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PITTSBURG —
Bob Marshall and Jake LaTurner are no strangers to running against each other. In fact, the Republican primary is no different from the last election for State Senate District 13.
However, with redistricting shifting the district borders a bit southward and Marshall now in the position of incumbent, the two are back in the familiar territory of battling for the Republican nomination. The winner will face off against Democrat Gene Garman.
Both Marshall and LaTurner were asked the same questions, and no guidance was given to length of response. For space issues, some answers have been edited and will be indicated by ellipses.
What separates you from the other candidate(s)?
LaTurner: I think the biggest difference is that he seems to believe we can tax our way and spend our way to prosperity. I don’t think tax increases are what Southeast Kansas needs right now. What I want to do is go to Topeka to fight for tax competitiveness. We’re competing with Missouri and Oklahoma for gas, property and sales taxes. I am also endorsed by the NRA, who gave a C rating to my opponent. I am 100 percent pro-life and am endorsed by Kansans for Life.
Marshall: Experience and background. My background is a familiarity with the issues. I have the advantage of having been in the Senate for four years. I have a vast advantage in community investment and involvement. I’ve been a part of literally a dozen or so of community action organizations. My opponent has none of that experience. ...I’m also pro-life. Kansans for LIfe have given me a pro-life voting record, though they didn’t endorse me. I have stood on the floor of the Senate to vote for pro-life bills. I’m also a lifetime member of the NRA.
No one wants to waste government money. How do you plan to protect taxpayer dollars?
Marshall: I believe I’ve protected taxpayer money. The first two years I was in the Senate, we cut the general fund, the only part of the budget we have any control over, from $6.4 billion to $4.9 billion. That’s a $1.5 billion cut in the state general fund spending. We have increased spending as the revenues have picked up. But when revenues are down, I’m willing to make cuts to the budget. I voted out of committee for $90 million in property tax relief for local governments.... I voted against the governor’s repeal of the sunset of the sales tax increase. I prevented that effort. I tried to protect K-12 and higher ed because they’re important to the areas I serve...
Bob Marshall and Jake LaTurner are no strangers to running against each other. In fact, the Republican primary is no different from the last election for State Senate District 13.
However, with redistricting shifting the district borders a bit southward and Marshall now in the position of incumbent, the two are back in the familiar territory of battling for the Republican nomination. The winner will face off against Democrat Gene Garman.
Both Marshall and LaTurner were asked the same questions, and no guidance was given to length of response. For space issues, some answers have been edited and will be indicated by ellipses.
What separates you from the other candidate(s)?
LaTurner: I think the biggest difference is that he seems to believe we can tax our way and spend our way to prosperity. I don’t think tax increases are what Southeast Kansas needs right now. What I want to do is go to Topeka to fight for tax competitiveness. We’re competing with Missouri and Oklahoma for gas, property and sales taxes. I am also endorsed by the NRA, who gave a C rating to my opponent. I am 100 percent pro-life and am endorsed by Kansans for Life.
Marshall: Experience and background. My background is a familiarity with the issues. I have the advantage of having been in the Senate for four years. I have a vast advantage in community investment and involvement. I’ve been a part of literally a dozen or so of community action organizations. My opponent has none of that experience. ...I’m also pro-life. Kansans for LIfe have given me a pro-life voting record, though they didn’t endorse me. I have stood on the floor of the Senate to vote for pro-life bills. I’m also a lifetime member of the NRA.
No one wants to waste government money. How do you plan to protect taxpayer dollars?
Marshall: I believe I’ve protected taxpayer money. The first two years I was in the Senate, we cut the general fund, the only part of the budget we have any control over, from $6.4 billion to $4.9 billion. That’s a $1.5 billion cut in the state general fund spending. We have increased spending as the revenues have picked up. But when revenues are down, I’m willing to make cuts to the budget. I voted out of committee for $90 million in property tax relief for local governments.... I voted against the governor’s repeal of the sunset of the sales tax increase. I prevented that effort. I tried to protect K-12 and higher ed because they’re important to the areas I serve...
LaTurner: What I want to do initially is not take as much money. I want to put more money in citizens’ pockets to spend. As a result of that, I really believe if people can afford to stay home and shop locally, they will. That will stimulate the economy and we’ll have the funds for things we see as priorities for Kansas.
How do you plan to help this county grow?
LaTurner: Through the things I’ve said, again, the gas tax is higher than in Missouri and Oklahoma. People are going to Missouri and Oklahoma to fill their tanks. They fill their tanks in Missouri and Oklahoma and buy groceries. If we can lower these things, it would help. I would introduce and support a border county gas tax waiver.
Marshall: I could mention Project 17, which was an effort started by the four Southeast Kansas senators from the 17 counties of SEK. ...The purpose was a regional approach to SEK rather than individual cities. We applied for and received a $1 million in-kind grant for 400 leaders to attend the Kansas Leadership Center training... This week, we got a $715,000 grant that will go to a permanent structure and keep the Project 17 effort alive. ...It will fund an executive director and some amount of services that will help. ...Since 2008, my primary emphasis has been on transportation and getting U.S. 69 all the way to I-44. I’m the vice chairman of the transportation committee and was instrumental in crafting the transportation program T-WORKS. What that will do specifically is upgrade Fort Scott to Arma, and the two lanes around the Arma bypass. ...Also, T-WORKS will do the six miles from I-44 to three miles north of the state line as a four-way freeway. ...It’ll also do the shoulders and modernization from Cherokee to Columbus on K-7. ...I’m not telling you what I’m going to do, but what I’ve already done and will continue to do.
If elected, what will you do for the residents of Crawford County?
Marshall: I think Project 17 is for the residents of the district. Increasing opportunities for economic development should provide more, higher-paying jobs in SEK. A completed 69 from I-44 to Kansas City will take a while, but we take it one step at a time. ...We’ll also be adding passing lanes to U.S. 400 in District 13. ...We’re building bridges on K-47, on 126 Highway and down by Baxter. They just opened the one on 69 going south toward Baxter. That was part of t-WORKS. ...I’ve protected funding for K-12 and been able to keep $500,000 in the budget for PSU’s construction management school. Those are things I’ve done directly for the people of SEK. ...I voted for the governor’s income tax reduction plan. I voted for property tax relief, I voted against extending the sales tax. I voted that we take that out as the sunset would allow.
LaTurner: I would work hard every day for the people of Southeast Kansas. They have been overlooked for entirely too long. I would make sure Topeka hears our voice, and I would make sure they understand what it’s like to live in a border county. I have experience in working with the right people and would make deals that benefit Southeast Kansas for a change.
