Berger weighs Senate bid

By Lauren Rust

Former HCC president Dr. Ed Berger may be running for state Senate against Sen. Terry Bruce, R-Hutchinson.
On Sept. 28, Berger spoke at the MOD Squad meeting here on campus about possibly running for Senate and took questions from the audience.
MOD squad is Moderation for Our Democracy, an organization looking for change in Kansas; they are hoping that Berger is that change.
If elected, Berger would represent Reno and Kingman counties.
Berger welcomed questions from the audience. “I will always stay with my constituents,” he said.
Berger was asked many questions during the meeting, all of which had to do with issues that are pressing Kansas.
The first question was how he was looking to improve our fiscal condition.
Berger’s response was that there was an imbalance in tax structure and that sales tax needs to be reserved for local issues, for example, when we voted to enhance the Sports Arena.
The next question was concerning businesses that are receiving tax breaks, but are not pulling through and creating more jobs or giving employees extra benefits with the money.
Berger was not sure about what to do on this issue and suggested that it be dealt with business by business, instead of as a whole.

The next question was very broad, but was what everyone in the room wanted to know the answer to. “What skill set could you bring?” Berger said that he may not know everything about politics, but he did care about the people in Reno and Kingman counties.
He said he will always answer a phone call showing a 620 area code. He also promises to come back to local communities and ask if anyone has any questions or complaints.
Many people in the audience were wondering if his voice would be heard at all since if he was elected, he would be a freshman senator.
“My voice will be heard,” he said. Berger also spoke of compromise and how it will play a large role if he is elected to the Kansas Senate.
Berger ended the night on a strong note, which pleased many people. “I might not always please you,” he said, “but I will always try to make things better for you.”
While Berger may not be sure whether or not he is running for Senate, he already has supporters hoping that he will be the change that they want to see in Kansas.

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