By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Kansas House Democrats stopped in Hays for their inaugural Fight Back Tour, a statewide effort to engage with Kansans.
The Friday event at Glassman Bird Law featured discussions on tax policy, rural health care access and concerns about federal overreach, including martial law and ICE enforcement.
Medicaid expansion was a key topic as Rep. Susan Ruiz, D-Shawnee, said Kansas will face penalties from federal changes even though it has not expanded the program.
"We were told by the Feds that all the states that did not expand Medicaid were not going to get hit. Well, that is a lie," Ruiz said.
Ruiz said insurers such as Aetna have left the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and premiums are expected to rise.
She said thousands of Kansans could lose coverage, with rural communities impacted the most.
"God forbid, you have a child that has to be in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. You have to go to Salina, and if they have to be on life support, you gotta drive them all the way to Kansas City," Ruiz said.
Property taxes and valuation caps
Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park, said lawmakers tried to restore the local ad valorem tax reduction fund, which returns state money to cities and counties to offset local government costs, but the Senate blocked it. She said there are plans to try again in January.
Clayton said the Senate is proposing a bill that suggests capping property valuation increases at 7%.
"Right now, it looks pretty good. For instance, my mortgage is at 3%... I'm never getting a rate lower than that. But part of the problem is that if we cap valuations, then we end up running into major problems for newer and younger homeowners," she said.
Clayton pointed to California’s cap as an example of how such measures can create similar problems. An audience member said that capping valuation increases benefits the wealthy.
Another attendee raised concerns about unfair comparisons in the appraisal process, where modest homes are measured against larger properties.
Clayton said she sees similar issues in her district, where teardowns and new builds inflate valuations on surrounding older homes.
Clayton said there are discussions [among legislators] about raising the homestead exemption to provide tax relief, but cautioned it could create issues such as underfunding schools and infrastructure.
Martial law and ICE in Kansas
Several attendees voiced concern Trump could declare martial law nationwide, given gerrymandering and political retaliation in Texas and California.
Clayton said she does not expect martial law in Kansas, especially in rural areas, and that it was unlikely even in blue cities like Wichita and Kansas City.
"I'm not pleased with what's going on at the federal level, but I do not think that we will see martial law in Kansas. Lord have mercy, I hope I'm right on that, but instinctually I don't think we will," she said.
Attendees also raised concerns about Trump deploying ICE, Homeland Security and local law enforcement as militarized forces.
Legislators discussed ICE activity in Lenexa, part of Ruiz's district, and how the community has rapid response teams that document ICE actions with photos and videos to share on social media.
One attendee suggested pushing local governments to prevent agencies from partnering with ICE.
"A good place to start is to pass a resolution from the cities and county commissions, if you have a city or county that would do that, and say 'we oppose all these things, '" the attendee said.
Clayton said people are most likely to trust political information from their neighbors and encouraged attendees to talk with those around them about the issues raised.
The event opened with an overview of the Kansas Legislature and how Democrats remain in the super minority but only need five more seats to break it.
Other speakers at the event included Rep. Mike Amyx, D-Lawrence, Dennis McKinney, former State Treasurer and former House Democratic leader and former state Democratic Rep. Eber Phelps.
Chairwoman of the Ellis County Democratic Party, Anna Towns, introduced the speakers at the event.
The following are the remaining Fight Back tour dates and locations:
• Aug. 21 in Kansas City
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Aug. 27 in Manhattan
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Aug. 28 in Leavenworth
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Aug. 29 in Emporia
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Sept. 23 in Lenexa
You can view the tour page here.