Voice For Liberty

Category: Kansas state government

  • Kansas ranks low in economic competitiveness, but is improving

    American Legislative Exchange Council has released a report titled Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index.

    In this report, states are ranked on 15 policy factors that influence economic growth and competitiveness. The difference between the good and bad states is shocking in some cases. For example, over the past ten years the ten highest-ranked states had population growth of 20.4%. The ten lowest-ranked states grew by 4.4%.

    In a table titled “ALEC-Laffer State Economic Performance Index: 1997-2007” Kansas ranks 42nd. It’s a historical measure, taking into account what’s happened in the past.

    Fortunately for Kansas, things are looking better. Our state’s “Economic Outlook Rank” is 24. That’s an increase from 29 the year before.

    Some of the factors that produced this relatively favorable rating include “remaining tax burden,” which seems to be the taxes to pay other than personal income tax, corporate income tax, property tax, and sales tax. Kansas ranks about average or worse than average on these factors, but well compared to other states on the remaining taxes.

    Also, “recently legislated tax changes” is a good measure for Kansas. This undoubtedly refers to some of the business taxes that are being phased out in Kansas. Spending lobbies such as the Kansas National Education Association want to eliminate or roll back these tax cuts, however.

    A measure where Kansas ranks very poorly is “public employees per 10,000 population.” Kansas ranks 48 among the states in this measure. We’ve known that during the Kathleen Sebelius administration that Kansas job growth has been greatest in the government sector, and here’s evidence of that.

    Besides the rankings, the report contains a useful section titled “The 10 Principles of Effective Taxation.”

    The report may be viewed by clicking on Rich States, Poor States:ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index. A press release announcing the report is at New Report Shows Path to Economic Recovery for States.

  • 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 hers, freedom-loving Kansans have plenty of enemies.

    Read the entire story by clicking on Sebelius’ Cronyism.

  • 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, in the 1930’s, Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged planting a forest of shelter belts along major Kansas highways including Highways 54 and 50, to fight dust storms and provide habitat for wild animals.

    So on Thursday, March 19th, I visited the portion of Highway 54 between Kingman and Pratt where construction is currently underway. Frankly I was shocked and sickened by what I saw. This formerly picturesque Highway 54 roadway is being scraped flat by giant earth movers. The eighty year old Eleanor Roosevelt shelter belts along Highway 54 are being destroyed and burned in huge bonfires by KDOT contractors. Giant earth movers are clawing their way through the ancient Ninnescah River alluvial wetlands along Highway 54 east of Cunningham.

    What’s going on? Highway 54 is being replaced by a dual lane, limited access, super-sized Interstate Highway from Wichita to El Paso, Texas. And from El Paso, across the Rio Grande River to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

    I talked to many people in the towns of Kingman, Cunningham, Pratt and folks along the way. I received the same reaction from all. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is building this super-sized Interstate Highway for, I’m told, some 100 million dollars in Kansas taxes. And for what reason? This new super interstate highway is universally not wanted by the central Kansas people it is supposedly being built to serve. Even more amazing, it’s being paid for by Kansas taxpayers at a time when Governor Sebelius said our state government can’t afford to pay its employees or properly fund the Kansas public school system.

    Now, why is this giant Kansas “bridge to nowhere” being built? Kansas and Oklahoma have plenty of interstate highways to serve this interstate traffic. No one knows.

    Does the amount of traffic on this section of Highway 54 warrant this expensive high level improvement? Definitely not. I stopped along Highway 54 near the Byron Walker wildlife area west of Kingman during the 4 to 5 PM “rush hour.” There were moments when I couldn’t see a moving vehicle for five miles in either direction.

    Frankly I’m just beginning to ask questions about this mis-designed, mis-guided highway project.

    What needs to be done? First of all … immediately stop this $100,000,000.33 boondoggle before more damages are done to the Kansas environment and southern Kansas countryside with a huge amount of our Kansas tax dollars.

