Finney, Joan Archives - Kansas Oral History Project

Interview of Lee Hamm, September 3, 2025

Interviewed by Joan Wagnon

This interview of Lee Hamm, farmer, dairyman and state legislator, is full of his recollections about growing up in rural Pratt County during the Depression years. His descriptions of life on the farm are vivid as are his memories of being educated in a rural school. At the age of 96 his memories of his public service are still sharp. He served on two school boards, Glendale and Pratt, during the time that Kansas was in the process of consolidating its 2800 rural schools down to about 300. He ran for the Legislature in 1972 Show Moreand served 20 years under 5 different governors before being appointed by Governor Joan Finney to head the Kansas Grain Inspection Department. Hamm closed the interview with some thoughts about the changes he has seen in state government and life in Kansas. Show Less

Interview of Alan Rupe, May 12, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

Alan Rupe's oral history interview provides an historical perspective on school finance and school finance litigation. Rupe and John Robb represented the plaintiffs in the Montoy and Gannon lawsuits. After trying a lawsuit for the Newton School District, Robb suggested to Rupe that they try a suit against the state of Kansas over adequate and equitable funding of public education. Rupe said, "Count me in!" Since 1989 the two have partnered on school finance cases. In the interview Rupe discusses how earlier case judgments influenced their decision to move the focus of the litigation from Show Morethe equal protection clause to Article 6 Section 6 of the Kansas Constitution and focus on the adequacy of school funding. Rupe details in the interview aspects of the litigation which continued for many years. Toward the end of the interview, Rupe offers this idea: "... one of the lessons that we learned as a result of Montoy is if you declare victory and spike the ball in the end zone and turn your back on the issue, things don’t get better. The legislature and politics will start moving the money away from the schools." Rupe's conclusion is "It’s the language in the constitution that has pushed the results that we’re seeing." Show Less

Interview of Sue Peterson, May 13, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

Sue Peterson reflects on how she became involved in state politics and how her various positions in the executive and legislative branches taught her “the process” it took to get anything accomplished in the Statehouse. She later used these experiences in her role as the Assistant to the President at Kansas State University (KSU) to help that institution secure significant opportunities. Those opportunities included KSU’s selection as the location for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and the transformation of the Kansas Technical Institute in Salina into K-State Salina. This interview includes stories about people and the programs Show Morethey championed. Peterson shares that her role was “to advocate, and to educate, and…to defend” her institution. Show Less

Interview of Edward Rolfs, September 23, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Ed Rolfs served in the Kansas House from 1979-1988, a productive period in Kansas politics, and was a key player in tax and fiscal policy. He chaired the House Taxation Committee through reappraisal and classification. and major income tax reform. Rolfs recalls stories, about his grandfather, Frank Carlson, Governor Bob Bennett and why he wasn't reelected, and leadership races. In this oral history interview, he discusses the rationale for sales tax exemptions, the politics of the severance tax in the 1982 election, the "booster" tax affecting Johnson County, the working relationship among members of the House Taxation Show MoreCommittee, and the simplification of the Kansas Income tax in 1988. Rolfs describes the conundrum of property tax reappraisal and classification and its resulting impacts on the 1990 governor's race where Joan Finney beat both prior governors, Carlin and Hayden. And Rolfs recalled several Joan Finney stories and one about Kathleen Sebelius. Rolfs also recalls how he, a "Young Turk" who wanted to cut everything, was put on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee for Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) and Mental Health/Retardation. Bob Harder, then Secretary of SRS, encouraged Rolfs to visit the state institutions and it changed his attitude. The interview closes with his reflections on the state of government 35 years after he served. Show Less

Interview of Wint Winter, August 9, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

This oral history interview covers not only the decade of Wint Winter, Jr's legislative service, 1983-1992, but also his continued involvement with politics up to the time of the interview in 2024. The 1980s and early 1990s saw considerable change in taxes, education funding, and abortion law, to name a few. The mineral severance tax, the "booster" tax, classification and reappraisal for property tasation, and a new school finance law that lowered property taxes were all discussed in this interview. During his time in the Kansas Senate, Winter chaired the Judiciary Committee and was Vice-chair of the Show MoreWays and Means Committee during that period. Winter was involved in shoring up the KPERS fund for state employees and appropriating funding for educational institutions, including colleges and universities. Senator Winter was a strong advocate for bipartisanship, saying, "No Party has a monopoly on good ideas." After leaving the Legislature, remained active in politics as a founder of Traditional Republicans for Common Sense.

