The Kansas Legislature has completed the 2010 Legislative Session. As expected, it was a difficult year filled with complicated and controversial issues. We spent many long hours and late nights on the House Floor (which sometimes blended into early mornings) in an attempt to work through these challenges.

The state budget crisis dominated most of the session. We were charged with the task of maintaining support for quality public education, meeting the needs of our most vulnerable citizens, and creating jobs to get the state economy back on track…all with $500 million less than we had last year. There were simply no easy answers. Ultimately, we had only a list of bad options from which we had to pick the least harmful. However, after 89 days of sometimes contentious debate, we managed to pass a number of positive measurers, including: a budget that reflects the values and priorities of our state, a transportation plan that will get 175,000 Kansans back to work and legislation that will protect all of us from dangerous, secondhand smoke in public places.

I deeply appreciate the contact I received from you in recent months, without which I could have never gotten through this legislative session. I worked hard to ensure the interests of our district were addressed in Topeka. Thank you again for your feedback and support. It is an honor to serve you and I look forward to continuing our work to improve our state and our region.

The Budget Debate

This year, Kansas continued to suffer the effects of a national economic recession. Our revenues began to dip soon after the collapse of the sub-prime lending market in 2008. Since then, the state budget has gone to the chopping block six times. Despite our best efforts to adjust to the economic climate by reducing spending by over $1 billion in just 18 months, we were still over $500 million short by April 2010. Two more years of declining revenue are projected, which is unprecedented in Kansas history.

I believe that a regular review and trimming of government programs and services is both healthy and necessary. Not every appropriation remains an efficient use of taxpayer dollars over time. However, over $1 billion in cuts go well past “trimming the fat.” By the sixth round, we began to impose serious, long-term damage to our state.

It took the entire session for a budget proposal to materialize in the House Appropriations Committee. Unfortunately, that proposal demolished our most important investments and created more problems than it solved. I simply could not inflict such a devastating level of harm onto Kansas families and communities. There are too many services and investments that would have cost much more to fix down the road than they cost to maintain in the current fiscal year. We had to think past the bottom line of FY 2011 and consider the long-term effects of our actions.

In the final days of the session, a bipartisan coalition came together to pass a budget alternative. The coalition budget maintained critical investments that will both grow and preserve jobs, keeping Kansas on the road to economic recovery. This was truly a bipartisan effort. Both Republicans and Democrats were actively involved in the budget’s development and passage. It was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 71-48, just four days after the House Appropriations Committee’s proposal was overwhelmingly rejected 45-74.

It is important to note that the coalition budget cut over $200 million beyond the Governor’s recommendations (on top of the previous $1 billion cut). This is a fiscally responsible piece of legislation. We only included what was absolutely necessary to keep communities safe, vulnerable citizens protected and public education institutions intact. While the final product is not perfect, it was by far the best proposal that surfaced throughout the 90-day session.

New Transportation Plan will create 175,000 new jobs

The success of the 2010 session- and the long-term economic stability of Kansas- depended on the passage of a new comprehensive transportation plan The Transportation Works for Kansas Program (T-WORKS) provides the framework for a new the future of our state’s infrastructure. It is multi-faceted, with a focus on preservation, expansion, economic development, modernization, assistance to cities and counties, and a multi-modal economic development program, among others.

T-WORKS is the third, 10-year transportation program enacted by the Kansas Legislature. The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) expired in 2009. It was preceded by the Comprehensive Highway Plan (CHP), which expired in 1989. Both of these programs were enacted during economic downturns and each resulted in over 100,000 new jobs for Kansas workers.
T-WORKS will provide about $8.2 billion in construction and modal spending over the next 10 years. By comparison, it would take $11 billion to replicate the CTP. T-WORKS is smaller and, I believe, appropriate for our times. It allows proper maintenance of our highways, includes much needed safety improvements, and funds transportation projects in economically strategic ways. Most importantly, T-WORKS will create or sustain an estimated 60,000 construction jobs and 175,000 total jobs (including local suppliers, construction, etc).
In an effort to engage local communities in the planning process, KDOT began surveying hundreds of local stakeholders with regard to their needs and suggestions in 2003. Then, in 2006, KDOT set out to develop a 20-year Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) in an effort to ensure that the next program be as forward-looking and proactive as possible. LRTP uncovered the need to make preservation a top priority. Additionally, LRTP suggested that transportation investments should be linked to economic outcomes and business model changes. This meant improvements in transit, rail and aviation service. Finally, in 2008, KDOT assembled a 35-member task force, T-LINK, to craft a transportation proposal based on LRTP’s recommendations. Nearly all T-LINK recommendations are contained in the T-WORKS bill.
More than 1,000 Kansans participated in the development of this program, and it could not have been enacted at a more appropriate time. Kansas maintains more than 130,000 miles of local roads, 10,000 miles of highways, and 20,500 bridges. Looking ahead, the need for efficient mobilization will only increase. T-WORKS was absolutely critical in ensuring that Kansas can meet future demands of our population, solve long-term energy challenges, and emerge from the economic recession as quickly as possible.

Statewide clean indoor air act signed into law

After making significant headway in the advancement of a statewide smoking ban last session, Governor Mark Parkinson revived the debate in January and encouraged the Legislature to move forward with the initiative in 2010. In his State of the State Address, Parkinson requested legislation that was not “full of loopholes” and that would satisfy the 75% of Kansans who want a “real public smoking ban.”

The Legislature met the Governor’s challenge. Effective July 1st, the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act will protect Kansans from harmful secondhand smoke by banning smoking in public places, any place of employment, including restaurants and bars, and access points of all buildings not exempted by the bill. Those buildings exempted include: private homes, outdoor areas with ventilation, gaming floors of lottery gaming facilities or racetrack gaming facilities, designated smoking rooms in hotels, and tobacco shops.

This is not perfect legislation and it is likely that we will need to do more work on it next year. However, killing the bill would have delayed the advancement of any clean indoor air law for years. It was more efficient to press forward and with the option of improving the legislation over time (as we do with all statutes), rather than delay any movement at all for the indefinite future.

