The Sharp Record - 7-27-10
It was quite an eventful week at our home. Dan had an appendectomy late last Tuesday night. Dr. Scott Ellison at Shawnee Mission Medical Center did a great job extracting his almost-burst appendix and his 3rd floor nurses, Christina, Debbie and Meredith were wonderful. The Emergency Room is MUCH improved with the new addition!
Our 5th wedding anniversary was last week and his 36th birthday was Monday, so his appendix had terrible timing, but I am grateful it acted up when it did and we were close to a great hospital. He is recovering well and started back to work today.
My concerns about 17th District representation
During the last week, I have thought a lot about all the political goings-on. The more I think about the race in my old Shawnee/Lenexa House district, the more I realize how much each of the “hats” I wear will be impacted. These “hats” represent institutions you care about, they are where you go to school and work, and the ripple effect will reach across Kansas.
- Two of my biggest fears for my own family and for all Kansans are education funding and gun control.
Education funding:
Jill’s opponent believes our schools are adequately funded (KC Star survey: http://midwestdemocracyproject.org/elections/KS/races/kansas-house-district-17-republican-primary/). Don’t get me wrong – we do amazing things with the unbelievably disproportionate share our districts receive. However, as I observed the Shawnee Mission School District cutting teachers, class sizes increasing, and essential preventive programs like Parents as Teachers on the chopping block, I simply cannot understand the alternate reality that believes this is adequate. If you have kids in K-12 school, or P-16 for that matter, you should be very concerned as well. You know that Rep. Jill Quigley will continue to keep you informed, fight for schools, and work hard for a new funding formula that increases local control and the proportion of Johnson County money that stays in our districts.
Gun Control:As part of the leadership team at Johnson County Community College, an employee at KU Medical Center, and someone who visits the Capitol and City Hall a few times a year, I am very concerned about Jill’s opponent’s support for guns on campus and in government buildings. Legislation in Topeka this year – which Jill’s opponent supports – would have forced campuses to allow guns unless all building entrances provided security. With more than 100 entrances each, you can imagine what that would cost at JCCC and KU Medical Center alone. Moreover, if students have guns on campus and a shooting happens, how do the police know the “good guys” from the “bad guys”? Who is the target in a crowded classroom, lecture hall, or auditorium when everyone has a gun?
Jill’s votes on these issues are strongly supported by local teachers and businesses. She earned a 100% score from the Overland Park Chamber (the only JoCo chamber that scores votes), Citizens for Higher Education, and the pro-education, pro-economic development business association, the Kansas Economic Progress Council (KEPC). These positions also earned her endorsements from the Shawnee Mission teachers, the Kansas City Star and the Sun Newspapers: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/more-star-recommendations-kansas-legislative-races/ and http://www.sunpublications.com/201007144602/steve-rose-memo-archives/predictions-for-the-upcoming-primary.html
In short, Rep. Jill Quigley is the best person to continue respected, rational, responsible Republican leadership in the 17th District. Please be vote any time between now and August 3!
Out-state friends
A shout-out to my subscribers outside of the Kansas City metro area – I am grateful for your readership and I did not forget you this election year! This is specifically for western KS and Wichita readers.
1st District, U.S. Congress:
This seat is being vacated by Rep. Jerry Moran who is running for the U.S. Senate. The “Big First” as this district is called, includes the western 2/3rds of the state – 66 counties! KS Sen. Jim Barnett is a friend and will be a wonderful Congressman. He is a physician by training, but is one of the better bridge-builders I’ve seen in Topeka. It’s probably his bedside manner that wins people over, but he is adept at bringing people together for good policy. That’s not always good politics, but good policy helps more people and lasts a lot longer than good politics.
2nd District, U.S. Congress:
Rep. Lynn Jenkins is running for re-election. She doesn’t have much of a battle on August 3, but that doesn’t mean those of you in Lawrence, Topeka, and SEK don’t have to go to the polls!
3rd District, U.S. Congress:
KS Rep. Kevin Yoder and I were elected to the House together in 2002, I’ve already profiled that race, but it’s worth mentioning again that Kevin will best represent this district. He is bright lawyer and a skilled and creative legislator.
4th District, U.S. Congress:
This seat is being vacated by Rep. Todd Tiahrt who is running for the U.S. Senate. I’ve spent a lot of time in Wichita – hello to the Sharp and Parson families in Derby – and in Winfield, where I went to college – GO BUILDERS! I don’t know the other candidates other than what I’ve seen on the commercials and endorsements of various organizations. With all the accusations flying, it’s hard to tell who’s from California, Florida, DC, and Kansas. The mudslinging on one end of the race has proven KS Sen. Jean Schodorf is a class act. A speech pathologist with long and strong roots in Kansas, Jean was great to work with in Topeka – and is an expert on education and aging policy. Plus, her brother Bill Kurtis is practically a Kansas icon and together they own and operate their family’s farm on the Little House on the Prairie site. That’s not one of her many qualifications for Congress, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless!
Other Kansas House races
There are a number of House races I am following where friends have primary elections, but it is likely that only a handful of you live in them, so I won’t spend everyone’s time going through them. If you would like more information about a specific race in your area, just reply to this email and I’ll try to provide information and resources to help you learn more about that race.
Resources
JCCC Board of Trustees meetings on video: http://video.jccc.edu/board.htm
JCCC Carlsen Center shows: http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/001440/site/toc_events
KS Legislative Research: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/ksleg/KLRD/klrd.html
Johnson County Election Office - www.jocoelection.org
Upcoming Board of Trustees meetings: http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/000001/site/BoardMeetingInfo/Board_Meeting_Dates
Find your long lost CASH!!! http://www.kansascash.com/prodweb/up/disclaimer_page.php
Please do not hesitate to contact me about these or any other issues of interest to you. I appreciate the opportunity to represent you on the Board of Trustees.
Stephanie Sharp
Trustee – Johnson County Community College
Former Kansas State Representative, 17th District, Shawnee/Lenexa
Republican Precinct Committeewoman, Lenexa Ward 3, Precinct 7
www.twitter.com/4stephaniesharp
www.facebook.com/4stephaniesharp
913-256-5862
Privacy Policy
I respect your time and the volume of your Inbox. I appreciate the opportunity to communicate with you in a timely and economical fashion. This is a privilege I take very seriously. You have entrusted me with your email address and I vow to you it will not be sold or lent for any purpose other than for the strict use of my email updates. If you wish to unsubscribe from the Sharp Record, simply reply to this email with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject line.