Category: Kansas state government
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The Cronyism of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius
The Kansas Meadowlark has a post holding links to “articles written from Jan. 2005 through March 2009 about how Gov. Sebelius helped her political friends, appointed her donors to state boards, judicial nominating commissions, district courts, and even the Kansas Supreme Court.” It’s okay for an elected official to appoint friends, but with friends like…
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Is a “Super Highway 54” needed from Kingman to Pratt?
Here’s a submission from Jerry Winkelman of Wichita. We’re fortunate to have him as a watchdog to keep an eye on things. Friends are calling about destruction of our formerly picturesque Highway 54 from Kingman to Pratt. Historically this road from Wichita through Pratt to Greensburg was known as the old Cannonball Stagecoach Road. Later,…
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Passage of budget stabilization bills indicates broad support for state savings account
The free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity-Kansas released the following statement in response to Senate passage of a budget stabilization fund. “AFP has been advocating for the passage of a budget stabilization fund since its inception,” said AFP-Kansas state director Derrick Sontag. “It’s encouraging that our legislators see the importance of establishing a rainy day…
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Kansas Governor in 2010
Larry Sabato of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia has a great website and accompanying email newsletter. In its own words: “Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball features analyses of presidential elections, Senate, House and gubernatorial races.” Here’s what he has to say about the gubernatorial race in Kansas next year: KANSAS —…
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How does Kansas fare in freedom, compared to other states?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University has just published a fascinating paper that ranks the states in several areas regarding freedom. According to the authors, “This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres.”
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Kansas minimum wage: wrong questions
A recent letter in the Wichita Eagle asks these questions: “Who would work for $2.65 an hour? State legislators don’t get paid much, that is true. But would they work for $2.65 an hour? Would they send their sons or daughters to a job that paid that little?” These questions are intended to stir up…
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South Central Kansas Legislative Meeting a Disappointment
On Saturday March, 14, a meeting of the south central Kansas legislative delegation was held at the Marcus Center of Wichita State University. This meeting was a disappointment for several reasons. First, at its maximum, nine legislators attended. This is a poor rate of attendance. At the meeting in January, about 22 legislators attended. About…
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Earl Watkins, Sunflower Chief Executive, speaks at AFP event
Earl Watkins, President and CEO of Sunflower Electric Power Corporation recently spoke to a group of citizen activists as part of AFP – Kansas Day at the Capitol. Here’s a few notes from his talk.
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Kansas Smoking Ban Conflicts Wichita’s
Here’s a letter the Wichita Eagle printed from Wichita businessman Craig Gabel. There are many reasons to oppose more smoking bans. The posts Testimony Opposing Kansas Smoking Ban, Haze Surrounds Wichita Smoking Ban, Property Rights Should Control Kansas Smoking Decisions, and It?s Not the Same as Pee In the Swimming Pool supply some background. The…
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Legislative forum tomorrow
Here’s a post by the Wichita Eagle’s Deb Gruver about a legislative forum to be held tomorrow. In my experience, these can be useful meetings for citizens to attend. To find the Marcus Center, click here to view WSU’s page for it and a map. Members of the south-central Kansas area legislative delegation will be…
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We really don’t know what Kansas taxes should be — except lower
Today’s edition of the Kansas Jackass blog has a post written by Jason Croucher that criticizes Americans For Prosperity because the group doesn’t like taxes. That’s not quite accurate, as Croucher himself says he doesn’t like paying taxes. Instead, the post seems to argue that we have to pay taxes because they’re there, and we…
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More support for Proposition K in Kansas
About the only people who don’t like Proposition K are people dependent on government for their revenues. Here, a press release from the Flint Hills Center for Public Policy tells of two organizations who have endorsed Proposition K. There may be some who note that these two organizations, being involved in the real estate business,…