Protecting the health and safety of Kansans is my number one priority in the Statehouse, and there is no risk-free exposure to cigarette smoke. Tobacco-related diseases cost Kansas nearly $200 million annually in Medicaid costs and are the number one cause of preventable death. Not only will a smoking ban protect innocent Kansans from harmful secondhand smoke, it will save our state millions of dollars at a time when we have no dollars to spare. Health benefits aside, this is simply good public policy.

New legislation will lay groundwork for rail service in Kansas

Many successful pieces of transportation legislation became law this year that will lay the groundwork of our state’s infrastructure for years to come. Among this legislation was Senate Bill 409, regarding the implementation of the Passenger Rail Service Program Act.

The rail service aims to connect the Amtrak service from Kansas City, to Lawrence, Topeka, Oklahoma City and then finally Fort Worth, Texas. This bill will help get the program rolling by allowing the Secretary of Transportation to begin initiating plans with Amtrak, local counties, other states involved with the line, and rail operators.

This Amtrak system should not require any immediate money from the state general fund, and actually is expected to generate revenue (as well as new jobs, tourism, and economic development projects). Rail stations and railways are already standing and can be used for this project. Few upgrades will be needed for the Amtrak system, and the upgrades would cost significantly less than upgrades to smaller sections of highways. The bill will also enable the program to become eligible for the next round of federal funding.

Fifty-five communities and their city councils have declared their public support of an inner city passenger service. Trains are 18% more efficient than airlines and 24% more efficient than driving. Energy efficiency reduces dependency on foreign oil, as well as a decrease in pollution. By allowing commuters to travel via railway, congestion on highways is also lessened, which would also lessen highway maintenance expenses.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has already started working on the choices to come up with a plan to implement the passenger rail program. There will be further discussions with Amtrak and the BNSF Ry. in the near future to help move this project forward.

Annexation

After three years of hard work, the “snake annexation” bill became law this year. Governor Parkinson signed the bill into law last week. It is not retroactive but annexations of this type are illegal. It will not prevent cities from annexing for legitimate reasons but to just start annexing strips of land across counties to get to some location is forbidden. Senator Steve Abrams was a tremendous help getting the law through the Senate and after all this time, the Senate voted 39 to 0 in favor of the bill.

Gaming

We are in the midst of the third round of trying to bring a casino to Sumner County. There was, again, a concerted effort in the legislature to take Sumner County out of the south central zone which would have taken away the chance of having a casino. That effort failed again. The first two rounds seemed to focus only on Exit 33 from the state view. This time, with all the problems at Exit 33, we hope that the state takes a better look at the location where it makes the most sense, Exit 19. You probably read in the paper that Roger Wagner, from the first round, is again interested. On July 22 the proposals have to be presented to the Lottery Board along with $25 million fee in order to be considered. We will find out then what we have to pick from.

Governor Mark Parkinson’s Session Wrap Up (Paraphrased)

During my 2010 State of the State Address, I told the Kansas Legislature that this year presented an historic opportunity. I told them that this could be a session where we not only protected what we built up over the last 150 years, but also plan for the future.

There were a lot of skeptics at the time, and rightly so. We were in the depths of the greatest recession that we’ve experienced since the Great Depression, and I think many were skeptical that we could even protect what we already had- let alone think about the future.
There are four particular achievements that make me extremely proud of the work we’ve done together.

First, we protected what we have. At the State of the State, I emphasized our 150-year commitment to our elementary schools, high schools, and universities. I talked about our long-standing commitment to our safety net and how all of those were at risk because of the budget cuts that the Legislature and I had already imposed. I challenged the Legislature to draw a line in the sand and say: enough is enough. That even though states across the country are continuing to decimate these essential services , we will be a bright light in the State of Kansas and choose a different path out of this crisis.

The Legislature stepped up and did that, and I express how appreciative and grateful I am for their courage.

Our second major accomplishment was the passage of a new comprehensive transportation program. This program will benefit every part of this state: roads, airports, railroad lines and more will be built all over Kansas, and in the process we will employ tens and thousands of people and support the companies that employ hundreds of thousands of people.

The third major accomplishment of this legislative session is the passage of the Clean Indoor Air Act. This year, Kansas joined many other states in protecting the health of nonsmokers. We didn’t do it in a way that included a lot of loopholes, that only “pretended” to protect the health of Kansans. We passed a comprehensive smoking ban that is for real.

The fourth accomplishment of this Legislature hasn’t been talked about in the press much and is a bit complicated to explain. But the fourth major accomplishment of the session is the improvement of nursing home care across the state.

Fifteen years ago, federal government said to all the states and said to Kansas: “If you can get your nursing homes to come up with a formula that they can agree to for an assessment on their nursing homes, we will match more than that with federal dollars to improve care in your nursing homes- particularly those that take care of people who are poor.”

In Kansas, this meant that if we could reach an agreement, an extra $56 million in federal dollars would flow into our state’s 340 nursing homes. For 15 years, nursing home groups- of which there are two in Kansas- could not agree on a formula that they all agreed was fair, so our nursing homes missed out on this money while nursing homes in 36 other states were able to obtain it.

It didn’t look like we’d be able to reach an agreement again this year. But then, 12 days ago, I called the heads of the two nursing home groups into my office and I presented a compromise plan that I thought could work. We didn’t seal the deal in that discussion, but we got the lines of communication open. A few days later, our Secretary of Aging was able to close the deal that resulted in an agreement that was codified by the Legislature on the final day of the session.

As a result, Kansas will receive an extra $56 million every year to help nursing homes care for their patients. When you do the math, this means that the average Kansas nursing home will receive an extra $150,000 from the federal government. I can tell you from having worked in the industry that $150,000 is a significant amount of money for a nursing home. It means that the institutions that take care of the poorest people in Kansas- people who have run out of money and are on Medicaid will be able to hire more staff, improve the quality of food, and generally increase the quality of life for its patients. It is yet another accomplishment of the session and I believe it should be noted.

When we look at legislative activity, we tend to look at one bill at a time. That certainly makes sense, but I knew when we prepared strategy for this session that in order to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish, we really needed three different pieces of legislation. The failure of any of the three would have devastated the entire plan. Those three pieces of legislation were the budget, the revenue package, and the transportation plan. The only way to fairly evaluate any of them is to evaluate all three of them together.

