One week away from what many are calling the most important election in recent history, both national and local candidates are making their cases to the public.

The cases of Kansas Senate District 13 candidates Bob Marshall, R-Fort Scott and Patty Horgan, D-Pittsburg revolve around one major argument; economics or health care.

Horgan and Marshall have found themselves disputing not only what problems need to be addressed first, but how they should be managed.

Neither candidate boasts a political background. However, both have retired from successful careers.

Horgan, 60, Pittsburg, entered early retirement about five years ago, after a 34-year employment at Regis Corporation, an international company with beauty salons, hair restoration centers and cosmetology education in 13,400 locations.

According to Horgan, her responsibilities included supervising more than 1,000 employees spread across 72 service and retail stores in the United States.

"I was a very successful executive with the company," she said.

Marshall, 70, Fort Scott, found similar success but in a very different field. He retired after 33 years as a commercial pilot with the title of regional director of flying, supervising three pilot bases; Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Kansas City International and Houston Intercontinental airports.

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Marshall's background also includes a 33-year employment in the U.S. Marine Corps from which he retired with the rank of colonel.

The Issues

While vying for the senate post, both candidates have made no secrets of their plans for the area. From the beginning of her campaign, Horgan has preached better health care, while Marshall pushes for more economic growth.

Marshall says most of Horgan's concerns for health care will be solved with better economic development.

"Economic development," said Marshall. "And the next words out of my mouth are always going to be -- U.S. Highway 69 (expansion).

"I think health care is an issue. It's an important issue. But, if you create more jobs and create better jobs, that in itself will help take care of health insurance."

Horgan says Marshall's plans for growth will take too long and the area will suffer in the mean time.

"The truth of the fact is, that by the time it (U.S. Highway 69 expansion) is completed it's going to be ten years," said Horgan. "The road is fabulous. We need it. This (Pittsburg State) is the only regent school without a four-lane highway to it. But, we have to get other industries in here. We can't wait until the road is done before we start looking for industries. We'll all be starved to death by then."

On Taxes

In 2007, a study by the National Association of Home Builders reported Kansas as the 13th highest property taxed state in the U.S.

Marshall and Horgan agreed that taxes were an issue that must be dealt with, but again found themselves arguing about how to relieve taxpayers.

"I think that we rely in the whole state of Kansas too much on property tax," said Horgan. "I'd like to see the taxes switched just a little bit.

"My projected plan is to not increase taxes," said Marshall. "I think we have the best chance at lowering property taxes. That's the one tax that I feel we have more of an opportunity to lower."

Marshall said lowering property tax is again a matter of "economic development, increasing the tax base. You've got to attract business and industry. When it (industry) comes in, you can tax them. You get the taxes there and you can lower property taxes."

Horgan suggested the tax break come from a completely different arena.

"I think the state should give a little bit more to the school system. I think we tend upon the levies for the school system way too much and I would like to see that drop just a little bit and let the state take on just a little bit more of its responsibility."

On Economic Development

Once again, Marshall and Horgan have found themselves not debating what needs to be done in promoting economic growth to the community, but how to get it done.

"My big issue is economic development," said Marshall. "To do that you have to have infrastructure. Highway 69 is the economic lifeline of Southeast Kansas. Four lanes from Overland Park to Oklahoma. We're going to have to have that to attract business and industry. If we don't develop the economy then we are going to probably lose jobs and lose people."

Marshall went on to explain that highway transportation is far from the only travel upgrades needed in the area.

"I'm not saying that this (highway 69) is going to completely solve the problems, but, you've got to have transportation whether it be (highway), rail or air," he said.

According to Marshall, a 10-year member of the Fort Scott Airport Advisory Board, there are currently two corporate jets consistently using the airport as well as nine corporate jets in Pittsburg.

"Most jets used by these corporations need at least a 5,000-foot runway," he said. "Fort Scott's runway is 4,400 feet. So, this is another area we can improve."

Horgan on the other hand would like to see the area grow in a less traditional way.

"I think we need more industry here," she said. "And, what I'd love to see is to develop a greener industry. I would love to see us get out on the front with solar panels. ... or wind turbines or something that will be here for a while. We can't continue to look at the industries that won't sustain here. We have to look at industries that will sustain for several years to come and I think that is the direction to go."

Building on foundation other than that of transportation is Horgan's suggestion for area growth.

