Category: Kansas state government
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Kansas economic expert to speak in Wichita
This week Dr. Art Hall will appear twice in Wichita. Hall is the Director of the Center for Applied Economics at the Kansas University School of Business. Hall has performed extensive research on the Kansas economy, and has produced a number of reports that have generated controversy, largely for their blunt assessment of the situation…
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Brownback appointments a mixed bag
Incoming Kansas governor Sam Brownback has made some appointments to his economic team. Two of the appointments illustrate why Kansans need to maintain a cautious watch on Brownback as he takes over the governor’s office. A third gives us hope that the Kansas budget can be fully understood and managed.
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KansasOpenGov.org provides state data to citizens
KansasOpenGov.org provides an easy-to-access repository of data about Kansas state and local governments, giving citizens the data they need to hold officials accountable.
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Kansas budget examined
Kansas tax revenue is increasing, but significant budgetary challenges remain to be solved as the legislature prepares to begin its session.
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Kansas election was about taxes, spending
Winning candidates in the recent Kansas elections had the winning message of reducing spending and taxes, writes Derrick Sontag of Americans for Prosperity.
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Kansas House of Representatives, a bloodbath for Democrats
Before yesterday’s election, conservatives in Kansas hopefully thought it might be possible to gain a working majority in the Kansas House of Representatives. The surprising result was a conservative wave larger than any election observer could have foreseen.
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Kansas ranks low, says Tax Foundation
New rankings published by the Tax Foundation indicate that the business tax climate in Kansas is poor. Kansas ranks 35th among the 50 states, just 15 spots from the bottom. In last year’s ranking, Kansas placed 32nd, so our state is slipping relative to other states.
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Kansas Statehouse renovations examined
The restoration of the Kansas Statehouse was featured on a recent episode of Sunflower Journeys. While providing an interesting look at the history of the stonecarvings on the building’s exterior, the show made a mistaken argument about the economics of the project.
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Kansas restrictive covenants eased regarding political yard signs
It’s common for neighborhoods to have restrictive covenants that prohibit homeowners from placing any signs in their yard, except for signs advertising homes for sale. But a 2008 Kansas law overrides these restrictive covenants to allow for the placement of small political yard signs starting 45 days before an election. Still, residents of covenant neighborhoods…
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In Wichita and Kansas, economic development is not working
The effort of Wichita and Kansas to retain Hawker Beechcraft, one of our leading employers and a Wichita institution, provides a lesson in the futility of corporate welfare as an economic development policy: Someone is usually willing to pay more. We would be much better off if we start transforming Kansas to a state where…
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Kansas spending should be cut, not frozen
A recent Wichita Eagle editorial, “Freeze means big cuts,” said gubernatorial candidate Sam Brownback’s intention to freeze state spending would cause big cuts in services by not replacing federal stimulus money. The unspoken presumptions one must accept to make that leap are (1) every government program and service is essential and (2) every program and…
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Kansas judicial retention elections
Today’s Wichita Eagle contains an article about Kansas Supreme Court Justices and their retention elections. These elections, where voters are asked whether a judge should remain a member of the court, represent the primary way that ordinary Kansans participate in the selection of who sits on our state’s highest court and appeals court.