By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Wichita businessman and Republican candidate for Governor Wink Hartman stopped in Hays Thursday as part of a 12-stop campaign kickoff event.
Hartman, who is known for his business ventures that include oil and gas exploration and production, banking, entertainment, and restaurants, said he is “the outsider” in the race to replace Governor Sam Brownback in 2018.
“I am a businessman, and obviously I am not career politician,” Hartman said, “The only thing I have ever done, for many decades, has been the CEO and run many companies.”
Hartman touted his ability to create jobs while at American Shooters Thursday, saying he has, “created thousands of jobs over the years in Kansas.”
“I have a pretty good idea on how to go about it and what it means to achieve actually creating a job,” Hartman said, “Unfortunately politicians talk it and they can’t do it.”
Hartman said the tax policy championed by Governor Sam Brownback and conservatives in the Kansas Legislature was a “good policy” but the “implementation was terrible.”
“In any business, just like the gun shop we’re in here,” Hartman said, “Any business that knows they’re going to have less revenue coming in, they immediately better start to figure out how to spend less money.”
He said the Legislature continued spending money the state did not have and failed to find areas where the government could become more efficient.
“If you’re going to spend money, wasteful spending, and you’re going to increase spending on top of the wasteful spending, you’re doomed to failure, and that’s exactly what happened in Kansas,” Hartman said.
Hartman gave the example of about $17 million worth of computer equipment that was bought by the administration that is now stored in the basement of the Docking Building. The equipment was never used. The Topeka Capital Journal said the equipment was abandoned in favor of outsourcing.
He also suggested combining cell phone contracts and other services, similar to the way his business does and then request a bid from companies to get a better price.
By paying bills on time, according to Hartman, the state could save between $30 million and $50 million. Those savings have been presented in different studies on government inefficiencies.
Hartman estimated it would take two years to eliminate inefficiencies if he were elected governor, but he said the governor needs to lead.
“The governor is responsible to run the state, so you have to be the leader, be inclusive and you bring the legislators in” Hartman said. “You have to look them in the eye and explain the vision you have for the state.”
Hartman said, “Some are going to buy in, some aren’t going to buy in, but at least we have a common ground to know where I’m going.”
He was also critical of the $293 million approved by the Legislature during this past session for school funding.
Much of that money he believes, will be absorbed by school administrators and spent on construction projects that are not needed.
“The money needs to be put in the classroom, and history tells from past it is not in the classroom, but it gets filtered into many other areas that does nothing for my children or grandchildren,” Hartman said.
Hartman said that teachers need to be held accountable, and the teachers who are outstanding need to be better compensated. A view he says the Kansas teacher’s union – The Kansas National Education Association – does not share.
He also said he supports vocational-technical schools. He pointed to the need for welders across the state and said Salina is looking to fill 1,000 jobs and a company in Concordia is in need over 40 welders.
Hartman during his tour across Kansas also stopped in Colby, Pratt, Garden City and Parsons.