Document Actions
October 2005
ssharp@ink.org
Friends:
Check out the results (much delayed) of my legislative survey. It is A LOT of data, so it needed a Sharp Record all to itself, and it has been a while since there has been a slower news day! Take this opportunity to learn about your neighbors and politics…
Sharp vs. Chiefs (or Wilma)?
Town Hall Meeting! Please meet me at the HyVee (87th and Pflumm) cafeteria this Sunday, October 23rd at 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., for a district meeting. Even if you don’t have any complaints, questions, or ideas, just stop by to say hello. Although, this would be a great time to bring your legislative ideas (stuff we can fix) for next session. I love to put faces with the email addresses I see!
Also for your calendars: We will try this time and day for a couple of months, and then reassess turnout and convenience for everyone…
November 13th Both same bat time, same bat channel (87th & Pflumm
December 11th HyVee cafeteria, 2:00 p.m.)
Announcements
Personal Activities and Education
Higher Education
Where’s Waldo
Resources
Announcements
Thank you to Jennifer Wilding for a very nice article praising the Sharp Record in the Wyandotte West newspaper!
· PS: Jennifer is helping with the By The People project with KCPT this weekend in Kansas City. Policymakers, the public, and media from all over the United States are going to be watching the deliberative democracy sessions underway on health care, here in our humble ville this weekend. Good luck!
Congratulations to Jean Goodman, stellar volunteer and all-around great person, for being named Kansas Art Educator of the Year! Jean teaches art at Benninghoven Elementary School. Congrats Jean!
While we’re on the subject of awards, a couple of weeks ago, I was named as Pro-Jobs Legislator by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Personal Activities and Education
Tax Continuation Passes Overwhelmingly in District 17:
As you will see in the survey results, this district is a consistent supporter of education. On the September 27th special election, you supported continuing the Johnson County economic development sales tax by a wide margin of 72% to 28% opposed.
School visits/shadowing:
I am kicking off fall by starting my regular school visits again this year! I visited Mill Creek Elementary yesterday. Generally, I partner with a student and follow them through their afternoon classes. Here is the rest of the schedule:
October 31: Rising Star
November 1: Westridge Middle
November 2: Shawnee Mission West
November 3: Shawanoe Elementary
November 4: Benninghoven Elementary
November 8: Shawnee Mission Northwest
November 9: Sunflower Elementary
November 10: Trailridge Middle
November 11: I am fortunate to participate in McAuliffe’s special flag-raising to celebrate Veterans Day and recognize those that fought (and are fighting) to keep us free.
Higher Education
Governing in the Global Age
Recently, I was appointed to be on the board of this organization at George Washington University. You’ll remember this is the program I was slated to attend when Special Session popped up. The program is an “Intro to International Affairs” for state legislators and other state and local stakeholders. I am excited about the future of this program and what it could mean for states like ours to expand their international focus, especially in terms of trade policy.
Where’s Waldo
Lenexa Chamber of Commerce lunch
Cable TV PAC reception
Chamber reception to welcome Chinese delegation
Open House for Rosewood subdivision
Lunch with constituent Ellen Miller
Commander-In-Chief premiere – do you love that show?
Fundraiser for CO gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman
Fundraiser for KS Secretary of State Ron Thornburg
· Special guest was Fmr. Governor Bill Graves
George Washington University Governing in the Global Age board meeting
Lenexa Chamber After Hours at Meritex – have you been there? SO COOL!
Lenexa Chili Cook Off
“Rep. Sharp Goes Back To School Day” at Mill Creek Elementary
2005 Legislative Survey Results
Forrest Saucier of Lenexa, one of my 2005 session interns compiled all of this data. I want to send a HUGE thank you to Forrest and his buddies at the Sigma Epsilon fraternity at Washburn University for all of their hard work. If Forrest comes back with a Worker’s Comp claim for his eyes crossing, I won’t have a leg to stand on…
A couple dozen more surveys were returned after they finished these results, and I was not able to update the nice graphs, but the numbers to the left are accurate and up-to-date. The graphs only depict those who live in the 17th District, not out-district respondents. However, keep in mind, not everyone answered every question, so there will not be the same number of answers for every question.
1. On the question of whether Kansas Gaming laws should be amended to allow for slot machines at Kansas racetracks like the Woodlands, the surveyed said:
Yes: 144
No: 61
No Opinion: 2
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Yes: 45
No: 30
2. On the question of expanding gaming into Kansaswith “Destination” Casinos, the surveyed responded:
Support: 143
Oppose: 62
No Opinion: 5
Those outside Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 45
Oppose: 32
3. **In the question of a police officer having the right to pull an adult over for simply not wearing their seatbelt, the surveyed responded (**I pulled this question a couple of days after the original email, due to the length of the survey and how long it was taking folks to complete…):
Yes: 75
No: 45
No Opinion: 1
Those not in Stephanie’s
district responded:
Yes: 33
No: 29
4. In the question of a tax increase to provide more money for schools, the surveyed responded:
Yes: 146
No: 58
No Opinion: 3
Those not in Stephanie’s
district responded:
Yes: 57
No: 23
P.S.: Per the Johnson County Election Office, out of 2412 votes in the 17th District, 1739 (72%) supported the recent sales tax continuation vote on September 27th, and 665 (28%) opposed it.
