With Kansas facing a budget crisis of almost unprecedented proportion, chances are good that economic issues will be the dominant topic of discussion when the Legislature convenes in January.

And, with a $1 billion budget shortfall looming after fiscal year 2010, frugality will likely be a virtue, while generosity may be a vice.

Using data supplied by a veteran taxpayers' watchdog organization, the Kansas Taxpayers Network, Kansas Liberty analyzed the tax-and-spend tendencies of candidates for Legislative leadership positions - the men and women who will be responsible for appointing committee members and setting next year's legislative agenda.

There certainly is no shortage of leadership races in both parties, with generally conservative candidates squaring off against their more liberal counterparts.

Kansas Senate

Arguably one of the most powerful political figures in Kansas, after the Governor, is the Senate President, a position currently held by Republican Sen. Steve Morris of Hugoton. Normally, the second-most powerful politician in the state would be the Speaker of the House, but Morris, who has said he has had few disagreements with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, has put together an informal alliance with the governor and Democratic and liberal Republican lawmakers that makes the Senate presidency a more powerful position than before. Now though, Morris faces a tough challenge from Senate veteran Susan Wagle of Wichita.

According to KTN, of the two, Wagle is by far more restrained in her approach to fiscal issues. Wagle earned a 72.7 rating (100 is a perfect score) from KTN during the 2008 session, and her lifetime rating (since 1996) is 86.6. Morris, by comparison, achieved a rating of 45.5 in 2008. His lifetime rating is only 32.5.

Similarly, candidates for the position of Senate Vice President have differing records on tax and spend issues. Current Senate Vice President John Vratil of Leawood earned a rating of 40 last year, and sports a lifetime rating of only 18.2, worse than many Democrats.

His primary challenger, Sen. Karin Brownlee of Olathe, earned a 63.6 rating from KTN last year and has a lifetime rating of 75.1. A third candidate, Sen. Terry Bruce of Hutchinson achieved a KTN rating of 72.7 last year and has a lifetime rating of 73.7.

Sen. Derek Schmidt of Independence is running for re-election as Senate Majority Leader. Schmidt, who is unopposed, had a KTN rating of 45.5 last year. His lifetime rating is 45.2.

The Senate's nine Democrats have their own contest for their party’s top position, Senate Minority Leader. Incumbent Sen. Anthony Hensley of Topeka is facing off against Sen. Chris Steineger of Kansas City.

According to KTN, Hensley’s rating last year was 18.2 and his lifetime rating is 29.4.

Challenger Steineger rated better than his opponent based on votes last session, racking up a score of 54.5. His lifetime rating, 36.2, is not only higher than Hensley’s, it’s also higher than the lifetime rating achieved by Republican Senate President incumbent Steve Morris (32.5) and Republican Senate Vice President Vratil (18.2).

The Democrat’s second in command in the Senate, Assistant Minority Leader, is currently Sen. Janis Lee of Kensington. She could face a challenge from Sen. Marci Francisco of Lawrence, who is considering a run but is not yet an official candidate.

Lee earned a rating of 27.3 from the KTN last year and her lifetime rating is the same, 27.3. That's not very impressive to those worried about how taxpayers' money is being spent - but it's better than Francisco's 9.1 rating last session. Her overall KTN score is 9.3.

Kansas House of Representatives

Melvin Neufeld, an Ingalls Republican, is seeking re-election as Speaker of the House. He’s being challenged by Sen. Mike O’Neal of Hutchinson.

Of the two, Neufeld scores much better on the KTN rating system. Last year, he earned one of the top scores among House members, with a rating of 91.7. His lifetime rating is 74.6.

O’Neal, on the other hand, earned a score of 83.3 last year and has a lifetime rating of 58.6.

Also running for re-election is Rep. Ray Merrick of Stilwell, who is seeking a second term as House Majority Leader. He is opposed by Rep. Jene Vickrey of Louisburg.

Merrick, like Neufeld, had one of the top ratings awarded by KTN, with a score of 96.7 last session and a lifetime rating of 84.2.

Opponent Vickrey scored 75 last year and has earned a cumulative rating of 79.4.

In the House, the Speaker Pro Tem is third in command. That position had been held by Don Dahl of Hillsboro, who did not seek re-election to his House seat. There are a host of candidates to succeed him:

• Rep. Arlen Siegried, Olathe, KTN rating of 91.7 last year and a lifetime rating of 92.3;
• Rep. Richard Carlson, St. Mary’s, 96.7 last year, 99.2 lifetime;
• Rep. Lee Tafanelli, Ozawkie, 91.7 last year, 76.9 lifetime;
• Rep. John Faber, Brewster, 71.7 last year, 87.6 lifetime;
• Rep. Dan Johnson, Hays, 66.7 last year, 52.2 lifetime.
  

On the Democratic side, the current top House position, Minority Leader, had been held by Rep. Dennis McKinney, who recently was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to serve as Kansas Treasurer. With McKinney’s departure from the House, a crop of three Democrats are vying for the leadership position. They are:

• Rep. Jim Ward, Wichita, KTN rating of 8.3 last year and a lifetime rating of 17;
• Rep. Paul Davis, Lawrence, 16.7 last year, 16.1 lifetime;
• Rep. Bill Feuerborn, Garnett, 50 last year, 32.6 lifetime.

Resources:

• Kansas Taxpayers Network.

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