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Letters
LEVELING THE FIELD
On a number of occasions I have agreed with Jack Cashill
but was shocked to read his column “Why the next Governor of Kansas
will be a Democrat” in last month’s Ingram’s. While several
of Cashill’s claims are flat out wrong, for the record I specifically
want to correct and clarify two major issues.
First, the tobacco settlement. The truth is, as a result of General Stovall’s
lawsuit, Kansas will receive $1.6 billion (yes, that’s a “b”)
from the tobacco industry, at ABSOLUTELY NO COST to Kansas taxpayers.
General Stovall filed the suit on behalf of Kansans for two main reasons:
to recover Medicaid expenses associated with smoking related illness in
Kansas and to reduce the number of children smoking in Kansas. When the
lawsuit was filed in August 1996, no one believed Kansas or any state
would recover a dime from the tobacco industry, because at that time the
industry had never paid any judgment to any plaintiff!
General Stovall did not “award” the Entz and Chanay law firm
any money, as Mr. Cashill indicated. Entz and Chanay was the ONLY firm
that would agree to take the case on pure contingency-accepting whatever
amount, set by a three-member arbitration panel. Furthermore, their fee
did not reduce the amount the state received by one cent. All attorney
fees associated with this lawsuit were paid by the tobacco industry from
a separate fund established as a part of the Master Settlement Agreement.
Secondly, Ingram’s readers should know the facts about the Microsoft
lawsuit. This case is pro-business. Two federal courts (comprised of judges
appointed by both Republican and Democrat presidents) have found Microsoft
to be operating an illegal monopoly. Microsoft is attempting to control
the software market, knock out any form of competition or new innovation,
and move to control other industries as well (e.g., banking and telecommunications).
Many business people in the state and nation support General Stovall’s
efforts to ensure a level playing field.
Robert T. Stephan, LLC, Attorney at Law, Lenexa, Kan.
CASHILL
RESPONDS
Steve Kraaske of The Star describes Stovall as “tarnished”
by the tobacco settlement for good reason. Consider the following account
from Ingram’s, March 1999—Where There’s Smoke…There’s
Money.
This (awarding the contract) she did without the benefit of competitive
bidding. “I don’t think the low bid is the way to choose your
lawyers,” (Stovall) told a Legislative Budget Committee in the summer
of 1997 a year after the decision was announced.
At the time of the announcement, Stovall advanced two reasons for the
choice of Entz & Chanay. The first was that the firm had expertise
in handling Medicaid reimbursement claims. That would be well and good,
retorts Tony Powell, Chair of the committee that reviews the judicial
budget, if this were a Medicaid case. But as he notes, the case actually
involves tort theory, “a totally different issue.”
According to Powell, Stovall had originally suggested that no other firm
expressed interest in the work. This too, Powell claims, is false. Hutton
& Hutton, a Wichita firm with a good deal more experience in product
liability than Entz & Chanay, was keenly interested as others might
have been had the bidding been open.
A DIFFERENT
POINT OF VIEW
I agree 100 percent with Jack Cashill’s editorial
(“Why the Next Governor of Kansas Will Be a Democrat”) in your
January 2002 issue.
Jack F. Wylie, a Concerned Citizen, Leawood, Kan.
TWO-WAY STREET
I was pleased when reading Shane Jones’
“Business Development Through Philanthropy” article in your
December 2001 issue of Ingram’s. The work of nonprofit organizations
like DeLaSalle Education Center are significanlty enhanced when for-proft
business owners discover the opportunities of being involve in the community.
More often, companies realize the marketing value of sponsorship (as discussed
in Elizabeth Alex’s “Sponsoring Teams of a Different Kind”
article) and the tax advantages of making a donation. But so much more
can be done. In the long run, a mutually beneficial partnership is much
more rewarding for both organizations. Shane Jones outlined many of these
benefits in his article. Especially in these times of tight budgets and
spending cuts, I challenge all readers to explore the countless ways your
company can offer it’s services and time to your community partners.
Jim Dougherty, Ph.D., executive director DeLaSalle Education Center
AN EVEN EXCHANGE
Each month when I read your Ingram’s, I plan to write
regarding the support you have given the Central Exchange and our members.
I send your magazines to my clients moving into Kansas City. I believe
they are good news for KC. And good stories are so important, when so
much of the other media focuses on bad news.
Thanks for being good for Kansas City. I truly enjoy Chris Becicka’s
stories, too!.
Becky Ansley
CLARIFICATION
Due to incomplete information
provided Ingram’s, two clarifications need to be made to the list
of Top 25 Construction Projects in 2001 (January ‘02 ). On the Kansas
Speedway, HNTB was the architect and engineer, and DLR Group was the consultant
architect. On the KCI Terminal Improvements, HNTB was the architectural
firm and Burns & McDonnell was the project manager.
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