5. In the question of increasing taxes, and which method is preferred if taxes were to be increased, the surveyed responded:
Income: 56
Property: 61
Sales: 98
Corporate: 85
Vehicle: 30
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Income: 32
Property: 30
Sales: 47
Corporate: 31
Vehicle: 16
6. In the question of what programs should receive cuts in order to generate funding for schools (if not taxes) the surveyed responded:
Transportation: 25
Care for Elderly: 17
Health Care for the Poor: 17
Education: 11
Jails/Law Enforcement: 14
Higher Education: 29
Consolidation: 53
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Transportation: 10
Care for Elderly: 6
Health Care for the Poor: 6
Education: 6
Jails/Law Enforcement: 9
Higher Education: 9
Consolidation: 28
7. In the question of what methods should be used to improve our schools, the surveyed responded:
Consolidation of small schools: 71
Smaller class sizes: 64
Increasing teacher’s salaries: 69
High academic standards: 61
New technology for classrooms: 42
High teacher standards: 60
Student outcome requirements: 33
Providing school vouchers: 29
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Consolidation of small schools: 32
Smaller class sizes: 39
Increasing teacher’s salaries: 46
High academic standards: 32
New technology for classrooms: 20
High teacher standards: 23
Student outcome requirements: 16
Providing school vouchers: 12
8. In the question of whether decisions about school should be made locally, the surveyed responded:
Support: 170
Oppose: 16
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 63
Oppose: 16
9. In the question of increasing the Local Option Budget (LOB) to better fund our schools locally, the surveyed responded: (Excuse the typo in the graph)
Support: 148
Oppose: 49
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 61
Oppose: 22
10. In the question of whether stem cell research should be made a criminal offense, the surveyed responded:
Support: 43
Oppose: 150
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 29
Oppose: 57
11. In the question of who should be in charge of making up the health and safety standards for abortion clinics, the surveyed responded:
State Elected Officials: 30
Federal Elected Officials: 14
Doctors, Nurses, Medical Pros: 143
General Public: 9
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
State Elected Officials: 18
Federal Elected Officials: 6
Doctors, Nurses, Medical Pros: 65
General Public: 5
12. In the question of whether the surveyed would support a Total Ban on abortion (excepting mother’s health, rape, or incest) the response was:
Yes: 77
No: 127
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Yes: 29
No: 55
13. In the question of whether we should ban gay marriage in our Kansas Constitution, the surveyed responded:
Yes: 91
No: 113
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Yes: 29
No: 58
P.S.: This graph inversely reflects the actual district vote in April on this issue. Per the Johnson County Election Office, the amendment narrowly passed in the 17th District: Out of 4670 votes cast in that election, 2624 (56%) in support, and 2001 (43%) opposed. That is 14% lower than the statewide vote and 4% lower than Johnson County’s vote.
14. In the question of supporting or opposing the raiding of the transportation fund for other state expenses the surveyed responded:
Support: 26
Oppose: 152
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 15
Oppose: 67
15. In the question of whether we should allow raiding of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), the surveyed responded:
Support: 9
Oppose: 178
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 8
Oppose: 68
16. In the question of supporting or opposing legislation to allow for the carry of concealed handguns the surveyed responded:
Support: 55
Oppose: 149
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 26
Oppose: 51
17. In the question of whether the surveyed had experienced complications in attaining or affording health insurance the response was:
Yes: 65
No: 125
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Yes: 34
No: 43
18. In the question of whether the surveyed or their family had an experience with Worker’s Compensation the response was:
Yes: 18
No: 122
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Yes: 14
No: 46
19. When asked the level of importance the surveyed placed on the following issues the averages showed this:
District Rankings Non-District Rankings
|
Abortion |
7 |
|
Education |
1 |
|
Health Care |
2 |
|
Marriage |
6 |
|
Roads |
5 |
|
Jobs |
4 |
|
Guns |
8 |
|
Taxes |
3 |
|
Abortion |
5 |
|
Education |
1 |
|
Health Care |
2 |
|
Marriage |
7 |
|
Roads |
6 |
|
Jobs |
3 |
|
Guns |
8 |
|
Taxes |
4 |
In both surveys Education was found the most important issue, followed by health care. Also, in both, Guns came in last.
20. In the question of supporting or opposing the death penalty, the surveyed responded:
Support: 109
Oppose: 72
Those not in Stephanie’s district responded:
Support: 45
Oppose: 29
Overall, I am excited about these results because my voting record has been a near mirror-image of these responses. If you have any questions about the results of this survey, please contact Stephanie Sharp at vote@stephaniesharp.com.