What I want to talk about is the 64 members of the House and the 23 members of the Senate who had the courage to vote for all of these bills, including the revenue plan to pay for them. I want to talk about what those 64 and 23 legislators have provided to the State of Kansas.

When you look at them collectively, this is what they provided:

First: They have produced the biggest “jobs” bill that I have ever seen pass the Kansas Legislature. By funding what we already have, we are preventing the immediate layoff of hundreds if not thousands of teachers, public safety officers, nurses, and other state employees who provide our safety. Unlike other states, where these people are receiving pink slips- where teachers are being laid off, polices officers are being let go, and nurses are being fired- we decided to protect these critical jobs.

Although economists tell us that the final leg of this economic downturn will involve layoffs of these critical employees, we’re not doing that in Kansas. By voting “yes” for the revenue package, they protected these jobs.

But they did more than that.

By voting for both the transportation plan and the revenue to pay for it, these legislators have created tens of thousands of new jobs. They have also ensured support of the jobs of hundreds of thousands of people who work for local suppliers of these construction projects.

Make no mistake about it, the people who voted for the revenue package were voting to protect and create jobs. The people who voted against the revenue package did just the opposite.

The second thing these legislators accomplished by voting for this Trifecta of bills is protect what we have, which is what I talked about at the beginning of my remarks. These legislators protected our schools, our public safety, our state’s safety net- all the things that enable state government to do its job, which is to protect our future.

The third accomplishment they achieved by voting for this Trifecta of bills was they cut taxes for the poorest of the poor in our society.

In order to make the sales tax provision fairer to people who are poor, we expanded the earned income tax credit, a tax credit that is claimed by 200,000 taxpayers in this state and affects 600,000 Kansans when you factor in their families. The legislators who voted for the revenue plan made that possible. They also expanded sales tax rebate on food, which will benefit an additional 37,000 people.

When you look at these three bills together, the folks who voted for this voted for a jobs bill, they protected our state’s most critical investments, and they cut taxes for our poorest citizens who are struggling the most during this difficult economic time.

One of the things that is unfortunate about current American politics is that the pros and cons of every piece of legislation are dramatically overstated, but the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Unfortunately during the revenue debate, there were constant predictions on the floor of the house that if we passed this one penny, three-year sales tax increase, the Kansas economy will be in serious trouble, that Armageddon will happen, that the state will end, and we won’t be able to move forward.

I think the best way to evaluate this is to look at relative size of revenue compared to Kansas economy. The Kansas economy has a GDP of $150 billion. To contend that a $300 million revenue package in an economy of $150 billion is going to topple that economy is a gross exaggeration.

Another way to evaluate it is to look at the past. The best way to predict the future is to look at the past.

In 2002 we faced a similar economic time, coming out of a recession even though revenues were still lagging. So, Governor Graves orchestrated a sales tax increase in 2002. One thing that is interesting is to look at who voted for that sales tax increase. It includes Speaker Mike O’Neal. It includes Majority Leader Ray Merrick. It includes 11 other Republicans who voted against the sales tax increase last week and who have also argued that if you increase sales tax, you ruin the economy.

The other thing that is interesting to look at is what happened to Kansas economy after that sales tax passed. We didn’t lose jobs, we grew jobs. The sales tax increase went into effect in 2003. By 2004 the economy grew 11,000 jobs. In 2005 we grew jobs by 8000, followed by 21,000 new jobs in 2006. In the three years after we passed the Merrick/O’Neal sales tax increase in 2002, the Kansas economy grew 40,000 jobs.

What I say to Kansans is this: In the coming weeks and months, you will see fliers and advertisements from special interest groups who will contend that these 64 members in the House and the 23 members in the Senate (who in reality did tremendous work on behalf of the state) have wrecked the Kansas economy. Please, keep it in perspective. Look at the numbers, look at history. Please realize that the economy will be just fine, and we have these 64 representatives and 23 senators to thank for it.

I want to thank the Legislature. I think that it is remarkable how civil and kind the Legislature has been to me- members of both parties. When you look at what is happening in Washington, D.C., people issue press releases every day attacking each other. That has really never happened to me throughout my time as Governor. The civility has been amazing.

Keep in Touch

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. You can e-mail me at vince.wetta@house.ks.gov.

Pat Maloney, State Representative

District 116

We have reached the halfway point of the 2010 legislative session. This halfway point of the session is referred to as the Turn-Around Deadline. At this point, House bills that were adopted by the House will go to the Senate and the Senate bills will come to the House. These bills from both chambers will go through the committee process in the opposite respective chamber. From this point forward, almost no new legislation will be created.

The budget is still the biggest issue in the 2010 legislature. Nothing can be done with education, public safety, elderly, etc. until we know how the revenue for the $400 million shortfall in the 2011 budget will be derived. The tax committee these past several weeks has been studying the impact and effectiveness of tax credits and exemptions in Kansas. Since 1995 the state has given away in tax credits and exemptions of approximately $11 billion. Their findings validate the concerns many Kansans have had about the state’s tax policy. For years, the Legislature has arbitrarily granted or denied the tax exemptions and credits with no set criteria on which to base its decision. As the number of tax exemptions and credits has skyrocketed, the need for clearly defined and consistent guidelines has become more pressing. These exemptions cost the state a significant amount of revenue but have little benefit to Kansas as a whole. The credits and exemptions should be reviewed periodically and not granted in perpetuity. This ensures that all credits and exemptions remain in the public’s best interest over time.

Amid the difficult financial climate, important programs and services are still being drastically scaled back or eliminated all together. Although nonessentials, many of these programs serve important purposes and contribute to overall safety and well-being of the State. Driver’s Education is an excellent example of one such program.

The statistics are clear: traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. Unfortunately, many schools are eliminating driver education due to budget constraints. As a result, the House Transportation Committee has been forced to consider repealing some previous licensing requirements because of students’ inability to fulfill them.

HB2483 repeals the requirement that 15-year-olds must complete Driver’s Education before obtaining a restricted license (the bill still requires at least 25 hours of adult supervised driving). Private driving training can cost a student $300-$400 for a four-week session. This is not always affordable for students, especially those in rural Kansas. In many areas private driving education is not available at all. Proponents argue that it is unreasonable to expect completion of this course before obtaining a restricted license when the course is no longer available in many public schools.

