Manhattan Mercury 4/2/2006 10:00:49 AM

Strawn to seek Carlin's House seat

Bill Felber Executive Editor

A retired businessman became the first declared candidate for the local 2006 legislative ballot Friday. Robert Strawn said he will seek the Republican nomination for the 66th District seat currently held by Democrat Sydney Carlin.

Strawn, an Army veteran who moved here two years ago, said he hopes to unify conservative and moderate elements of the party behind his candidacy. Carlin, who is serving her second term in the Kansas House, has not declared her intentions to date, but is expected to file for a third term.

The 66th House District generally includes the eastern half of the city of Manhattan, but that is only a loose description. Its southern boundary is Poyntz Avenue, and its western boundary wanders at various points along Anderson, Browning, Seth Child and College.

Strawn said he wants to make the campaign "a policy debate about issues that affect peoples' everyday lives — like taxes, jobs and education." He called for economic development pegged to "great schools, an educated populace and low taxes."

He said he would champion the restructuring of governmental structure, calling for ''a BRAC-type commission to look at how Kansas (state and local government) is organized.'' If the state's governmental structure — largely fashioned in the 19th century — doesn't serve current public interest, he said, ''we should fix it.''

He also called for a reduction in regulations that limit the ability of state agencies to operate effectively, and called for proper maintenance and funding of schools.

A long-time manager at Chevron, he also worked as business director for an aircraft de-icing firm before retiring and moving to Manhattan. He chairs the Rotary Club's youth exchange program, and holds a seat on the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce's public affairs committee. He was recently appointed to the city's Human Rights and Services Board.

All 125 of the House seats will be up for election this year. Those of local interest include Carlin's as well as State Rep. Tom Hawk, who represents the part of the city that is not in Carlin's district plus some surrounding townships.

In 2004, Carlin defeated Republican Paul Barkey, winning about 54 percent of the vote.