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THURSDAY • JUNE 11 • 2015
Budget agreement still eludes lawmakers By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
A tax bill to balance the state’s budget and bring the 2015 session to an end appeared to be failing early today. As of 12:15 a.m., the bill needed to balance the budget was failing by a margin of 29-86. House leaders were holding the roll open to bring 10 absent members back to the chamber to vote. They were also using that time trying to persuade other lawmakers to change
their votes. All four House members from Lawrence were voting no on the tax bill: Democratic Reps. Barbara Ballard; Boog Merrick Highberger and John Wilson; and Republican Rep. Tom Sloan. The House plans to come back at 8 a.m. today, at which time the roll will still be open
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for a final action vote on the major tax bill. The Senate plans to return at 10 a.m. “This is the last train out of here,” House Speaker Ray
Merrick, R-Stilwell, had told the House Republican caucus before the vote. “There’s not another bill coming. This is it.” The strategy for closing the session depended on passing two tax bills which, together, would increase state revenues next year by $408 million. The first depended largely on higher sales and cigarette taxes, along with taxes on one kind of nonwage business income known as “guaranteed payments,” to generate the new revenue.
The second was intended to change some of the policy measures the Senate had added on to the tax bill, but which House members found objectionable. The additional revenues are needed to close an estimated $360 million gap between current revenue estimates and spending approved in a series of budget bills already sent to the governor. House Taxation Committee Chairman Marvin Kleeb, RPlease see BUDGET, page 8A
Election move extends officials’ terms
Input from a pro: 7 questions for Lincoln Fox
By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photos
LAWRENCE ARTIST LAURA RAMBERG pulls back to study the face of a clay bust she was working on during a workshop led by professional sculptor Lincoln Fox Wednesday at Art Emergency, 721 E. Ninth St. Ramberg, along with other artists — some from out of state — came to the workshop to create together and to receive input from Fox. BELOW: Fox, of Paonia, Colo., instructs Alpha Morrow, a mold maker from Madison, Kan., during the workshop. To see a video from Wednesday’s workshop, please visit LJWorld.com/61015sculptures.
Sculptor’s expertise helps shape aspiring artists’ creations By Rochelle Valverde Twitter: @RochelleVerde
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enowned sculptor Lincoln Fox is hosting a workshop this week at Art Emergency, 721 E. Ninth St. Fox, who graduated with his Master of Fine Arts degree from Kansas University, was a student of the late Elden Tefft, a bronze sculptor and creator of some of KU’s most iconic public art. The Prairie Sculpture League, a local artist cooperative, organized the workshop. In his 50-year
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City’s Parks and Rec in running for top award
It’s been fabulous — it always is. The group is a marvelous group; they’re open. Half of our battle in creativity is to get away from what we’ve been taught all our lives. I don’t mean someone teaching you, but what we’re taught by example. We’ve What has your experi- got to learn to think out of ence been like working the box if we want to be with local sculptors this creative and say someweek? thing new.
What is your impression of the Lawrence arts scene? I love to see the public artwork. I love to see the variety, because we need the abstract and the realism and the impressionism and everything all pulled into one. Because we all come from different backgrounds, and Please see SCULPTOR, page 4A
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Please see TERMS, page 10A
career, Fox has sculpted various public works of art, such as the 17-foot monument at Albuquerque International Airport, and his work has been exhibited nationwide, including at the Smithsonian Institution. Fox, who has been living in Paonia, Colo., for 25 years, spoke with the Journal-World, and the following are excerpts from the interview:
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Lawrence residents had best grow to love their current crop of city commissioners and school board members. They’re going to be around a bit longer than anyone expected. A new election law signed recently by Gov. Sam Brownback will add about 10 months onto the terms of existing city commissioners and about seven months onto the terms of school board members. “That’s pretty signifi- Amyx cant,” City Commissioner Mike Amyx said. “You can do a lot in 10 months.” The new law has canceled the March primary and the April general elections that were set to take place for city and school officials in 2017. They’ve been replaced with a primary election in August 2017 and a general election in November 2017.
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The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department is a finalist for one of the industry’s top national awards. The Lawrence department is one of four finalists for a national gold medal award from the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association. The award recognizes excellence in parks and recreation management and overall service. Lawrence is competing against departments in Allen, Texas; Roswell, Ga.; and St. George, Utah. Lawrence has twice been nominated for the award before, in 1997 and 1998. Winners of the award will be announced at a Las Vegas conference in September.
Leaving KU Ann Cudd, Kansas University vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies, is taking a job in Massachusetts. Page 3A
Vol.157/No. 162 28 pages