make this clear: This editorial isn't an endorsement of one candidate or the other.
To be perfectly honest, this writer is just as undecided as many other Kansans.
But there are some key issues to consider.
Tim Shallenburger supports many of the ideals important to Republicans across the state. His stances on such controversial issues as gun control and abortion are conservative.
But education seems to be the main thing that gives Republicans pause.
Shallenburger has pledged that, if he's elected as our governor, he won't raise taxes. Not one iota.
But is that a practical statement? Considering the financial mess the state is in, the alternative to raising taxes — slashing government programs — isn't great either.
Before the state legislature agreed to a last-minute package of tax hikes at the end of this year's legislative session, the state was facing a $700 million budget deficit.
The state managed to cut that by about half, but the situation is still bleak.
For a local perspective, just talk to some employees of USD 410. They know that several times this year, state aid checks were often late.
Shallenburger's people have suggested some estimates of what might be cut from state budgets. Two figures being tossed around are 10 percent cut from most state departments and three percent from education funds.
Wouldn't a combination of small tax increases plus small cuts be better? Shallenburger's hard stance against tax increases seems a little impractical.
By now, you might think this is turning out to be an endorsement for Sebelius after all. But that's not the case — she deserves the same scrutiny of Shallenburger.
She's been pretty silent on the issue of possible tax increases. Maybe she's trying to prevent further verbal snafus, like the one she made about Sept. 11.
You've probably heard it by now. Sebelius commented that the condition of Missouri roads was more dangerous to to her than Sept. 11.
That's an insensitive comment, and she later apologized for it.
Another thing to consider: Many of Sebelius' ads say that she's a champion of the people. Just look at what she did for Kansas by stopping the Blue Cross Blue Shield takeover.
Actually, the takeover wasn't stopped completely. It's still being debated.
And one has to wonder if Sebelius' motives were entirely pure — did she make that decision because she knew it would look good come campaign time?
The picture is still very fuzzy for many voters. We've got to keep researching the issues and the candidates promoting them.
For Kansas Republicans, nothing is clear-cut.
— JENNIFER WILSON
