The pledge and limiting Kansas tax growth has once again created controversy. Lieutenant Governor Gary Sherrer opposed the tax pledge in an exchange of editorials between KTN's Karl Peterjohn, state Rep. Dave Gregory, and Sedgwick County Commissioner Bill Hancock in June and July of this year which appeared in the Wichita Eagle. Peterjohn and Gregory supported the pledge while Sherrer and Hancock are opposed. Gregory and Hancock are not seeking reelection this year while Sherrer's term of office does not expire until 2003. Hancock was unsuccessful in removing the property tax lid in Sedgwick County in 1997 while Lt. Gov. Sherrer was part of the Graves' administra-tions success in raising gasoline taxes in Kansas in 1999 by over 22 percent.
Taxes remain an important issue at both the state and federal races.