Kansas Senate Vicki Schmidt

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 19, 2008 by Michael Hooper

By Michael Hooper

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Vicki Schmidt, the incumbent Republican running for the District 20 seat in the Kansas Senate, said the state budgeting process needs to change in order to cut spending.

"If we had easy choices in reducing state spending, they would have already been made," she said. "As a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, we comb through thousands of pages of budget documents each year looking for ways to maximize scarce state dollars."

Schmidt proposes using a zero-based approach on budgets.

"Instead, budgets are presented based on current spending levels with requests for increases," she said. "Better aligning resources with public needs must be our goal."

Schmidt said she was among legislators supporting a reduction in new spending levels in the current fiscal year.

"We must continue that same cautious, fiscally conservative approach to the state budget in the days and years ahead," she said.

She said reaching consensus on immigration reform has been difficult.

"We have benefited from seeing how other states tried various approaches only to see them implemented with devastating impacts on employers," Schmidt said. "Kansas can and should also work on local policies that discourage the hiring of illegal immigrants and the providing of government benefits to those who are not in our country legally."

She said a broad mix of energy sources is needed in Kansas.

"That means we have to take a look at ways to mitigate environmental concerns associated with some sources of energy (coal, wind, nuclear), but not ignore the issues of reliability and affordability," Schmidt said.

She said tuition hikes are a last resort for higher education institutions when they aren't funded adequately by lawmakers.

"It is interesting to note that currently only 23 percent of the operating budget at state universities comes from state dollars," she said. "All of the rest must be made up of other resources such as tuition, grants, research revenues and the like.

"Only a few years ago, the state's portion of the budget was closer to 50 percent, so it is remarkable that tuition costs haven't increased even higher."

Michael Hooper can be reached at (785) 295-1293 ormichael.hooper@cjonline.com.By Michael Hooper

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Vicki Schmidt, who is the incumbent Republican running for the District 20 seat in the Kansas Senate, said the state budgeting process needs to change in order to cut spending.

"If we had easy choices in reducing state spending, they would have already been made," she said. "As a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee we comb through thousands of pages of budget documents each year looking for ways to maximize scarce state dollars. I'm convinced savings can be achieved in many state budgets if we were able to approach budgets with a zero-based approach.

"By that I mean having the agencies start with a baseline of zero and then build their budgets based on current and future needs. Instead, budgets are presented based on current spending levels with requests for increases. Better aligning resources with public needs must be our goal."

She said immigration reform has been troubled.

"Obtaining a state-level consensus on immigration reform was highly problematic this year," she said. "We have benefited from seeing how other states tried various approaches only to see them implemented with devastating impacts on employers. We were wise to avoid that in Kansas. Truly, this is a problem that must be addressed in Washington.

"But Kansas can and should also work on local policies that discourage the hiring of illegal immigrants and the providing of government benefits to those who are not in our country legally."

She said a broad mix of energy sources is needed in Kansas.

"We need to have a strong mix of energy sources for our state to grow and prosper," she said. "That means we have to take a look at ways to mitigate environmental concerns associated with some sources of energy (coal, wind, nuclear), but not ignore the issues of reliability and affordability."

She said it is remarkable tuition rates haven't increased higher.

"It is interesting to note that currently only 23 percent of the operating budget at state universities (KSU, KU, etc.) comes from state dollars," she said. "Only a few years ago, the state's portion of the budget was closer to 50 percent, so it is remarkable that tuition costs haven't increased even higher."

Michael Hooper can be reached at (785) 295-1293 ormichael.hooper@cjonline.com.