Highlights --short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Robert (Bob) Tomlinson, August 2, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Chris Courtwright's interview of Bob Tomlinson, former city councilman, legislator and Assistant Insurance Commissioner is one of the longest and most complete undertaken by KOHP. The entire interview (2 hours 23 minutes) is posted here. But in addition, several shorter clips, taken from the interview, are posted below and will also be used as part of Resources for Educators. Tomlinson's interview covers his wide political experience and lessons he learned. He tells lots of funny stories about other prominent politicians of the era and shares his political philosophy and technics for "vote-counting" for Speaker Glasscock and Show Moreothers. He also comments on the public policy issues at the time of the interview, including health insurance mandates, Medicaid expansion, school vouchers, the need for full funding for special education.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Kenny Wilk, May 16, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Representative Kenny Wilk described himself as "curious" when he first arrived to the House--curious about how committees worked, who the people were. A Farm Bureau Citizenship Seminar had kindled his interest in politics. Rochelle Chronister, Assistant Majority Leader mentored him to meet everyone in both chambers. And he did! The interview is full of stories about the people with whom Wilk served, and what he learned from them. He moved from one area to another: budget policy, tax policy and economic development policy. He lost two leadership races, but that allowed him Show Moreto focus more intently on policy initiatives that came from committees he chaired: Kansas Bioscience Authority, the animal health corridor, NBAF, tax relief for military veterans, the Economic Growth Act, the tax exemption for machinery and equipment. Even after leaving the Kansas Legislature, he continued to serve. First, by chairing newly elected Governor Brownback's transition team, then by serving on the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas Bioscience Authority. His current job with the University of Kansas Health System keeps him involved with public policy issues, such as Medicaid Expansion. Show Less

Interview of Bruce Larkin, April 12, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Larkin's interview focuses extensively on his involvement with tax issues during his 20-year tenure in the legislature, and after, at the Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA). He tells lots of funny stories in the interview, particularly about legislative strategy. Larkin got interested in the legislature because of the American Agriculture movement in the mid-1980's. He joined the Department of Revenue's Use Value Advisory Group at a time when appraising farm ground was difficult. Larkin was a small family farmer who farmed ground that his great grandfather had bought in 1878. Larkin was also interested in education; Show Moreparticularly how small rural communities were faring under the school finance formula. But his consistent interest was in taxation. He was involved in almost every tax issue that surfaced during his 20-year involvement with the legislature, and afterward, as a staff member at the Kansas Department of Revenue or on the Court of Tax Appeal as a judge or as Chief Judge. His discussion of issues surrounding classification and appraisal is very informative. He described changes in the use value appraisal of agricultural land. Interviews with many of the people mentioned in this interview can be found on this website by using the Search box, or by going to the Statehouse Conversations Collection. Show Less

Photo of Les Donovan in Kansas Senate chamber April 10, 2024

Interview of Leslie (Les) Donovan, April 10, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Les Donovan served twenty-four years in the Kansas Legislature -- four years in the House of Representatives and twenty years in the Kansas Senate from 1993 to 2016. From his position on the tax committees of the House and Senate, he influenced major tax legislation including the tax cuts of the late 1990's. While chairing the Senate Assessment and Tax Committee from 2009 - 2016, he was involved with the efforts to correct the budget problems caused by the Brownback tax experiment of 2012. He often called attention to the high property tax rates on Show Moreautomobiles and finally succeeded in lowering them. He was an advocate for small business during his entire term. Donovan also advocated for using fuel tax to fund highway needs. This interview is a discussion of tax policy at a time of great change in Kansas. Show Less

Interview of Ed McKechnie, February 9, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

This lengthy and wide-ranging interview is full of interesting stories about how the legislature worked when its leaders realized the House Democrats were in the majority by one vote (1990 election) with a new Democratic governor. The 1991-92 session was historic because of the major changes in property taxes and school finance. McKechnie built relationships across the aisle which helped him accomplish things and pass legislation. His interview is replete with descriptions of legislators with whom he worked. McKechnie served on the Kansas Bioscience Authority and after its demise, on the Kansas Board of Regents. Show More He discussed the transition of the University of Kansas Hospital to being designated a major cancer center. One particularly interesting story for football fans is about the major conference realignment that occurred from 2011 to 2012. He described in detail the negotiations over which university would stay or leave the Big XII. Ordinarily the Regents would not have been involved, but the impact of these decisions was too great to ignore. McKechnie also talks about the decisions the Regents made about raising tuition.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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