This is not a preferred solution or popular proposal. Driver’s Education teachers from across Kansas came to speak at the hearing in opposition to the bill. Their testimonies cited statistics of improvement in safety tactics of 16-19 year-old drivers who had received formal driving education.

The Legislature has made great strides in recent years preparing teens for the important responsibility of operating a vehicle, most notably, with the passage of a graduated driver’s licensing law in 2009. I completely agree that lessening the effectiveness of that law now would be highly counterproductive and potentially dangerous to everyone on the road. Unfortunately, these are the type of difficult decisions that become necessary when a $400 million budget shortfall looms and no revenue streams are being explored.

Starting next week, many of the bills will only need the governor’s signature to become law. I would be happy to visit any of the communities in the 116^th for a legislative coffee or visit. If any clubs or organizations would like a visit, I will be available all Saturdays in March. The session will end in March. In April I would be available anytime during the week.

The issues that we legislators are confronting right now are huge and serious.  I am committed to working consistently for what is best for all of you in the 116th District.  As a bipartisan lawmaker, my decisions are based upon what will serve the 116th and Kansas to the greatest degree. I value and need your input on the various issues facing our state government.  Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions.  My office address is Room 710D, Docking State Office Building, 915 SW Harrison, Topeka, KS  66612.  You can reach me at 785-296-7651 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.  Additionally you can always email me at pat.maloney@house.ks.gov.  I look forward to hearing from you throughout the session.

Sincerely,

Pat Maloney

District 116 State Representative

Submitted February 19, 2010

Last Wednesday, three girls from Caldwell were pages and hopefully they had a great experience.  Ryann Sturm, Alexis Rice, and Rachel Arnold came to Topeka with their mothers and spent the day learning about state government.  Thursday, leaders from the Oxford and South Haven schools came to Topeka and we had a great visit.  Supt. Deborah Hamm from Oxford along with teachers and board members came.  Supt. John Showman and teachers and board members from South Haven came.  With all the talk of consolidation and cutting school budgets, we had much to talk about.  On Saturday, I attended a town hall meeting in the morning at Conway Springs at the community building arranged by Supt. of schools, Clay Murphy.  That afternoon, I attended another town hall meeting at Argonia arranged by Supt. Julie Dolley.  Senator Steve Abrams and Representative Pat Maloney from Kingman, who represents the district just west of ours, attended. It was a great turnout and we discussed many issues and answered many questions.  There will be other meetings in Caldwell, Oxford, and Anthony coming up as we can arrange them.  We will arrange our other meetings in Wellington later as we can work them in.  These are unprecedented times and people are rightfully concerned about the future.

Budget Update: Rescission bill sent to Governor

There is not much to report from the House Appropriations Committee.  The committee continued to hear agency briefings but for the most part attention was fixed on the House floor.

The rescission bill passed the House last week and was reconciled with the Senate version this week.  The final product cuts $92 million from the current budget.  The House voted to concur with the conference committee report on Thursday and it will now head to the Governor for his signature or veto. It is likely that the FY 2010 budget will still be approximately $40 million short by July.  If revenues continue to come in lower than expected, we will need to revisit the FY 2010 budget for a sixth time.  If that becomes necessary, we will probably wait until the most updated revenue estimates become available in April to take any further action.

Legislative post audit reveals problems with Kansas tax policy

On Wednesday, the Legislative Post Audit Committee heard two new reports from the nonpartisan Post Audit division about the impact and effectiveness of tax credits and exemptions in Kansas.  Their findings validate the concerns many Kansans have had about the state’s tax policy. For years, the Legislature has arbitrarily granted or denied tax exemptions and credits with no set criteria on which to base its decision.  As the number of tax exemptions and credits has skyrocketed, the need for clearly defined and consistent guidelines has become more pressing.

The two audits confirmed that the excessive number of credits and exemptions cost the state a significant amount of revenue but have little benefit to the Kansas as a whole.  They recommended that the Legislature enact specific criteria for granting exemptions.  Additionally, the audits encourage the Legislature to review approved exemptions and credits periodically and to not grant them in perpetuity.  This ensures that all credits and exemptions remain in the public’s best interest over time.

The problems associated with excessive tax credits and exemptions have surfaced repeatedly throughout the current budget debate.  Both the auditors and Kansas Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations agree that it would be a better policy for the state not to specifically exempt organizations by name from the sales tax, but rather to exempt categories.  Unless Kansans are willing to accept deeper cuts to schools, seniors, and other critical services, a serious review and change in tax policy must eventually be part of the discussion.

New commission to “streamline government”

The House voted 73 to 47 to create the “Kansas Streamlining Government Commission” on Wednesday.  The seven-member commission is charged with the task of reviewing agencies and programs to determine which could be eliminated or combined.

Although I believe it is important to ensure government runs efficiently, more government commissions increase government size, not efficiency.  The Kansas Taxpayers Transparency Commission, which we created in 2008, serves the same purpose as this commission.  I am not enthusiastic about allocating state dollars to duplicate work.  It is also worth noting that the state budget has been cut by $1billion in the last year.  At this point, agencies are already operating on skeleton crews.  Only the most essential services and programs remain intact, and even those programs have been dramatically scaled back.  One employee in the Ag. Dept. compared it to a basketball team playing with five players or sometimes four.  Everything is stretched to the limit and government agencies are struggling to perform their duties.

Bill protects insurance consumers

On Tuesday February 16^th, the Committee on Insurance held a hearing on House Bill 2563, which would help protect consumers’ credit scores during difficult times.  If a consumer undergoes extraordinary life circumstances, this legislation will enable them to freeze the credit score on file with his/her insurance company, preventing increased premiums.  Extraordinary life circumstances include: 1) a declared state or federal catastrophic event; (2) a serious illness or injury to the consumer or the consumer’s immediate family; (3) the death of a spouse, child or parent of the insured; (4) divorce or involuntary interruption of alimony or support payments; (5) identity theft; (6) military deployment; (7) involuntary loss of employment for more than three months; and (8) any other events as determined by the insurer.  The bill would also eliminate the mandated updates of scores every 36 months.

