In the 18th House District, incumbent John Rubin and Shawnee City Councilman Neal Sawyer are competing in the Republican primary election Tuesday.

The winner will face Democrat Milack Talia in the election Nov. 6.

Sawyer, who has lived in Shawnee for almost 40 years, said school funding is the most pertinent issue facing his district.

The grandfather of three Shawnee Mission students said he would absolutely support an increase to the percentage of local option budget authority allowed school districts under current law, even though it could result in higher property taxes.

He thinks the increase would be vital in helping each school district in Kansas get back on their feet.

Not only does Sawyer want to see the schools flourish to provide quality education, but he thinks preserving the top-notch schools in Kansas will encourage businesses to transfer to the state, creating more jobs.

“We definitely need to work on bringing more jobs and businesses to Kansas,” he said. “I know it’s an easy statement to make, but everyone has to work hand-in-hand. We should look into what rebates or incentives we can offer to businesses which are looking to relocate.”

He also wants to help balance sales, income, and property taxes in the fairest way.

“We need to review the current tax plan to bring more balance and fairness without creating a massive deficit or hardship to the citizens,” said Sawyer. “I plan to seek ways to work with fellow legislators to develop ideas for effective solutions to these problems that face us.”

Rubin said he is running for re-election to continue his fight for a pro-growth and pro-business agenda that will revitalize the Kansas economy and increase jobs.

His goals include major tax reform, reduction and eventual elimination of the state income tax and preventing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Kansas.

“With regard to income tax reform, I am a supply-sider, because history and current economic realities show that restraint in government spending coupled with tax cuts, especially in income taxes, work to stimulate the economy, grow jobs and expand the tax base and thus revenues every time they are tried,” Rubin said. “Notably, nine of the 10 states that have fared best and created the most jobs during the recent recession have no state income tax. We simply must stop punishing and economically damaging the job creators in our society — especially small businesses — with ever higher taxes and layers of government regulation and the economic uncertainty they create.”

He cites Obamacare as the single most economically harmful anti-business legislation passed by Congress in modern times.

The attorney from Shawnee said he plans to support the Health Care Freedom Amendment, which will allow Kansans to vote on whether the health care law should be implemented in the state.

He would also like to replace the law with a state-sponsored health care reform, which would allow individuals to buy their preferred health insurance across state lines, creating heightened competition and lower health care costs.