Author: Bob Weeks
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Fact checking Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer
Last week Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer appeared on the KPTS Television public affairs program Impact to discuss his recent State of the City Address for 2012. While the mayor didn’t say much that is factually incorrect, examining some of his statement in a larger context is a valuable exercise.
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Wichita HOME program has negative consequences
The Wichita City Council will consider a program designed to boost the sale of newly-constructed homes. While this program was undoubtedly developed with good intentions, government intervention almost always has many other effects other than the desired effect. Unfortunately, many of these unintended consequences have a negative impact, often far exceeding the good that the…
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Fact checking a Wichita Ambassador Hotel “Vote Yes” mailer
Claims made by supporters of a special tax rebate for the Wichita Ambassador Hotel don’t withstand scrutiny.
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Kansas Bioscience Authority hearings, day 2
At the second day of testimony regarding a forensic audit of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, a representative of Kansas Governor Sam Brownback was strongly critical of the audit itself, and also of the Board of Directors of KBA. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Dale A. Rodman, who oversaw the audit process on behalf of the Brownback…
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No-bid contracts a problem in Wichita
Wichita Eagle reporting uncovers a problem with no-bid contracts for construction projects in Wichita. This revelation illustrates these things: a Wichita City Council almost totally captured by special interests, crony capitalism on steroids, and another example of why Wichita and Kansas need pay-to-play laws.
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Fracking movie proposed
Filmmakers Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer produced the 2009 film “Not Evil Just Wrong” that uncovered the myths and misinformation spread by radical environmental extremists. Now the two have looked at fracking and hope to produce a documentary film on this topic.
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For the Ambassador Hotel in Wichita: 8 or 9 government subsidy programs?
Supporters of a guest tax rebate program for Wichita’s Ambassador Hotel don’t tell you that the vote on February 28th concerns only one of the potential nine taxpayer-funded government subsidy programs designed for the hotel.
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Kansas needs pay-to-play laws
In Wichita, campaign contributions made to city council candidates often are not about supporting political ideologies — liberal, moderate, or conservative. It’s about opportunists seeking money from government. Pay-to-play laws can help control this harmful practice.
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Market solutions best for Wichita
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer wants to double down on economic development strategies that have produced very little good.
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Wichita Chamber of Commerce
Most people probably think that local chambers of commerce, since their membership is mostly business firms, support pro-growth policies that embrace limited government and free markets. But that’s not the case in Wichita.
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Wichita Ambassador Hotel information sheet
Tax Fairness for All Wichitans has an information sheet available to help Wichitans learn more about the February 28th election regarding the Ambassador Hotel guest tax rebate.
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Carl Brewer: State of the City for Wichita, 2012
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer delivers his State of the City Address for 2012.