Lawrence Journal-World 02-08-13

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JOURNAL-WORLD ®

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Some Republicans resisting governor’s tax plan By John Hanna Associated Press Writer

TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback is meeting resistance to his tax plan from fellow Republicans because he’s mixing promises of future cuts in individual income tax rates with pro-

Sunshine

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posals to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues to plug holes in the state budget. The backlash was evident Thursday as Kansas legislators wrapped up hearings on Brownback’s proposals. Some Republican lawmakers worried about getting tagged

as tax increasers only a year after the state enacted massive income tax reductions to stimulate the economy. Brownback is pitching his package as a five-year plan to position Kansas for phasing out individual income taxes. But to stabilize the budget after last year’s tax cuts, he

proposed changes in sales and income tax laws that would net the state more than $1.1 billion in new revenues over the three years starting in July, according to the Legislature’s nonpartisan research staff. The bulk of the new tax relief Brownback proposes would then

come in the fourth and fifth years of his plan. The governor’s fellow Republicans have supermajorities in both the Kansas House and Senate, but GOP legislators are searching for alternatives to his proposals. The Please see TAX, page 2A Brownback

Life in art has had rich rewards

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Today’s forecast, page 10A

INSIDE

Mediator sought in school finance case ——

Governor’s motion criticized as effort to avoid obligation ordered by court By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com

No radical changes planned for KU Though he admits “we haven’t played as well as we should,” Kansas University men’s basketball coach Bill Self says he won’t overreact to the team losing two games in a row. Page 1B

QUOTABLE

It’s exciting. 100, that’s getting up there in years. I never thought I’d make it.” — Eudora resident Mae Smith, who is one of two women at Medicalodges Eudora turning 100 this weekend. Page 6A

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INDEX Business Classified Comics Deaths Events listings Horoscope Movies Opinion Puzzles Sports Television Vol.155/No.39

Elvyn Jones/Journal-World Photo

TOM RUSSELL, 95, the former head of the Baker University art department, works daily in his art studio in his Baldwin City home. Russell was a student of regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton and a friend of abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock. Russell will be honored Sunday at Baldwin City’s 25th annual chocolate auction.

Local painter befriended luminaries of art world, led resurgence at Baker By Elvyn Jones ejones@theworldco.com

T

he subject of Tom Russell’s latest completed painting is a view from his Baldwin City studio of a tree in full autumn splendor behind those still holding on to their faded summer color. “I just finished it,” Russell said. “It took me a long time. I started it when it looked like that. “I can only sit or stand

for about three hours before it starts to hurt. I used to spend hours in the studio. I’d lose all track of time.” A professional artist for nearly 75 of his 95 years, art remains a focus of Russell’s life. That has been so since he first held a pencil in his hand as a boy in Parsons, he said. A supportive family made sure his talent wasn’t wasted. His stepfather, a railroad man,

encouraged him to pursue an art career when he graduated from high school. “He said, ‘You are not going to be worse off taking art than trying to be a millionaire,’” he said. “The Depression was a great leveler.” With that blessing, Russell enrolled at the Kansas City Art Institute in 1936, just in time to learn from newly arrived instructor Thomas Hart Benton.

“He never taught painting,” Russell said. “I had a drawing scholarship with him for three years.” Benton, at the peak of his fame as a muralist and fresh from a Time Magazine profile of him and other Midwest regionalists Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, was a friend as well as teacher, Russell said. He invited his young

TOPEKA — State officials on Thursday asked the Kansas Supreme Court to appoint a mediator to resolve a lower court ruling that said the Legislature has failed to provide suitable finance for public schools and ordered at least a $440 million increase in funding. Gov. Sam House DemoB r o w n b a c k cratic Leader and conser- Paul Davis, vative Re- of Lawrence, p u b l i c a n s criticized Brownhave criti- back’s request cized last for mediation. month’s decision by a three-judge panel and have proposed measures aimed at thwarting the ruling. The attorney general’s office had earlier appealed the case to the Kansas Supreme Court and on Thursday filed motions to suspend the lower court decision and send the case to mediation. Brownback requested the motions. “While the fact remains that the Kansas Legislature should determine a suitable provision for finance of our schools, I believe we owe it to Kansas taxpayers, parents,

6A 5B-10B 9A Please see PAINTER, page 2A Please see MEDIATOR, page 5A 2A 10A, 2B, 9B 9B CITY COMMISSION 4A 8A 9B 1B-4B didates who participated in safety and an economic devel- the return on the investment for 10A, 2B, 9B By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com Tuesday night’s forum by the opment issue. “No one wants to the city,” said candidate Judy 28 pages Voter Education Coalition, five live in a city where your housing Bellome. “Can these costs really A proposal to expand the city’s supported increased rental li- stock is blighted.” and truly be monitored? rental licensing program appears censing, while the rest either opCost — both to the city to run Overall, five candidates — to be just as dividing among the posed or had concerns about the the licensing program and to Criqui, Michael Rost, Leslie field of Lawrence City Commis- proposal. tenants who may see an increase Soden, Terry Riordan and Rob sion candidates as it is among “It is needed,” said City Com- in rent prices — was cited as the Chestnut — indicated support landlords and renters. mission candidate Scott Criqui, major concern with the proposal. Please see FORUM, page 6A Of the nine commission can- who said the issue was both a “My concern is the cost and

Candidates split on expanded rental licensing program

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