    Improvements to Highway 54 are needed as are improvements to most Kansas highways and bridges. However, the huge extent of this improvement is definitely not warranted. Whoever is sponsoring this giant government pork barrel project needs to come out of hiding and explain why this waste of our Kansas tax dollars.

  • Passage of budget stabilization bills indicates broad support for state savings account

    From Americans For Prosperity – Kansas. This law is a good idea.

    TOPEKA – 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 fund to help our state weather economic downturns.

    “The House and Senate have approved different versions of the budget stabilization fund, with the Senate including a constitutional amendment in its bill. Both measures passed by wide margins, which indicates broad support for this legislation.

    “We look forward to ongoing discussions in both chambers to reach a compromise, and encourage the Legislature to approve a final bill prior to adjournment.

    “The concept of creating a savings account is not one that is new to Kansans. As individuals we plan and prepare for times of hardship, and it’s not unreasonable to expect our state government to do the same.”

  • 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 — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS), to be succeeded shortly by Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson (D-KS): PROBABLE OPEN SEAT. This contest is in flux on the Democratic side, which in this case helps the GOP. Two-term Governor Sebelius has been popular but had to retire after she reached the two-term limit in 2010. She might have run for the Senate seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (R)–who is leaving to run for Governor. But Sebelius recently accepted the nomination of President Obama to be his Secretary of Health and Human Services. As her successor as Governor, Sebelius had wanted to help her lieutenant governor, Mark Parkinson, who switched from the Republican party to run with her as a Democrat in 2006. But Parkinson earlier decided not to run for Governor, leaving state Treasurer Dennis McKinney (D) as the possible nominee. Now Parkinson will become Governor, and he is under renewed pressure to run for the Democrats in 2010. Surprisingly, Parkinson still says he won’t run, and one suspects it is because he knows how difficult it will be for any Democrat to defeat Brownback. Brownback easily won his 1996, 1998, and 2004 contests for Senate, though he has a primary challenge from Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh (R). The critical unknown is the identity of the new Democratic lieutenant governor, to be appointed by Gov. Parkinson. He or she could end up being the Democratic candidate for Governor in 2010. LEANS REPUBLICAN TURNOVER.

  • 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.”

    What is the philosophical basis for measuring or determining freedom? Here’s an explanation from the introduction:

    We explicitly ground our conception of freedom on an individual rights framework. In our view, individuals should be allowed to dispose of their lives, liberties, and property as they see fit, so long as they do not infringe on the rights of others. This understanding of freedom follows from the natural-rights liberal thought of John Locke, Immanuel Kant, and Robert Nozick, but it is also consistent with the rights-generating rule-utilitarianism of Herbert Spencer and others.

    It’s something that Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius wouldn’t understand. At least she doesn’t want to trust us with these freedoms.

    According to the authors, “No current studies exist that measure both economic and personal freedom in the fifty states.” So this is a ground-breaking work.

    How does Kansas do? Surprisingly, not too badly. Not outstanding, but not as bad as I might have thought.

    For the four areas measured, here’s how we did: In fiscal policy, Kansas is 28. In regulatory policy, 4. In economic freedom, 18. In personal freedom, 15. (In all cases, a ranking of 1 means the most freedom.)

    Our overall ranking is 12.

    Some of our neighbors do pretty well in the overall ranking. Colorado is 2, Texas is 5, Missouri is 6, and Oklahoma is 18.

    Nebraska is not as good at 28.

    In case you’re wondering, for overall ranking, New Hampshire is best. The worst? It’s no surprise that it’s New York by a wide margin, with New Jersey, Rhode Island, California, and Maryland rounding out the bottom five.

    The full study contains discussion of the politics surrounding these rankings, and a narrative discussion of the factors present in each state.

    You may read the entire study by clicking on Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom.

  • 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 sympathy for low-wage workers in Kansas. It is, indeed, not a good situation when someone has such low productivity that they can’t command a very high wage.

    But passing a law can’t fix that.

    A related comment left on this blog asks these questions that help answer those above: “What do business owners do when their costs go up? They pass the increase along to consumers.”

