COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

Today’s New York Times features a report on Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s struggle to win re-election after four years of drastically cutting taxes, spending and state programs, including education.

In a Sept. 9 editorial, the Kansas City Star editorial board wrote, “New figures indicate Kansas’ redial income tax cuts still are reducing revenue expected to help provide public services.”

In June, 2013, RollingStones Magazine published a story headlined, “Rogue State: How far-right fanatics hijacked Kansas.”

Stateline reporter, John Gramlich wrote that Brownback’s radical limited-government agenda has been, “gutting spending on social services and education, privatizing the state’s Medicaid system, undermining the teacher’s union, becoming the only state to entirely abolish funding for the arts, boasting that he would sign any anti-abortion bill that crossed his desk, and – most significantly – pushing through the largest package of tax cuts in Kansas history. His avowed goal is to eliminate the state income tax altogether, a move that many predict will torpedo the budget and engender even more draconian cuts in spending.”

Thought 1400 miles distance Vero Beach, Florida from Topeka, Kansas, the conservative revolt and counter-revolt in the heartland in some ways mirrors the debate soon to take place in Vero Beach, as seven candidates vying for three seats on the city council begin explaining in more detail their vision for the future of the city. Essentially, the divide is over the proper role of local government.

The current council turned back efforts to consolidate city and county services and to sell off public lands, such as Crestlawn Cemetery. If Pilar Turner is re-elected and is joined by two more limited-government candidates, the effort to further reduce city spending, staffing and services will almost surely resume.

In a 20-minute interview to be posted on InsideVero this coming Wednesday, Vero Beach Mayor Richard Winger contends the debate should not be about ideological differences over big government vs. small/limited government, but about what makes for good government – government that delivers as efficiently as possible services the majority of voters support.

Below is the link to today’s New York Times report on the conservative revolt and counter revolt in Kansas:

Conservative experiment faces revolt in Kansas

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In his 40 years living in Kansas, Konrad Hastings cannot remember voting for a Democrat. He is the type who agonizes over big purchases, trying to save as much money as possible. He is against stricter gun laws, opposes abortion in most cases and prefers less government involvement in his life.

But when he casts his ballot for governor in November, he plans to shun the leader of this state’s conservative movement, the Republican incumbent, Sam Brownback, and vote for the Democratic challenger.

“He’s leading Kansas down,” said Mr. Hastings, 68, who said he voted for Mr. Brownback four years ago, when he easily won his first term. “We’re going to be bankrupt in two or three years if we keep going his way.” MORE…