Jan. 10, 2003 | KU Radio News Line

Audio


Contact: Burdett Loomis, Political Science, (785) 864-9033; Frank Barthell, University Relations, (785) 864-8869.

Radio News Line text:
KU political scientist expects a different kind of legislature this session

WATCH FOR MORE SERIOUS POLICY DISCUSSION EARLY ON IN THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE, SAYS BURDETT LOOMIS, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. LOOMIS EXPECTS GOVERNOR-ELECT KATHLEEN SEBELIUS TO BE VERY ENGAGED WITH KANSAS LEGISLATORS THIS SESSION BECAUSE OF THE STATE'S BUDGET CRISIS. HE SAYS SEBELIUS WILL BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAN HER PREDECESSOR.
LOOMIS: "Kathleen Sebelius has served in the Legislature. She was a lobbyist. I think, by nature, she's a roll-up-your-sleeves, let's-get-to-work kind of person. So I think she enjoys being involved in the policy process somewhat more than Governor Graves did." (17 sec.)

TO RESOLVE THE STATE'S BUDGET DEFICIT, LOOMIS SAYS, SEBELIUS WILL NEED TO BUILD A COALITION WITH DEMOCRATS AND MODERATE REPUBLICANS.
LOOMIS: "And that's why I think Sebelius is going to have to be involved personally, along with her legislative liaison, in working to find out what moderate Republicans want, what they think the problem is, and then address it." (15 sec.)

LOOMIS SAYS THE STATE'S LOBBYISTS AND INTEREST GROUPS SHOULD EXPECT TO TAKE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT STANCE IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION.
LOOMIS: "Lobbyists have to worry a little bit about being too powerful in making arguments on a self-interested basis. If there are going to be shared sacrifices, their job is maybe to convince legislators that 'X' amount of cut is enough shared sacrifice as opposed to looking for a new program or something of that nature." (22 sec.)

LOOMIS EXPECTS THE LEGISLATURE WILL PASS SOME KIND OF TAX INCREASE THIS SESSION. HE SAYS IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THEY ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
LOOMIS: "It does strike me that an $800-million deficit is going to require a tax increase of one sort or another. My guess is that early on, a fair number of legislators are going to agree that some tax increase is going to be necessary." (16 sec.)

NO MATTER THE BUDGET PROJECTIONS, LOOMIS DOESN'T ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN INCOME TAXES. HE EXPECTS A ROLLBACK OF SOME OF THE SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE IN THE 1990S AND THINKS THAT UNDER SOME CONDITIONS LEGISLATORS WILL CONSIDER INCREASING THE STATE'S PROPERTY TAX.
LOOMIS: "They might even look a little more at the state property tax, maybe on a temporary basis. I think that would be a last resort. I think it is quite unpopular. But it's a big revenue source. And so you have to go hunting where the ducks are." (12 sec.)

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