Salina Legislators Come Home For Q & A
Todd Pittenger - Sat 10:07 AM 02/23/2013
Legislators answer questions Saturday morning.
Salina area legislators answered questions during a Saturday morning event.
Senator Tom Arpke and Representatives Steven Johnson, Diana Dierks, and J.R. Claeys were all home for a meet and greet legislative update event.
Over 50 people gathered to ask questions and learn about the latest events happening in the legislature. Questions ranged from issues like term limits, campaign finance, gun laws, liquor laws, and funding and taxes.
USD 305 Superintendent Bill Hall cited several proposed bills, including proposals to take the courts out of questioning school funding, and changing the Kansas constitution to make the legislature the sole body in determining funding. He said "it appears there is an all out attack on public education, or eliminating any opposition".
Senator Arpke said that the judicial branch has "over stepped its authority". He said that he is "very irritated" the "court is demanding more money". He said "the legislature should control the purse strings". Arpke added that a new funding formula is needed.
Representative Diana Dierks disagreed. She said "it does seem that the legislature is attacking schools". She believes that the fnance formula is it stands is working. "We dont know even know yet what the governor's education funding proposal is going to be, education funding is not yet factored in, so we shouldn't be changingthe formula now".
A couple of Salina Dillon's grocery store employees asked about a proposal to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell wine and liquor, and to sell alcohol on Sundays.
Representative J.R. Claeys supports the proposal saying "our liquor laws are out dated". He went on to say that grocery and convenience stores need to have it because it "increases sales and revenues".
Senator Arpke and Representative Johnson both said they oppose changing the law. Johnson said his opinion might be different if he represented more of Salina, but he has heard from the small communities in his area, and from Ellsworth, overwhelming opposition to the idea. Arpke opposes it for several reasons. He said that he was involved in a car crash involving a drunk driver. And he said that he believes the proposed change would be "devastating" to small town and family owned liquor stores.
Other smilar legislative updates are scheduled for March 23rd and May 18th.
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ShadowCipher
Saturday 23 February 2013 13:05 Report this comment
Surely he doesn't link drunk driving with a change in law. That would be pretty ignorant if he did. I'll give Arpke all the praise in the world IF he is representing his people, but don't connect drunk drivers with this possible law change.
buckstay
Saturday 23 February 2013 13:24 Report this comment
Dear Rep. J.R. Claeys, I firmly believe that your statement " grocery and convenience stores need to have it because it increases sales and revenues" is completely wrong! By passing a bill to allow sales of higher forms of alcohol in grocery and convenience, all it would do it put a hardship on existing businesses and also bring alcohol closer to our youth by just seeing it. A better idea would be to take all of the alcohol (3.2% etc.) completely out of the grocery and convenience stores. Also by bringing the higher forms of booze to the grocery and convenience would give them a monoply type advantage of the booze market. I request that the owners of the grocery and convenience refuse to bring the booze into their stores. Thanks, Folks please them know how you feel.
t--bone
Sunday 24 February 2013 01:23 Report this comment
JR Claeys you are right on with your beliefs. Our country was founded on free enterprise. If these mom and pop liquor stores cannot match the prices then they should not be in business. They have been able to raise their prices forever in Kansas because they have no competition. They are like the gas stations that use price fixing to make a profit. Evidently the above person has not left Kansas because had they traveled they would have knowledge of other states that allow liguor to be sold in major grocery stores and there are still many liquor stores in business right along side them so the doom of the small stores is but a fantacy.
t--bone
Sunday 24 February 2013 01:26 Report this comment
Tom Arpke your mentioning of a personal accident has nothing to do with this and the person who was drinking probably purchased the liquor from a liguor store. How you ever got elected is a wonder but after all of us have seen how you have voted and your views on issues next election you will be gone.
Richawk
Sunday 24 February 2013 09:14 Report this comment
WOW i thought we were growing to be a city not a Hick town, selling alcohol in stores isnt the problem. I feel we should allow anyone to sell, fair trade, and Sunday sells as well. as a kid i was able to get older people to get me alcohol most of the time so selling it in kwik shop isnt going to cause more kids to drink or DUIs