At a time when thousands of Kansans are being laid off at no fault of their own, we must lessen the long-term impact of temporary circumstances.  With no regular source of income, it is easy for even the most financially responsible families to fall behind.  Missed bills and late payments lower credit scores almost immediately.  In turn, consumers are faced with increased interest rates, decreased opportunities for employment or housing, and higher insurance premiums.  It only takes one missed payment to lower a credit score, but it takes years to improve a score that contains negative marks.

Lawmakers have a vested interest in protecting consumers’ financial viability.  The economy will not recover until consumers have money to spend.  This legislation helps accomplish that.

Annexation Bill

The “snake annexation” bill passed out of the House with 119 votes on Friday.  Representative Pete DeGraaf and I again sponsored it.  He represents the Mulvane area.  It now goes to the Senate and we will try to get it to the Governor as is.  It was lumped together with two other annexation bills last year and the Governor vetoed the bill.  He said that this issue   should be brought back and be signed into a law clarifying that this is illegal.  Hopefully, we can get it to his desk this year and lay this thing to rest.  This bill is important because it looks like we are going to build a casino at Exit 33.  We are the ones who wanted it, worked for it, elected a representative to get it, and voted for it so Sumner County should get 2 percent of the money.  If this annexation is successful, 2 percent of the money will end up in Sedgwick County through Mulvane and Sumner would end up with 1 percent even though Sedgwick County voted against a casino.  Each percent represents between $1½ and $2 million per year.

Unemployment

I have been trying to help several laid off workers get their unemployment checks.  Sumner County is now at 8 percent unemployment and Harper County is at 4.6 percent.  The Labor Dept. has hired three times the normal amount of employees to answer phones and still cannot keep up.  We passed a bill last week to help employers with their UI taxes.  It could cost the state $100 million in the next two years but we could keep enough workers employed to more than pay for it.  Many constituents have called or emailed with ideas concerning taxes.  Believe me, the House and Senate tax committees along with the Governor are looking at any and all ideas.

Keep in Touch

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative.  I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government.  Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions.  My office address is Room L 8, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612.  You can reach me at (785) 296-7665 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.  Additionally, you can e-mail me at vince.wetta@house.ks.gov.  You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.

While Karen helps out at a friend’s business during Valentine’s week, Zoey the cat is writing this week’s column and gives her opinion on the ongoing kitchen remodel.I know this will come as quite a shock to many of you that this missive is grammatically correct and free of spelling errors. Cats have been mocked in emails and cartoons as bad spellers. We are given credit for writing things like, “stoopid dawg,” and “me likes this fud.” Actually, not only are we fastidious groomers, we are meticulous spellers as well.As for the kitchen remodel, it simply doesn’t interest me that much. The men that Goddess hired don’t particularly like cats,which suits me just fine. None of that annoying “oh, look at the pretty kitty,” and then pawing me with hands I have no idea where they’ve been. They are not like Boy and Other Boy, who insist on touching me incessantly and desire to carry me about. Really, my only complaint is they were a bit disruptive at first, cutting into my 23 hours of sleep a day. But eventually I’ve grown accustomed to their noise.At first, I must admit, I was a bit miffed that I was not consulted before this demolition began. I decided to show my displeasure by throwing up on the carpeting. Since Man had ruined it earlier, I had to throw up downstairs, which ultimately was not that rewarding for me. I had exceeded my creative limits with this particular deposit and it was completely wasted by not having the audience downstairs that it truly deserved.The really exciting event has been the uncovering of some marvelous telephone wires in the middle of the floor that have brought me immense pleasure nearly 37 seconds a day. And I’m quite certain something absolutely amazing is behind the plastic over the hole where the oven once was. Before the plastic went up, Goddess grabbed me off the ledge just as I was about to dive inside to find out. Pity.As the days go by, I have become less fearful of the men and more curious about all the fascinating things they bring with them each day. Tomorrow they are planning to paint. This sounds like something I would really like to observe up close. I hope I can stay awake for it.

Being prepared for a ice fishing outing certainly is the task not to be taken lightly.  Being prepared will increase the pounds of fish that are coming out of the hole drastically.

The most neglected area of the fishing experience is the “Hole”.  Most of the fish are caught in the first drop of the line.  Most anglers are not truly setup yet , but say they will “tweak it later”.

Your hole in the ice is the part that can cause many of your troubles.  Is the hole clean?  Are the chips clear and the obstruction clear of the surface.  Your line could become tangled and cut from the ice chips.

Where is your lantern and heat source?  Where is your skimmer and other fish landing equipment?  Will you get tangled in the line, equipment, or mess that is on the surface of the hole?  Is your view finder in the same hole as your line?  How are you going to land the fish with all this surrounding the hole?

Most anglers have several positions that leave them frustrated.  One is “toast”, rejected and discouraged, punching several holes until they get ready to go home.  Position two is “chicken with its head cut off”,  scrambling around last minute trying to get help to salvage the day.  Most of the time all that you end up with is a mediocre bite at best and a few used up favors from your contacts.

The third position to be in “prepared”.  It is an interesting concept but not that difficult.  With a little advanced planning and scouting the astute angler will come out a winner.

Ask the source what else is going on in the area?  What is biting and when?  Morning or afternoon?  This lake or others?  Don’t put all your information in one basket from one source.  Ask bait shops ,resorts, wildlife and parks, etc.  All these contacts can help steer you in the right direction.

Once you get to the lake, don’t give up too soon.  Change bait, change lures, try different techniques .  The bite you are on may just not be working.  You may need to change from the “pack and drag” to the “bail out bite”.

Don’t be satisfied with some bait and some tackle. Take the big four in bait: minnows, wax worms, maggots and an assortment of power bait.  Minnows come in different varieties such as shiners, fatheads and suckers in different sizes.  Often times the “hot” baits can be picked up at the local bait shops.

Before you leave, put together a simple three-step plan:  step one is the starting bite.  Step two is the “bail out bite”.  And step three is the” last bite” when all else fails.  A wise man said: “No plan, is a plan for failure”.

Preparation- it could be the difference between success and failure on your next outing.

An ounce of preparation can sometimes result in “pounds” of the cure.

Until next time…see you in the GREAT OUTDOORS.

House to House Letter #5

Pat Maloney, State Representative, District 116

There was a lot of action in Topeka this week, February 8-12.  One more week, and we will be half way through the 2010 ninety-day legislative session.  The issues that surfaced in Topeka this week that have an impact on our district are the 2010 rescission bill,  the school funding lawsuit, consolidation of schools, and liquor sales.