"I think that we have to look at our strengths," she said. "And we have to build on our strengths. And we have so much going with the community that we have with Pitt State and Fort Scott Community College, it's tremendous, just tremendous. And right now, through this senate district, Labette Community College just broke ground for a welding school in Columbus. That's wonderful for ... skilled laborers. We need that.

"We need to look into the future and what businesses will sustain us the longest. We've got plenty of educational facilities around ... to make sure we have enough training for skilled workers."

On Health Care

In 2007, more than 330,000 Kansans were without access to affordable health care, according to the Census Bureau's March 2007 and 2008 Current Population Survey. That statistic translates to about 14 percent of Kansas' population being without health benefits. Possibly even more surprising is the fact that nearly 80 percent of those uninsured are steadily employed, according to the Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

Both Senate candidates recognized the current health related issues facing many Kansans and again have different solutions to the growing problem.

"I personally think we're in a health care crisis right now," said Horgan. "When I'm knocking on doors that's the No. one thing that I hear -- health care."

Horgan describes her plans to improve health coverage for the area as temporary. She said that a federal strategy needs to be put in place to solve the problem permanently.

"If you have a program where this state is better than that state," she said. "Then people are going to move and that doesn't work. I think it does need to be something consistent. Until that time I do think Kansas needs to step up and do something. I have not worked out the economics of it. But I do know that Medicare pays 30 cents on the dollar. Medicaid pays 10 cents on the dollar. Well, even a not for profit hospital can't lose money they have to break even. So, the rest of us are paying for their health care. I think there has to be some kind of a pool. Hospitalization has priced itself out of purchase power for a lot of people and even if they can afford the hospitalization -- then we've got the deductible."

Marshall agreed with Horgan, saying that the federal government's role in the state's health care dilemma is vital, but offered a different resolution.

"A lot of people say it's health insurance (the biggest issue)," said Marshall, "but if you take care of the economy, a lot of your health insurance problems are going to disappear. People who have good jobs can afford health insurance.

"This legislature is (also) looking for premium assistance for low income families -- the new federally funded Healthwave and SCHIP (State Children Health Insurance Program). I think they are a portion of the solution to the problem we have with health care. The other thing that we need to do is try to lower the cost of health care. One of the ways would be to lower the cost of expensive drugs. Now, you obviously can't just say everybody lower your prices, but there are things we can do to help."

On Education

When arguments regarding health care and economics subside, Horgan and Marshall find themselves in almost complete agreement on one topic -- Southeast Kansas has a solid educational system.

"We have a strong educational system in Kansas," said Marshall. "And, we have to maintain that educational system."

"I think we have a fabulous education system," said Horgan.

According to the Senate hopefuls, it is important the area continue its tradition of quality learning.

Marshall said education standards should be maintained high "because if people are going to bring their business to you, they want to have education that is suitable for their employees' families."

"I know in Kansas City there are a lot of people who live on the Kansas side of Kansas City," he said. "... I was one of those people."

Horgan said the district's poor status within the state has sparked a need for the area to become self reliant in the education field. She said this "hurdle" offered Southeast Kansas an opportunity to develop advanced pre-school programs.

"One of the things that we have to our advantage in Crawford and Cherokee (Counties) is the Children's Advocacy Center," she said. "It starts training children when they are very young. We are seeing the results in grade schools from this program already. It's been in place for 11 years and they can already tell the difference in the behavior of some of these children from what they are doing at the center. I personally feel that's were it needs to start."

With the availability of quality education in Kansas, both candidates said one area they will be watching is school spending.

"I think what we really have to do is just watch our spending closely so we can get the most money, the most good, out of every dollar spent so that most of the dollar can go into the classroom were it's going be more beneficial," said Horgan.

"The educators have to be good stewards of the money that's allocated to them," added Marshall. "Our children and our grandchildren are our future."

On Voting

Horgan and Marshall agreed on one additional point surrounding Nov. 4's general election -- the importance of voting.

Both described the election as "very important" for local communities and the nation as a whole. They encouraged all registered voters to use their voice in the upcoming election.

Notes: Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac, who currently holds the seat of Kansas District 13 Senator, announced in June that he would not seek re-election.

Healthwave and SCHIP are federal programs designed to assist families in insuring children of low incomes who do not qualify for Medicaid.