MARCH NOTEWORTHY

MARCH BREAKFAST WILL FEATURE OUR STATE LEGISLATORS: The Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast program for March will feature a Kansas Legislative Update. The breakfast will be held on Saturday, March 19^th, at the Riverfront Community Center. The breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. Our state legislators will be present to provide their individual summaries and evaluations of the legislative session to date and then respond to questions and comments from attending Chamber of Commerce members. This informative breakfast program should be of great interest to all Chamber of Commerce members. The cost of the breakfast is $6.50 per person, payable in advance or at the door. RESERVATIONS ARE NEEDED! Please make your reservations early by calling 682-4112.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CANDIDATES FORUM: The Government Affairs Council will conduct a Candidates Forum for the April 5^TH general election. Candidates for the Lansing City Council, Lansing School Board, the Leavenworth City Commission and the Leavenworth School Board are invited. Additionally, the One Cent Sales Tax issue will be discussed. The Candidates Forum will be held on Saturday, March 26^th, 9:00 a.m., in the Commission Meeting Room, Leavenworth City Hall. The Candidates Forum will be taped for television and shown on the Leavenworth and Lansing Government Access Channels, Channel 2, several times prior to the election. The public is urged to attend.

ROUGH TIMES IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS: We note with interest and great disappointment that Representative Candy Ruff, 40^th District, who represents key areas in the cities of Lansing and Leavenworth, introduced three pieces of legislation into the House Commerce & Labor Committee that will increase the cost of Workers Compensation for all of our members, including businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Rep. Ruff did not confer with, or provide notice to, this Chamber of Commerce or any other business or economic development organization within her district on the bills. The bills introduced by Rep. Ruff, if passed, are estimated by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce to increase Workers Comp costs by 20% to 25% for Kansas businesses. They would alter the fundamental character of current Kansas Workers Compensation law. These bills are fundamentally flawed. They will die in committee. Rep. Ruff says they will go nowhere. But why introduce them? We suggest you call (785-296-7647), email (ruff@house.state.ks.us) or write Rep. Ruff and express your disappointment in her anti-business legislative initiatives.