Because state revenues have been consistently lower than expected, it was necessary to make additional cuts to the 2010 budget so that we will have a balanced budget come June 30, 2010.  Most of the necessary cuts were made in November by Governor Parkinson.  There were a few amendments to the Governor’s budget, the most significant being a 5% salary reduction for every elected official.  (This includes all public officials who are paid with state monies:  statewide offices, state legislators, district judges, etc.)  This was approved in the House; the Senate must also approve this amendment.  Unfortunately, we are probably not finished with the 2010 budget.  Revenues were about $18 million lower than expected in January, and the state will likely be short approximately $40 million by June 30 with the additional cuts we approved this week.  In April, the economists will update our revenue estimates for a more accurate update of the shortfall.  Then we will need to address the $400 million short-fall in the 2011 budget before we adjourn this session.

This week, there was a release of a legislative post audit that suggested that Kansas could save between $14 million and $129 million by consolidating school districts, closing schools, and cutting staff.  This audit suggested two options.

(a)          Combine districts that had fewer than 400 students or that encompassed less than 200                                 square miles.  This would reduce the number of districts from 293 to 266, close 50 schools and   eliminate 230 teachers and administrators.

(b)          Combine districts with fewer than 1600 students.  This would reduce the state’s               districts                 from 293 to 152, close 304 school districts, and eliminate 1532 teachers and administrators.

I must point out that this audit did not recommend consolidation, but only presented these options.  I personally see many fallacies in these proposals.  There was no consideration of what parents want for their local school districts, and the savings mentioned were not offset by the expenses of transportation.  In addition, many school districts are unique and would not fit the plan offered.  As your representative, I will continue to strive to keep consolidation a voluntary decision based upon the position of the people in the various districts.  I have confidence in Kansans, and I believe that they will make a decision to look at consolidation when they can no longer afford to support their schools adequately or when they see that their children are being denied an excellent education.

House Bill 2554 allows convenience and grocery stores to sell beer with 4% alcohol rather than the 3.2% beer they sell now.  The weaker beer was created to circumvent prohibition regulators in the 1930’s; the law has never changed to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer.  If the bill passes, it will not allow these aforementioned stores to sell other types of liquor.

Opposition to this bill comes primarily from liquor stores which are currently the only distributors of full-strength beer.  They argue that it is easier for liquor stores to ensure underage citizens are not sold alcohol because it is required by law that liquor store workers be at least 21-years old.  They also feel this would be the first step in expanding alcohol sales to grocery and convenience stores, followed by wine and other hard liquors, thus putting liquor stores out of business.

The proponents–mainly grocery and convenience stores–have wanted this change for several years.  They argue that liquor stores profit from their ability to set the price of alcohol and have little competition.  They think the bill would increase competition and would also increase choice and convenience to the consumer.  Convenience store owners contend that they don’t have the room to carry a selection of beers that a liquor store would carry and therefore would not put liquor stores out of business.

On Friday, the Kansas Supreme Court announced its decision to deny a petition by public school districts to reopen the 2006 Montoy school finance lawsuit.  Friday’s ruling from the court means that any challenge to the state’s school finance system must start over at the district court level.  This probably means a minimum of a year before the case can be heard.

However, my commitment to public education remains steadfast.  Regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision, we have a constitutional obligation to protect public schools.  I will do all I can to prevent further cuts to public schools in 2011 and will advocate to restore the devastating cuts of 2010 once the economic climate of the state improve.

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative.  I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government.  Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions.  My office address is Room 710, Docking State Office Building, 915 S W Harrison, Topeka, KS  66612.  You can reach me at (785) 296-7651 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.  Additionally, you can e-mail me at pat.maloney@house.ks.gov.  You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.

Budget Update: Rescission bill passes, attention turns to FY 2011

Because state revenues have been consistently lower than expected, it was necessary to make additional cuts to the FY 2010 budget that will ensure we end the fiscal year with a positive ending balance (referred to as a rescission bill).  Most of the necessary cuts were made in November by the Governor but some required statutory action.  The Appropriations Committee voted the rescission bill out of committee last week and we took it up on the House floor on Wednesday.

For the most part, the Legislature accepted Governor Parkinson’s proposal, with only a few amendments.  Specifically, a floor amendment was adopted that will reduce the salary of every elected official by 5 percent (this includes all public officials who are paid with state monies: statewide offices, state legislators, district judges, etc).  Some Medicaid cuts were also shifted that will enable health care providers to receive more in matching funds.  The total state cut remains 10 percent, but by making a few changes we were able to lessen the loss of federal dollars.

We probably aren’t finished with FY 2010 budget.  Revenues were lower than expected again in January, and the state will likely be short approximately $40 million by July even with the additional cuts we approved this week.  I expect we will revisit this again in April when the most updated round of revenue estimates are released and we have a more accurate picture of the shortfall.  In the interest of the legislative calendar, it is best to turn our attention to FY 2011 for now.

House Bill 2544 expands beer sales

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee is considering a bill that would allow convenience and grocery stores to sell beer with 4 percent alcohol rather than the 3.2 percent beer that they sell now.  The weaker beer was created to circumvent Prohibition regulations in the 1930s; the law was never changed to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer.  If the bill passes, it will not allow convenience and grocery stores to sell other types of liquor.  Also, Alcoholic Beverage Control would be in charge of cereal malt beverage vendors.

Opposition to this proposal comes primarily from local liquor stores, who are currently the only distributers of full-strength beer, (there really isn’t that much difference).  They argued that it is easier for liquor stores to ensure underage citizens are not sold alcohol because it is required by law that liquor store workers be at least 21-years-old.  They also voiced concern that this change would just be the first step in expanding alcohol sales to grocery and convenience stores, followed by wine and other hard liquors.  Because grocery and convenience stores offer a wider selection of products, this could ultimately put liquor stores out of business.

Proponents- mainly owners of convenience and grocery stores- have been advocating for this law change for several years.  They argue that liquor stores profit from their ability to set the price of alcohol and have little competition.  They believe this bill would not only increase competition, it would also increase choice and convenience.  Convenience store owners contend that they do not have the room to carry the selection of beers a liquor store would carry and therefore would not put the liquor stores out of business.

