Palmer claims confidence in taking second term seat at Kansas House

Kansas District 4 Rep. Shirley Palmer, D-Fort Scott, said she feels much less nervous heading into her second two-year term than she did when she began her career as a legislator.

"I feel much more comfortable and relaxed," Palmer said Friday. "I'm ready to go and represent the people."

Palmer defeated her opponent, Lynne Oharah, R-Uniontown, in last month's general election. In the November 2006 election, Palmer defeated Oharah, who was then the incumbent, by a narrow margin to win her first term in the Kansas House of Representatives.

Palmer, a retired long-time USD 234 teacher and education proponent, said she is anxious to begin the 2009 session, which begins Jan. 12, and help find ways to fix a weakened state budget.

"I'm really excited and honored, and enthusiastic to serve my second time," she said. "The economy is hurting so it will be a real challenge. Hopefully I can be part of the solution rather than the problem. Revenues are down and costs continue to go up. We cannot operate at a deficit."

During a public political forum two months ago in Fort Scott, Palmer said several issues that will be relevant in the upcoming legislative session include funding for a new statewide comprehensive transportation plan, the completion of U.S. Highway 69 to Interstate 44 in Oklahoma, economic development, the economy, more affordable health care, and creating safe communities for people to live.

"The budget is important, and being from Southeast Kansas, a comprehensive transportation plan is key," she said. "A new CTP involves the entire state, and not just Southeast Kansas, but my focus and emphasis will be on the completion of the U.S. 69 four-lane. Health care and insurance is also a very key factor. More and more people all the time are going without health care or have no health insurance. It's very alarming and concerning. Protecting education funding at every level is also important."

Palmer added that since there are many rural areas in the district she represents, she will continue to put agriculture issues toward the top of her legislative agenda. Palmer has also said that a comprehensive statewide energy plan that makes use of alternative energy sources such as wind, coal and solar power, will also be important to her district in the near future.

"We'll take it (budget) step-by-step," she said. "These are all key issues and we will take them very seriously."

Palmer said she does not want to see cuts in public school funding, which would happen next year under a proposal by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. The state's 297 school districts were shortchanged earlier this month when they received $55 million less than they were supposed to receive, and future budget cuts could be in the works.

"I was saddened to see that happen," Palmer said. "Education is a large percentage of the (state) budget. I want to go in with an open mind and listening ear, and try to be fair and honest to all different groups. I want to protect it (education funding) if at all possible."

State leaders are expected to meet this week to consider borrowing funds from balances in various state agencies to help fulfill the state's December payment to public schools; money that would have to be paid back within the fiscal year.

Lawmakers also face other tasks this year that include searching for new funding sources to help fix deficiencies in the state budget, and designing a budget that will work best in future years. Legislators face a nearly $150 million shortfall in the state budget next year, and could face a $1 billion shortfall in 2010.

Palmer said she does not support the idea of raising taxes as a means of increasing state revenues.

"I'm definitely not in favor of raising taxes at all," she said. "We need to work on cutting expenses, and to get the message out to different groups that they need to be accountable and do more with less. We need to stress efficiency and how important that is."