Author: Bob Weeks
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Tax costs block progress in Kansas
If we in Kansas and Wichita wonder why our economic growth is slow and our economic development programs don’t seem to be producing results, there is now data to answer the question why: Our tax costs are high — way too high.
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Wichita’s bailout culture
The Wichita City Council will consider a bailout of a real estate development. If the council takes this action, it is just one more step in a series of bailouts granted by the city, and it sets up expectations that the city will continue bailouts, creating a severe climate of moral hazard.
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Wichita teacher labor kerfuffle illustrates the problem
A dispute over teacher working conditions in USD 259, the Wichita public school district, provides a window into the workings of the public school system and its problems. There is a way out, but it’s not happening in Kansas.
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Intrust Bank Arena finances: The worst news is hidden
The true state of the finances of the Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita are not often a subject of public discussion. Arena boosters promote a revenue-sharing arrangement between the county and the arena operator, referring to this as profit or loss. But this arrangement is not an accurate and complete accounting, and hides the…
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Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Wednesday April 25, 2012
Today: Income growth in Kansas and Sedgwick County; Tax reform is needed in Kansas; Protect us from onion prices; Silencing ALEC; TSA in Wichita, and in general; An extra comma; If I wanted America to fail.
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Regulation for the sake of business
There are many examples of how the conventional wisdom regarding regulation is wrong, That wisdom being Republicans and conservatives are in bed with government, seeking to unshackle business from the burden of government regulation. Democrats and liberals, on the other hand, are busily crafting regulations to protect the middle class from the evils of big…
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In Kansas, tax reform is about job creation
Two groups working to create a more competitive economic environment in Kansas are Americans for Prosperity, Kansas and Kansas Policy Institute. Their video commercial from earlier this year that explains the urgent situation in Kansas is below.
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Rich States, Poor States 2012 edition released
This month American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released the fifth edition of Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index. As in the past, Kansas performs in the middle of the pack in one measure, below average in another, with little or no progress achieved in making Kansas competitive with other states.
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In Kansas, STAR bonds vote uplifted cronyism over capitalism
In Kansas, many purportedly fiscally conservative members of the House and Senate voted to uplift cronyism over capitalism by extending the STAR bonds program.
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Intentions and results
When thinking about government policies, we must be extremely careful to distinguish between intentions and results, says Professor Don Boudreaux in a short video.
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Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday April 23, 2012
Today: Proclamations for this week; American Exceptionalism to be topic; Taxpayer-funded lobbying; Kansas Policy Institute advertisement. Wichita Eagle editorial board.