House Tax Committee begins series of hearings

After five rounds of budget cuts- and a $400 million budget deficit still looming- revenue proposals have been a major component of the budget debate.  On Monday, the House Committee on Taxation began a two-week series on various proposals, which will continue next week.

HCR 5028 would establish a three-year moratorium on the granting of new tax exemptions, tax credits or economic development incentive programs involving employer withholding taxes.  This idea- in addition to rolling back some tax exemptions- has been widely floated throughout the year as an alternative to a sales tax increase.

This proposal is a nonbinding resolution and would not affect exemptions already in place (a repeal of any tax exemptions already on the books would require additional legislation).  The Kansas Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations (KACIR) testified that the number of tax credits has increased exponentially in recent years, putting a significant dent in the state’s revenue stream.  As we work through massive cuts in Medicaid and public schools, it is critical to protect what revenue we have.  Opponents of the proposal came primarily from the business community, who testified that a moratorium would prevent Kansas from being open to new business investment.  For years, the Legislature has arbitrarily granted or denied tax exemptions with no set criteria on which to base its decision.  If nothing else, this proposal highlights the need for clearly defined and consistent guidelines for granting exemptions in the future.

Smoking Ban Bills

In an effort to protect Kansans from harmful secondhand smoke, the Governor encouraged the Legislature to produce a strong statewide public smoking ban in 2010. In his State of the State Address, Parkinson requested legislation that was not “full of loopholes” and that would satisfy the 75% of Kansans that want a “real public smoking ban.”  We have two proposals.  House Bill 2642 doesn’t really ban anything.  It would allow businesses to decide whether to allow smoking within their building just as they do in most places now.  Businesses would be allowed to have smoking indoors by paying an exemption fee of $1 per square foot of the designated smoking area. The bill does call for, “physically separate smoking areas,” but smoke cannot be contained and studies have shown that separate ventilation does not work to control exposure to secondhand smoke. This legislation would also repeal the smoking ordinances that have already been put in place in cities across the state of Kansas.

The effects of second hand smoke include respiratory problems such as asthma, as well as ear infections, sudden infant death syndrome and cancers. Strong smoking bans have the ability to reduce heart attack rates by as much as 25% according to a report from the Institute of Medicine.

In contrast, House Bill 2221 makes a serious effort to protect the health of Kansans.  This bill prohibits smoking in places of employment and restaurants and bars with no option of paying a fee to “opt out.” It also helps to protect our workforce from involuntary inhalation of carcinogens as well as helps to discourage our youth from becoming regular smokers.  Currently, one in five high school students living in Kansas use some form of tobacco.  If this trend continues, 54,000 Kansas youth are projected to die from smoking. It is in our best interest to protect our families from the detrimental effects of someone else’s smoke.  Aside from health benefits, it is simply good economic policy to enact a strong statewide clean indoor air act.  Our state spends $196 million on Medicaid expenses related to tobacco use.  The vast majority of feedback I am getting is for a smoking ban.  If I am going to take the heat for voting for it, I want it to accomplish something.

Supreme Court denies petition to reopen school finance case

On Friday, the Kansas Supreme Court announced its decision to deny a petition by public school districts to reopen the 2006 Montoy school finance lawsuit.  Friday’s ruling from the court means that any new challenge to the state’s school finance system must start over at the district court level.

Attorneys for a coalition of 74 districts argued that the state is failing to comply with the court’s earlier ruling that state aid to schools was unconstitutionally low.  The Court opinion says that the July 28, 2006, decision found the Legislature to be in “substantial compliance” with the remedial orders made by the court in that case by passing bills in the 2005 session and special session and the 2006 session.  The Court also said that the 2006 decision and closing the case was “limited to determining compliance” with the Court’s orders in the specific case before the Court.

There were several problems with continuing the case originally filed in 1996.  Ryan Montoy probably is no longer in public school and, therefore, does not have standing to sue under the new formula.  Also, the situation of the original school districts has changed over time.  And, the opinion pointed out, the case on remand would have to go through essentially the same process as a new case and “there is nothing the plaintiffs are seeking that they cannot accomplish by filing a new lawsuit.  I will do all I can to prevent further cuts to public schools in FY 2011 and will advocate to restore the devastating cuts of FY 2010 once the economic climate of the state improves.  However, my upcoming tough votes on the budget will not be influenced by court decisions or campaign rhetoric.  We are in too much trouble right now to worry about elections and such.  We have to get through this.

First Town Hall Meeting

We had our first breakfast meeting Saturday at the Donut Shop in Wellington.  There was a good turnout and Senator Abrams and I answered many questions.  I want to thank Shelley and Dena from the Chamber for planning it.  Also, thanks go to the Sumner County Farm Bureau and Penny’s Diner for helping with expenses.  Also Wendell and Elaine for letting us use the Donut Shop and interrupt their Saturday morning.  Marilyn and I hurried home Friday to attend the Ernie Barrett gathering at Kelly Edgar’s.  It turned out well.  This is a great community when everyone pulls together.

Keep in Touch

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative.  I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government.  Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions.  My office address is Room L 8, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612.  You can reach me at (785) 296-7665 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.  Additionally, you can e-mail me at vince.wetta@house.ks.gov.  You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org. 

The next few weeks will be extremely busy as bills are introduced and committees begin their work. Complete daily calendars are available at www.kslegislature.org along with other useful information.

I am privileged and honored to be your voice in the Kansas Capitol. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please feel free to contact me at home or in Topeka.

Governor Parkinson’s State of the State
On Monday, Governor Mark Parkinson delivered an unique State of the State address. In the few short months since he’s held the office, Governor Parkinson has proved time and time again that he does business differently from any governor we’ve had in the past. During a year of unprecedented economic challenges, this is both refreshing and appreciated. Our state is in too much financial trouble to waste time on partisan politics.

In his speech, Governor Parkinson outlined his legislative agenda and a specific FY 2011 budget proposal. Included in his budget recommendations was a revenue package. Although discussions about taxes are never popular, Governor Parkinson proposed a budget that he believes will see this state through this financial crisis in the most responsible way possible. Governor Parkinson made it very clear that he is open to new ideas and I look forward to working with him and my other colleagues to find the best solution possible. I have received numerous letters both for and against any tax changes. The main thing I need to communicate is that we have a long way to go on this issue. In the end, no one will get everything they want and I will vote for what is best for the 80th District and the state of Kansas.

