On the Issues Take some time to learn more about my position on issues. Over time, I will continue to add issues to the site, but if you would like to know more about my position on an issue that you don't see here, please contact me at jeff@jeffwhitham.com. State Budget & Taxes I do not think taxes should increase any more than needed to provide a reasonable level of services necessary for our communities to be good places for us to live, raise our families and remain during retirement. The Kansas legislature has done a fair job of controlling the rate of increase in state taxes. Over the last ten years the state general fund spending has increased an average of 4.4% while per capita income has increased 4.7%. This period would include some economic good times and some slowing of activity since 2000. We must be careful when allowing the main expenditure sections of the state budget to increase. If we keep those budget increases under control, we should be able to cut taxes for Kansans in times of strong economic growth, such as may be occurring in 2006. Immigration We have a problem with undocumented, or illegal, immigration. It is estimated there are from ten million to twelve million illegal immigrants in the United States. This causes problems and much expense in our schools and in our health care delivery system. There is a basic security problem with so many people living in our country that we can not properly identify or locate if needed. Also, the rule of law is important to us as a nation. The solution must begin with stopping the illegal immigration. Additional resources on our 2,000 mile long southern boarder will help, but probably can not effectively stop the movement of people motivated to earn more and make a better life for their families. I think we will need to involve employers in the effort to stem the wave of immigration. Our federal government will need to devise a way for employers to determine if a job applicant has valid identification documents and is here legally. Employers will then need to cease hiring illegal immigrants or face penalties. Once the federal government takes the identification process to the point an employer can effectively determine if a job applicant is here legally, we can remove the primary motivation for illegal immigration. When we have stopped illegal immigration, we can deal with the folks that are living and working here. Our economy, with a 4.1% unemployment rate, can not operate at today’s level or grow if we deport many of the folks that are here illegally. We need to set some requirements for each illegal immigrant, and if they can meet those requirements, provide a way for them to attain a status that allows them to work here legally. Some of those requirements should be that they have not broken other laws, some member of the family is working, they pay a fee to help with the cost of administering this process and they have paid all appropriate taxes-which they probably have if they are working. We should also pick a day, one close to an agreement on a federal solution, and state that anyone entering the country illegally after that date must depart our country. TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) Although I understand and agree with the need to control state and other governmental entities’ spending levels, I do not think adopting something as mechanical as the proposed Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) is appropriate. In our representative democracy we elect capable people who make themselves familiar with issues and determine the best course of action for our state. The Kansas legislature, and especially the Republican party, have worked to not raise any new taxes. They have largely been successful. The present growth in state tax revenue is from increased income taxes and sales taxes, which was caused by increased economic activity in the state, not any new taxes or increased tax rates. If a legislator is voting to levy new taxes or raising existing tax rates and is out of step with his or her constituents, the present system allows us to elect someone else in their place. That system appears to work. I do not think we need to adopt the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.