Senate candidates talk taxes, spending

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 30, 2008 by James Carlson

By James Carlson

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

For the past two years, Jim Zeller has been at the right hand of House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls.

Now Zeller, who served as a sergeant-at-arms in the House, wants to join Neufeld's counterparts across the Statehouse dome.

Republicans Zeller, Clarence Hinchy and Gary Parnell are vying for the 18th Senate District seat currently held by Democrat Laura Kelly. The seat serves North Topeka east of Oakland and much of the central part of the city.

Fiscal responsibility was a focal point for the candidates. Zeller said he has heard from a lot of senior citizens about property taxes.

"Especially the ones on fixed incomes," he said.

He would like to see a law passed requiring a supermajority, or two-thirds of votes in both chambers, in order to increase property taxes. Spending, in general, needs to be cut, he said, referring to Kansas' bleak fiscal forecast in the coming years.

Parnell said property reappraisals are an issue, as well. He called increases in home values as appraised by local governments "nothing but a hidden tax." He also said he wants to see a unicameral form of state government as in Nebraska.

"That's just another way to cut spending," Parnell said.

Hinchy said most of the voters he has spoken with are apathetic about politics, but the engaged ones were upset about wasteful spending.

"(The state) has a patchwork of policies with not a broad enough focus," he said, referring to where the state spends money.

He said he is upset about the state appraising cars at what it says they are worth instead of the purchase price. He also pointed to the state a few years ago moving property tax payments up one month in what it said would be a temporary act. That hasn't changed.

Parnell said it has been difficult to gain traction with Zeller getting the Republican Party's support.

"Zeller and I got a call from the party, and then all of the sudden, he's got a whole bunch of money," he said.

Zeller isn't shy about it. He said he has the backing of such GOP supporters as the National Rifle Association and Kansans for Life.

"I've got the full backing of the party," Zeller said.

Kelly is unopposed in the primary.

James Carlson can be reached at (785) 233-7470 or james.carlson@cjonline.com.