1989 Archives - Kansas Oral History Project

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 Mark Parkinson, December 14, 2010

Interviewed by Bob Beatty

The article linked below and downloadable, “ 'You can get a hell of a lot done as a governor': A Conversation with Former Governor Mark Parkinson," edited by Grant Armstrong, Bob Beatty, and Amber Dickinson, is, as noted in the body at footnote 3, excerpted from interviews conducted with Mark Parkinson in 2010 and 2021. The article was published in the Spring 2022 issue of Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains and is reprinted here with permission. The questions were removed and footnotes added during preparation of the transcripts for publication as a journal article. Show MoreThe Kansas Oral History Project is grateful to the Kansas Historical Foundation for allowing us to post this article as part of the collection of interviews of Kansas Governors.

From the Kansas History Kansas History webpage: "The seventh piece in our special series of articles based on interviews with former Kansas governors, this conversation with former lieutenant governor and governor Mark Parkinson explores topics such as the Kansas death penalty law, alternative energy and the proposed Holcomb coal-fired power plants, budget cuts and tax increases to deal with the great recession of 2009, and the possibilities for Democrats and Republicans to work together in Kansas."

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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 George Teagarden, October 28, 2022

Interviewed by Duane Goossen and Joan Wagnon

This interview with George Teagarden covers the 14 years he spent in the House of Representatives, mostly serving on the Ways and Means/Appropriations committee. Teagarden describes the committee whose job was to work the state budget every year. In the early years it was characterized by cooperation and working together on issues regardless of party. He notes that cooperation was changing as he left and becoming much more partisan. The use of provisos often bypassed the traditional legislative route for policy-making. He followed his legislative service by working 16 years as Kansas Livestock Show MoreCommissioner. The livestock industry had appointed him to that job, but it is now a gubernatorial appointment. Show Less

Interview of Phillip Martin, August 19, 2022

Interviewed by David Webb

Phil Martin served southeast Kansas, as county treasurer, senator, appraiser and and Kansas as the Director of Property Valuation. He influenced major tax changes like reappraisal & classification and the implementation of the severance tax while in state government. In this oral history interview, he recalls people with whom he served and the issues that arose during his years of public service.

Interview of Eugene Anderson, April 21, 2022

Interviewed by Frances Jackson

Senator Eugene Anderson's oral history interview covers his 20-year career in Kansas politics, serving in both the Kansas House and Senate and later, in the administration of Governor Joan Finney. In addition, Anderson has been a Wichita business man and author. Anderson described growing up in Georgia and the values he learned in his segregated community - work hard, never quit, build relationships and make your community better. His priority issue when he went to the legislature was making the schools better. Anderson described his friendship with Governor Joan Finney, going back to when she was Show MoreState Treasurer and how he asked her not to invest in the apartheid government in South Africa. Later, she appointed him Director of Aviation and he was able to work with other state directors to support the Kansas aviation industry on product liability legislation. Throughout the interview Anderson revealed his philosophy of effective governance. Show Less

Interview of Paul Feleciano, February 11, 2022

Interviewed by Eric Sexton

Paul Feleciano served from 1972 until 2003 in the Kansas Legislature, primarily in the State Senate. During his 31 year tenure he served on almost every committee. His interview discusses a wide range of issues including groundwater management, mental health reform, and changes in the penal system. His descriptions of the personalities of Senate leadership make that era come alive. He characterizes the men and women serving in the 1970's and 80's as giants --articulate, caring, compassionate problem solvers who would work "across the aisles" to make things happen. As the legislature moved into the 21st Show MoreCentury, Feleciano noted the split in the Republican Party between conservatives and moderates became a real problem because, "they didn't want to compromise." After leaving the legislature, Feleciano was appointed to the Kansas Parole Board and served there for six years. Show Less

Interview of James Lowther, February 14, 2012

Interviewed by Loren Pennington

This series of interviews was done between between February 14 and June 5, 2012 by Loren Pennington, Professor Emeritus at Emporia State University. All fourteen of the cassette tapes and transcriptions were placed at the Kansas Historical Society. A family member asked the Kansas Oral History Project to post the legislative portions of the interview on this website because they are a complement to other interviews in the same period. KOHP readily complied and added tapes 7-14 to this website. Audio files and transcripts may be downloaded. Here is a brief description of the content Show Moreof each: Tape 7 - Lowther's work as a banker and his interest in banking regulations; Tape 8 - Legislative issues, Washburn University, KPERS shortfalls, Lowther's service on Legislative Post Audit committee; Tape 9 - Lowther's election, proposed closing of ESU, Washburn University, Governor Hayden; Tape 10 - Severance tax, state hospital closings, KU Medical Center, State Treasurer Sally Thompson; [this tape has not been posted] Tape 11 - Closing KNI, Governor Brownback, Republican moderates vs conservatives; Tape 12 - Qualified Admissions to regent's schools, KPERS funding; Tape 13 - Governors Tape 14 - Lowther's career after leaving the legislature; RINO's vs Brownback Copies of tapes provide by the Kansas State Historical Society Show Less

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