By Tom Ryan, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

State elected officials, appointed officials and bureaucrats face a very bleak year when budgets require deep trimming and lobbyists have smaller pockets. This coming year, with an election and a budget war, State officials will scurry for scraps of cash. But good things could happen.

This is the time for creative people to enter politics. Lean times like this, when bare necessities become clearer and more valuable, drive innovation because the old way is no longer possible. So while old-style politicians will still chase fat checks, new younger politicians, or even a few oldsters will leverage new ways of engaging with voters.

This will be a time when the incumbents will be battle weary from budget bashings. Some will even see their Waterloo in this bleak winter ahead. Budget cuts will drive bureaucrat personnel cuts. The combined dynamics of budget crisis and campaign fund-raising will show us very quickly who has the mettle, and who needs to find the door.

New style candidates will define their new style by engaging with voters without dipping into their pockets. New style candidates will listen to lobbyists but refuse the checks. We may not see any paper related to this new style, as new style politicians will define and spread their messages on our information networks, wired and wireless.

Serving public servants have a tough job ahead and in the public interest we should wish them well in their two-front struggle of budgeteering and campaigning. For those entering the realm of public service, it’s a new day and both Parties know it.