Ark Valley News - Challengers in state races seek change in direction

Candidates in local races are (from left) Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick; Michelle Vann, a Democrat challenging McGinn for Senate District 31; Rep. Steve Huebert, R-Valley Center; and Lou Cicirello, a Democrat challenger for House District 90.

Challengers in state races seek change in direction
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: October 27, 2016

Political party affiliation, even in heavily Republican districts, shouldn't matter.

That was the message the Democrat challengers in two local Kansas House and Senate races wanted to make clear during an election forum sponsored by The Ark Valley News Oct. 24.

Lou Cicirello, who is trying to unseat longtime Republican Rep. Steve Huebert for Kansas House District 90, said the election is a choice between change and the status quo in Topeka.

"It's about what's better for Kansas, what's better for education, what's getting us out of the hole with the budget," Cicirello said. "My opponent has voted for all of those things that have put us in this mess. He's been doing this for 16 years, which, in my opinion, is way too long. It's going to be more of the same or something different. That's basically all I'm going to say about it, and I'm going to let you guys make the decision."

Michelle Vann, who lives in rural Valley Center, is challenging Republican Sen. Carolyn McGinn of rural Sedgwick for Senate District 31. McGinn, a farmer and former Sedgwick County commissioner, is seeking her fourth four-year term in office.

"Don't worry about party lines," Vann said. "This is not about party lines. This is not about whether you're a Democrat or whether you're a Republican. This is about making a better Kansas. … Are we satisfied with where we're at right now and if we're not, how do we change that?"

Cicirello has been a member of the Valley Center City Council since 2006. Cicirello and Huebert live in Valley Center.

Huebert, who is seeking his ninth two-year term in the House, pointed to his experience as an asset.

"There's a real shortage of experience in the Legislature right now, and I will do my best to use my one vote to represent this district," he said. "We have a lot of important issues, and I look at my district, it's a Republican district. … I understand when people tap dance as far as supporting Hillary Clinton or not. In this district, Hillary Clinton is going to lose and (Donald) Trump is going to win. It's a Republican district. … The reason why I've been sent back is because I listen to my constituents."

McGinn, who grew up in Valley Center, said she is proud to serve a diverse district, which also includes Harvey County.

"We've got to get back to basics," she said. "We've got to start balancing the budget and then create jobs and increase our economic prosperity. One of the ways you do that is to make sure our students have a good education — Johnson County, Sedgwick County, it doesn't matter where you live in the state. … We need to get our state back on track."

About 40 people came to the election forum, which was held at the Valley Center School District Office. Questions centered on the economy, state budget and education.

When asked what caused severe budget deficits, each candidate pointed to the business tax cuts implemented in 2012.

"Negotiations broke down, and we ended up with a bill that I don't think was meant to be passed, but it did," Huebert said. "Taxes were cut more than they could've been to pay for the budgets that we needed to pay for."

Cicirello said the Legislature had a chance to fix the situation last session.

"They could've overrode the governor's mandates because he clearly said he wasn't going to accept any of these cuts being removed," he said. "But if enough of them had stood up to him and said, yes they are, because we've got to fix this, they could've overrode the veto. We've got to do this, plus we've got to think outside of the box to help bring finances back up without taxing the daylight out of everybody."

Vann said no one likes to talk about raising taxes, but it might be necessary in conjunction with other initiatives.

"If we spend more than we bring in, we're going to be in the hole," she said. "Right now, it appears we're robbing Peter to pay Paul, and at some point, he becomes broke, too, and that's where we are right now."

McGinn said a combination of spending cuts and changes to the 2012 small business tax cuts will help the state's budget. But it won't be an overnight turnaround, she said.

"We're going to have to continue to cut because even if the revenue side has changed, it's going to take 18 to 24 months to get back on track," McGinn said.

Each candidate said he or she favored some kind of change to the 2012 tax cuts.

"We needed a comprehensive look at all tax policy," Huebert said. "That didn't happen this year. That will happen next year."

Cicirello said Huebert supported "tax policies that did not work."

"My opponent has voted for the policies as they've been approved," he said. "He has not voted against a single one of those policies."

On education, the candidates were asked to detail what they would like to see in a new funding formula for K-12 public schools, which legislators plan to develop during the 2017 session that starts in January.

"How ever the state comes up with funding, I want to see that money go directly to the classroom," Cicirello said.

"We're going to take that formula and tie it to one of the things that the courts have said, which is outcomes," Huebert said. "… Right now, we have per-pupil funding and all of these weights, which is where the growth has been. … Bond and interest (aid) has exploded. When I first started with the old formula it was $10 million, now it's approaching $200 million. We're going to craft a new formula, work with our local legislators, school board association, KNEA, superintendents and that's going to get done this year."

Vann said block grants, in place the past two years, aren't working. As a former school teacher, Vann said she sees a need for additional funds (weighted) for students who require more educational services.

"The problem I see is our legislators have been a little far removed from education," she said. "A weighted formula is essential."

McGinn said she supports streamlining the former formula, but wants it to include weighted funding.

"I support working on a new formula where every child in this state — whether you're in Johnson County or Sedgwick County or whether you're in a rural Kansas or you're in an urban part — has an equal opportunity to have a good education," she said.