The Governor announced the creation of a statewide task force to further grow green jobs in Kansas. Finally, he announced his support for the establishment of a “Rainy Day” fund, which would require the state to set surplus money aside in good economic times, helping avoid budget shortfalls such as the one we currently face. I will have more information on these initiatives throughout the session as we move through the committee process.

FY 2011 Budget Debate Begins
State revenues have declined four straight years; this has never happened before. There have been five rounds of state budget cuts in the last 18 months, equaling a total spending cut of $1 billion. The consensus revenue estimating group is predicting yet another $400 million shortfall in the next fiscal year.

A review and trimming of state government services and programs is both healthy and necessary. It is critical that we be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. However, we are long past the point of “trimming the fat.” An additional $400 million in cuts to state services would severely impact every Kansas citizen. This is about public school teachers being laid off, offenders released early from prison and with no supervision, skyrocketing tuition for college students, to name a few. These are not abstract “what ifs” on the distant horizon. This is where we are today.

Legislator Furlough Proposal
This week, a furlough package was discussed as a means of saving the state money. If it passes, lawmakers in both houses will be furloughed without pay during the next three Fridays of the session. The legislature will formally adjourn on Thursdays and resume on Mondays, though some legislators may work in committee meetings during the adjournments. In addition, a 5 percent pay cut for legislators will be discussed and a roll back of a recently passed $116 daily food and lodging allowance to the previous $109 a day level.

The Legislature needs to play by the same rules as every other state agency. As we work through this budget crisis, we need to lead by example and our own budget is the best place to start. However, I also think this is a bad time to take off work. The challenges we face this year are unprecedented, and our constituents elected us to be engaged Monday-Friday for the duration of the session. I am committed to working for you every day of the week, regardless of whether I get paid or not. I would gladly give up a part of my pay to help close the budget hole and will vote to do so, but the truth is our pay isn’t that great and this would be more a symbolic than a substantive proposal.

Energy Committee
Most Committees did introductions and informal work last week. The Energy Committee was off and running. We saw a presentation on CO2 capture and using the Wellington oil field to store the carbon. This field has been studied and is an excellent candidate for this storage. The oil field was discovered in 1922 and there were over 134 wells, there are now 44 active wells. The field is owned by Berexco. In the formations of Arbuckle and Mississippi, there is the capacity for 30MM tons of CO2. With the federal government’s possible incentives and support, this sequestration has the potential of becoming a major industry in Kansas. Being on this Energy Committee and also the Joint Committee with the Senate on Energy and Environmental Policy gives me the chance to be involved in all of this.

Keep in Touch
It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 7th Floor, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-7665 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally, you can e-mail me at Vince.Wetta@house.ks.gov. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.

In Closing
As you can see, we have our work cut out for us over the next few months at the Capitol. The time has come to lead a real conversation about the challenges and responsibilities we face in Kansas. Vigorous debates lie ahead, but our most passionate debates are usually the most important. I welcome your feedback on these important issues or any other issue that impacts you and your family. This is the time for legislators to put aside political labels and do what’s best for Kansas. With hard work and dedication, we will transform the challenges of 2010 into new opportunities for 2011 and beyond.

Useful Numbers and Resources:
The following is a list of the numbers I receive the most requests for during the legislative session. You can find these as well as many others online at http://da.state.ks.us/phonebook. I hope you will find this information helpful.

Adjutant General: Department on Aging: Attorney General:
785.274.1001 800.432.3535 785.296.2215

Better Business Bureau: Child/Adult Abuse Hotline: Child and Family Services:
785.232.0454 800.922.5330 785.296.4653

Commerce: Consumer Protection: Crime Tip Hotline:
785.296.3481 800.432.2310 800.572.7463

Crime Victim Assistance: Driver’s License Bureau: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius:
800.828.9745 785.296.3963 800.748.4408

Kansas Health Wave: Highway Road Conditions: Housing Hotline:
800.792.4884 800.585.7623 800.752.4422

Insurance Hotline: Kansas Lottery: Legislative Hotline:
800.432.2484 785.296.5700 800.432.3924

Mental Health Services: Department of Revenue: School Safety Hotline:
888.582.3759 877.526.7738 877.626.8203

Social Security: State Capitol Tours: Taxpayer Assistance:
800.772.1213 785.296.3966 800.259.2829

Tax Refund Status: Teacher Certification: Unclaimed Property:
800.894.0318 785.296.2283 800.432.0386

Unemployment: Vital Statistics: Voter Registration:
785.296.5074 785.296.1405 785.296.4561

Welfare Fraud Hotline: Workers’ Comp: Workforce Center:
800.432.3913 800.332.0353 785.235.5627

How does KDWP count turkeys?  The number of hunters that continue to be issued permits and the number of birds being harvested point to a herd of birds that continues to increase annually.  The eastern part of the state continues to be a hot spot for turkey hunting.  Also the rural mail carriers do roadside surveys four times a year to count the turkey population.  Turkey brood size comes from sightings during pheasant and quail brood counts done in July and August.  Highest turkey populations are from the Flinthills east.

Kansas sells about 30,000 permits each year and usually has about a 80% activity during the season.  Those permits cost $21 to Kansas resident hunters.  Non-resident hunters number around 3,000 and usually account for nearly 100% usage.

KDWP notes the Sunflower state has both the Eastern and Rio Grande subspecies of turkeys.  Most of the birds seem to be hybrids according to KDWP.

One other factor in the increasing numbers is the annual rainfall.  During drought years the population doesn’t increase due to poor vegetation.  During wet years the vegetation grows and makes more cover and the nesting increases resulting in a larger turkey population.

Most of the turkey hunting comes from private land sources.  Even though public hunting land may have a small turkey population the hunting pressure is great.  There is approximately 100,000 acres available from the 2003 inventory.

Possession of both a state hunting license and a valid turkey permit is all that is required to hunt turkey.  Atlases  showing  turkey  densities can be found online.  So, put on the camo and get ready to sit and wait for that gobbler to show up.

Until next time…see you in the GREAT OUTDOORS!