Rural clout at the capitol: with the growing number of urban districts, rural legislators are forming caucuses to unite behind their common concerns.

• Author: Farquhar, Doug

The simple life. The open spaces. The quaint towns. The rural attraction. But they come at a cost. Fewer services. Lack of health care. Consolidated schools. No Internet service. Lack of jobs. Low incomes.

And as urban areas grow, people who chose the rural life have less representation in the state capitol. Maryland Senator Mac Middleton, for example, is the last full-time farmer left in his legislature.

"Rural Maryland is losing clout to the urban centers," he says. "Every election a few more delegates came in from Baltimore and suburban counties, and fewer from rural ones."

Across the country in Arizona, Senator Jake Flake sees the same trend. "Seventy-eight percent of the population lives in Maricopa (Phoenix) or Pima (Tucson) counties; the other 22 percent have little voice within the Legislature," he says.

That leaves legislators like Middleton and Flake without much support to solve the problems facing rural areas.

"Some rural areas are in worse shape than inner cities," says Kansas Senator Steve Morris, who ranches in southwestern Kansas. "The economy is weak, crime is up, education is substandard and health care often doesn't exist."

Compounding the situation, says Senator Middleton, is the fact that constituents from rural areas tend to be advocates of limited government and resist any kind of state spending that could help. But that's exactly what is needed, he says.

"If Texas is to survive in the 21st century, rural areas must find innovative ways to endure," says Representative Robby Cook.

NEED TO ENLIGHTEN

From New York to California legislators are forming caucuses to lend a voice to rural concerns. Legislators like Senator Middleton and Senator Flake organized their rural colleagues to discuss bills and policies that affect rural areas. Through their caucuses, they educate city legislators about life in the countryside, and the needs of constituents.

"The biggest job of the caucus is teaching the urban legislators about living in rural areas," says Flake.

Beyond just promoting agriculture, these caucuses are discussing issues such as the lack of health care and social services, a weakening tax base, water needs, housing costs and economic development-the major concerns facing rural America.

In Arizona, water is the lifeblood of both agriculture and cities, and Senator Flake knew that if farming interests fought against urban growth needs, the farmers would lose.

"The Rural Caucus was able to enlighten urban legislators about...