State of state provokes few arguments
Emporia delegation fairly satisfied, but Barnett considers speech empty
By Scott Rochat
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Governor Kathleen Sebelius's "State of the State" address provoked few disagreements among Emporia's Republican delegation this year.
"She said a lot of things I really liked," Rep. Peggy Mast, R-Emporia, said after the Wednesday night speech. That included Sebelius's call to fully fund the next two years of the public school plan and her aim to provide more money for maintenance of the state's universities -- both initiatives that the House has also come out in support of, Mast said.
"I think we'll do great unless her higher education program is a lot more aggressive," Mast said.
Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, said he couldn't find a lot to agree or disagree with in Sebelius's speech because it had too few specifics.
"I've listened to six State of the State addresses and I would say this one had the least amount of content and actual policy," Barnett said.
The biggest applause, he noted, came from her call to create universal health care in Kansas. But again, he said, there was nothing to latch on to.
"Until we see the numbers, we will just have to wait to understand what the specific proposal from the governor will be," Barnett said.
The health care proposal was one of the few things that made Mast uncomfortable Monday night. Sebelius has offered to let families making up to 300 percent of the poverty level to buy into the state's health coverage for children. Mast argued that setting the bar that high would include many families who could afford private insurance but would now have no incentive to buy it.
"I take issue with socialized medicine," Mast said. "It's less efficient and we'll end up seeing less benefit in the end."
The governor's calls for a range of tax cuts were generally welcomed, though Barnett said he would also like to see individual income tax cut in order to encourage growth.
Rep. Don Hill, R-Emporia, he wasn't disappointed by anything in the speech. Any differences between the parties this year, he said, are more likely to be "matters of degree rather than fundamental differences."
"As is always the case, these speeches are short on detail and long on generalities, but that's to be expected," Hill said. "We'll hear her budget tomorrow or the next day and that'll begin to lay out a lot of her priorities."