Jill's Journal

I’M BACK!!

Being in Topeka for four months and returning home about the same time that my two college students returned with all their belonging has been a challenge to my organizational skills---our home is overflowing! 

But it is good to be back in the district, back to my home and partly reassembled family (Matt remains in California), and back to my part-time job at the clinic.  Of course, my legislative duties continue in the “off session” ---first with many wrap-up and appreciation receptions which bring closure to the session; then campaign 101 as I learn about yard signs, palm cards, and walking lists; and a sprinkling of new and returning issues being brought to my attention by constituents and advocates.

Election News

The best news of the summer was not drawing an opponent in the primary.  This lets me focus on my two opponents in the general election, one Democrat and one Libertarian.  Although I have no primary opponent, I (and many others) do need you to vote on August 5th!  There are a number of primary races that are important for the 17th District---Kansas School Board, Kansas Senate District 10, Johnson County District Attorney and precinct committee men and women---to name a few. 

WE all need a strong turn out of thoughtful voters.  Watch your mail for mailings about these races.

Don’t be complacent…vote on August 5th and remind your friends to vote, too!


Precinct Committee Races---What are they?
The Primary Election is critical for precinct committee races.  What are precinct committee men and women?  What do they do?  Why are they important?
Every precinct is represented by one woman and one man for the Republican party and one woman and one man for the Democratic party.  These positions are important for two reasons:
1.    They determine party leadership and platform.  What do you want your party to stand for?  These people write the positions that the state party will take on issues.  They determine the party’s officers, national committee people, and Presidential convention delegates.
2.  They vote to fill vacancies in elected positions.  A Republican vacancy is filled by vote of the Republican committee and a Democrat vacancy is filled by vote of the Democrat committee.  When Representative Sharp resigned mid-term, I was elected by precinct vote to complete her term.  Yea, thanks 17th District Precinct Committee!!  Another example of a precinct election was the controversial election of Phill Kline to become district attorney.  It doesn't happen often, but these precinct committee positions are crucial when a vacancy occurs. 
Learn who these people are.  Do they reflect your political views?  Do they represent traditional party values, a single issue, or special agendas?

To find your polling place:  www.jocoelection.org/voters/PollingPlaces-current.htm

For more election information go to the Johnson County Election Office website:  www.jocoelection.org


Advance Voting ballots for Primary
Applications for advance voting ballots will be mailed this week.  If you would like a ballot mailed to your home, fill out this form and return it ASAP.  For more information about advance voting go to: http://www.jocoelection.org/voters/AdvanceVoting.htm

Election Calendar
Primary Election Guide 2008:
June 10                     Candidate filing deadline

July 16            Advanced Voting by mail begins 

July 21             Last day to register to vote in primary                         election
July 22            Advanced Voting in person begins

August 4, noon         Advanced voting closes

August 5                   PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
 

General Election Guide 2008:
October 15            Advanced voting by mail begins

October 20            Last day to register to vote in general                         election
October 21            Advanced voting in person begins

November 3, noon      Advanced voting closes

November 4        GENERAL ELECTION DAY

Campaign News

Opportunities to Help Jill:
Over the next week or two, I will be distributing yard signs.  If you want one (or a few extra to give to your friends or neighbors), just shoot me an e-mail with your home address telling me how many you want.  Campaign volunteers will place them in your yard and leave extras at your door.

Believing that many hands make light work (and are a lot more fun!), I’ll be setting dates for group mailing parties.  We will gather together and stuff, label, and stamp!  Watch for dates in the next newsletter.

Opportunities to Help Others:
There will be a reception to introduce Steve Howe, Republican Candidate for Johnson County District Attorney on Tuesday, July 22 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Shawnee Office Suites, 6840 Silverheel St., Shawnee, KS 66226 (just west of Perceptive Software’s offices @ SMP & K-7).  No RSVP or donation is required simply come as you are to meet the candidate.

Sue Gamble, Senate District 10 candidate (Nick Jordan’s former seat), welcomes e-mails from those willing to put her yard signs in their yard.  Send her your name and address at msgamble@swbell.net.

Jill’s Recent Activities:

•    Old Shawnee Days Parade---thanks to volunteers Becky, Dick and Warren White, Joyce Morrison and Stephanie Sharp who walked in the parade and handed out candy
•    Immigration Policy Forum, Greater KC Chamber
•    Pollster Neil Newhouse, Public Policy Council of the Greater KC Chamber
•    Lenexa Fourth of July Parade---thanks to volunteers Suzie Dutton, Leigh Klein, Tom Lester, Nancy Martin, Terry and Cathy Matlack, Dave Petersen, Janet Podoll, Jim and Andrew Quigley, Grace Rogers, and Becky White who blanketed the crowd with stickers, fans, and candy.
•    27th Great Lenexa BBQ Battle
•    Council of Mayors Legislative Wrap-up
•    Overland Park Chamber of Commerce Legislative Wrap-up
•    Shawnee Chamber of Commerce Legislative Wrap-up and Appreciation Reception
•    Lenexa Chamber Luncheon recognizing the Leadership Lenexa Class of 2007-8
•    Women’s and Children’s Services Managers Group, Shawnee Mission Medical Center

Legislative Update #2---Economics

As the heat of summer settles in, I hope your summer is going well.  Here is my long overdue update on economic legislation from the 2008 session with two more updates to follow.

Economic Development:

Kansas Home Inspectors Registration Board (HB 2315)
All individuals who conduct home inspections must register with the KHIRB by July 1 2009 (in counties with more than 60,000) or by January 1, 2011 (in counties with fewer than 60,00 people.  The bill requires $10,000 errors or omissions liability and  $100,000 general liability insurance.  I voted in favor of this bill both to set standards and maintain quality for the profession and to protect the consumer.

Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons (HB 2746)
This bills makes changes in licensure and prohibited acts for real estate brokers and salespersons.  It also creates new regulations dealing with advertising.  I voted for this bill.

Financial Institutions and Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance (SB 443)
This bill provides for the financing of long-term care by combining private insurance and medical assistance.  Individuals who are partnership program policy beneficiaries are eligible for assistance under Medicaid using the asset disregard (dollar-for-dollar asset protection).  I voted for this bill.

Stranger-Originated Life Insurance (STOLI; Senate Sub. For HB 2110)
A STOLI is an arrangement to initiate a life insurance policy for the benefit of a third-party investor who, at the time of the policy’s origination, has no insurable interest in the policyholder.  This bill defines STOLI as a fraudulent act and clarifies the two year prohibition on most sales of life insurance policies by the policyholder.  I voted for this bill.

Credit Unions (Sub. For SB 535)
This bill enacts new law that defines the field of membership and the branching and merging of state-chartered credit unions. Banks thought this was necessary because credit unions are encroaching more and more on business previously reserved for banks, but credit unions receive tax advantaged treatment which is not available to banks.  A credit union’s members must be linked by a common bond of occupation, association or geographic area.  Under this new law, a geographic area could not consist of any congressional district or the entire state.  Groups would be able to organize a credit union with multiple common bonds of association and occupation using certain criteria.  I voted for this bill.

Taxation

Income Tax, Property Tax, Sales Tax (Senate Sub. For HB 2434)
I voted for this bill.  It makes a number of changes; here are a few:

Corporation Income Tax Provisions
The bill allows greater apportionment of business income by authorizing the state to use the functional test (in addition to the current transactional test) as a method for identifying income.  It also clarifies the definition of gross receipts to prevent companies from “income churning”---a practice that inflates the denominator of the sales factor of the apportionment formula by adding certain extraordinary items.  Finally, it reduces the top corporation income tax rate from 7.35% to 7.10% (tax year 2008), to 7.05% (2009 and 2010), and to 7% (2011 and thereafter).

Individual Income Tax---Reciprocity
This part of the bill prevents residents of other states (think Missouri) from claiming property taxes and assessments paid in Kansas as income tax deductions unless that state extends reciprocity to Kansas citizens.  It is retroactive to tax year 2007 and goes into effect only if Missouri does not rescind their punitive tax law.

Income Tax Credits---Disaster Relief
This bill provides relief to nine cities damaged by natural disasters in 2007 (Chanute, Coffeyville, Erie, Fredonia, Greensburg, Independence, Iola, Neodesha, and Osawatomie) by providing income, premiums or privilege tax credits for qualified capital investments made in businesses in or around those cities.  There is a cap of $5M for any given year.

SAFE Senior Tax Credit Provisions
This Selective Assistance for Effective Senior Relief Act provides a refundable income tax credit beginning in tax year 2008.  It is available to certain senior citizens to help reimburse a portion of property taxes paid on their homesteads.  Taxpayers age 65 or older with household income of 120% or less of the federal poverty level for two persons (currently $16,800) can claim the tax credit. Initially, 45% of property taxes actually paid on personal property can be claimed; this increases to 75% in tax year 2011.  This is supplemental to the Homestead Act so both cannot be claimed.

Disaster-Related Exemptions
This bill provides a sales tax exemption for certain purchases incurred in the construction or reconstruction of businesses located in the disaster counties that were damages by either flood waters or severe weather.

State Budget

Fiscal Year 2008 and 2009 State budget (SB534 and Senate Sub for HB 2946)
The budget for FY 2008 increased by $49.2M (State General Fund) and $541.8M (all funding sources) over last year’s budget.  Most of this increase in state general funds is due to school finance  ($24.4M) and natural disasters expenditures ($11.1M).  The increase in overall funding was due to capital improvements in the Department of Transportation ($172.0M), disaster related spending ($116.7M), and caseload expenses for SRS and the state hospitals ($79.7M).  I voted for the budget appropriations.

Pay Plan Recommendations (Senate Sub for HB 2916)
Allocates $82.2M for the new state pay plan for Executive Branch state employees and salary increases for all state employees in 2009.  The salary increase will move salaries closer to market rates.  All new employees will receive merit based, instead of longevity- based raises.  I voted for this bill.

Kansas Academy of Math and Science (HB 2858)
A multi-year allocation ($295,000 for FY 2009) to the Board of Regents for the new KAMS program at Fort Hayes State University.  KAMS is the brainchild of two 17th District residents, Don Norwood and Jerry Magliano. I voted for this bill.

Veterans (HB 2923)
Adds $60,000 to fund a new position for the Kansas commission on Veteran’s Affairs and $75,392 to the Department of Parks and Wildlife to provide annual hunting and fishing licenses to certain honorably discharged veterans with certified service-related disabilities.  I voted for this bill.

Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education (House Sub. For SB 81)
Added to the University of Kansas Medical Center’s budget, $1.5M is allotted to WCGME for training doctors.  I voted for this bill.

Kansas Public Employees Retirement System
Allots $7.1M for a $300 one-time payment to KPERS retirees and disabled members with at least 10 years of service who retired on or before July 1 1998.  This will be funded by money from the Expanded Lottery fund.  I voted for this bill.



I continue to follow up on issues from constituents who contacted me during the 2008 session.  If you have questions, concerns, or want to help with my campaign, here is how to reach me now that I am home:

Jill Quigley
Representative, 17th District
PO Box 14823
Lenexa, KS  66485

913-541-9645

jill@jillquigley.com