Author: Bob Weeks
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Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday August 29, 2011
Today: Wichita City Council; Government and business; Developer welfare shop opened; ‘Kansans United’ formed; Kansas education summit; No Wichita Pachyderm this week; Myths of capitalism.
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Greenpeace and allies again attack Koch Industries
Last week saw the release of two reports criticizing Koch Industries for its opposition to heavy-handed regulation of the chemical industry.
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Guitar makers and players targeted by onerous laws
Today the Wall Street Journal reports again on startling examples of overcriminalization, with federal authorities conducting raids on businesses based on aggressive enforcement of broad and vague laws.
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For Wichita’s Project Downtown, goal keeps slipping
In selling a plan for the revitalization of downtown Wichita, promoters started with a promise of much private investment for just a little public investment. But as the plan proceeded, the goal kept slipping, and the first project to be approved under the final plan will probably not come close to meeting even the modest…
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KNEA: Let’s just raise taxes
For KNEA, the Kansas National Education Association and our state’s teachers union, the solution to all problems is as simple as raising taxes and hoping the union’s critics will stop talking.
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In Wichita, historic preservation tax credits an inefficient form of developer welfare
As part of the subsidy plan for Douglas Place, a downtown Wichita hotel being proposed, developers plan to make extensive use of historic preservation tax credits to fund their project. This form of developer welfare, besides being inefficient, is largely hidden from public view.
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At Wichita city council, another junket authorized
The Wichita City Council approves expenses for a trip of dubious value.
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Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday August 22, 2011
Today: How not to grow an economy; Son of TARP; Wichita City Council; Critique of Keynesian policies; Junior Kansas legislators to speak.
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Contrary to Buffet, government spending is not good
Recently wealthy investor Warren Buffet has been in the news for his advocacy of higher taxes. But is government — politics, in other words — the best way to allocate resources?
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Intrust Bank Arena depreciation expense ignored
Reports that income earned by the Intrust Bank Arena is down sharply has brought the arena’s finances back into the news. The arena, located in downtown Wichita and owned by Sedgwick County, is deemed to be a success by the county and arena boosters based on “profit” figures generated during its first year of operations.…
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Pay-to-play laws are needed in Wichita and Kansas
In the wake of scandals, some states and cities have passed “pay-to-play” laws. These laws often prohibit political campaign contributions by those who seek government contracts, or the laws may impose special disclosure requirements. But Wichita and Kansas have no such laws.