DRAFT 

January 4, 2005

Dear Douglas County Legislators,

The Lawrence City Commission desires to express their appreciation for your dedication to serving our community in the Kansas Legislature. Because we  serve and share some of same constituents we desire to partner with you for the betterment of our citizens and community.

We have prepared a list of concerns and issues impacting the City of Lawrence that are likely to be addressed during the 2005 legislative session. Many of our items are frequent annual issues - their redundancy speaks to their continuing importance not our lack of creativity. Our opposition to unfunded mandates and concerns about reductions in local control will always be a top legislative concern.

v The City of Lawrence opposes State imposed spending or taxation controls or lids. Local tax and spending decisions should be made by locally elected officials.

v The City of Lawrence supports additional funding for our public schools and our institutions of higher learning. The future economic prosperity of Lawrence and the State of Kansas depends upon adequately funding these essential pillars of our community.

v The local sales tax is a vital revenue for funding essential City services — including police, firefighters, public works and other City operations. The Kansas Legislature should continue to pursue the ^"Stream-lined Sales Tax^" and other opportunities to include Internet and catalog sales tax collection.

v The City of Lawrence supports efforts to reduce unnecessary State mandates, such as State licensing requirements for City-operated youth recreation programs, requiring newspaper publication of legal notices (versus Internet posting) and archaic State law limits on the authority of cities to invest public funds.  We also oppose restrictions on our current authority to exercise condemnation powers for public purposes.

v We oppose legislation that would remove City authority to regulate the use of public right-of-way and easements, and we oppose legislation which would negatively alter state law governing city annexation authority.

v We continue to support State efforts to encourage resource conservation and recycling. We also oppose State efforts to reduce our community^'s water rights that serve an important part of our future.

v KPERS and KP&F are important benefits for the individuals who have chosen public service in the State of Kansas, including City of Lawrence employees. We do all Kansans a disservice by ignoring current and future funding responsibilities for this vital benefit system.  Amendments to the system should not discourage future public employees from serving their communities and state.

v We support the current State highway program and support the Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) Smart Moves plan to foster a regional multi-modal transportation system.

Sincerely,

Mike Rundle

Mayor