    This is not necessarily true, however. If business owners felt they could increase their prices, they would do so now, and earn greater profits. Generally, when prices are increased, sales go down. Demand for labor may decrease, too, and that’s a big problem for workers.

    The writer claims that the 20,000 Kansans presently working for the Kansas minimum wage will have their lot improved if Kansas raises its minimum wage. That will be true for those who keep their jobs. Undoubtedly some, perhaps many, will lose their jobs. It would be a miracle if that didn’t happen.

    The writer also asks “Why not let the poor have more money?”

    This is a wrong question again. I don’t think anyone is against “letting” people have money. But for sustainability, wages have to be earned.

    I’m sure this writer is genuine in his concern for law-wage workers in Kansas. Fixing this problem, however, requires steps that are harder to take than simply passing a law.

    One way to increase workers’ productivity is through education. Unfortunately, there is ample evidence that our public education system is failing badly. Even President Obama said so last week, although his prescriptions for fixing schools don’t go far enough.

    Capital may be a dirty word to some. But as the economist Walter E. Williams asks, what is the answer this question: who earns the higher wage: a man digging a ditch with a shovel, or a man digging a ditch using a power backhoe? The difference is that the man with the backhoe is more productive — and earns more, too. That productivity is provided by capital — the savings that someone accumulated and invested in a piece of equipment. That increases the output of workers and our economy. Workers can be paid more.

    Education and capital accumulation are the two best ways to increase the productivity and the wages of workers. Ironically, the people who are most vocal about raising wages through legislative action are also usually opposed to meaningful education reform and school choice. They usually insist that more resources be poured into the present system. They also usually support higher taxes on both individuals and business, which makes it harder to accumulate capital. These organizations should examine the effects of the policies they promote, as they are not in alignment with their stated goals.

  • 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 40 to 50 citizens attended this meeting.

    Second, after introductions, the meeting started with a highly inappropriate waste of citizens’ time. Rep. Steve Brunk, vice-chair of the south-central Kansas legislative delegation introduced a special presentation, which was a sales presentation for school software. This would have been an appropriate topic for a local board of education, or perhaps a committee at the statehouse, but was totally inappropriate for a legislative forum.

    After a few minutes I turned to the person next to me and asked “why are we sitting through this?” A little while later, several in the audience expressed the same sentiment.

    Chair Melody McCray-Miller explained that this was a presentation that was set up in advance by Rep. Brunk, and explained the need for this type of product, but this did not explain why the audience had to endure this waste of time.

    The audience submitted questions to Chair McRay-Miller in writing. She read the questions, although many of the question-writers had to clarify their questions, so the exercise of taking questions in writing was a waste.

    Here are some things the audience learned:

    Rules of how Kansas many use federal stimulus money are not all available, and may not be until the end of this Month, or even into April.

    A question about “proforma Fridays” put a number of legislators on the defensive, as they explained how they still worked on these days. Proforma sessions, according to the rules of the Kansas House, are for the “sole purposes of processing routine business of the House of Representatives.” Role is not taken, and votes are not conducted.

    Racial profiling was a concern to a number of audience members. Somehow a mandatory seatbelt law, according to one speaker, contributes to racial profiling. Several speakers told how this is a community issue.

    One questioner told of the need for records in child “need of care” courts to be open.

    The bill that might allow residents of Sedgwick county to vote on slot machines is dead.

    On Proposition K. Rep. McRay-Miller said that expensive properties increase in value faster than lower-value properties.

    Regarding the Holcomb coal power plant. Rep. Myers expressed his amazement at the lack of information and the misinformation that is available. Sen. Kelsey said there’s not a lot of give-and-take on this issue, seeming to say that most members are pretty well established in their positions.

    The meeting ended at 11:00.

  • 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.

    Did you know that Sunflower Electric is a not-for-profit organization?

    The demand for electricity changes constantly, moment-by-moment, throughout the day. Since electricity can’t be stored, matching generation to consumption of electricity is a challenge. Adding wind power makes this an even more challenging job, as wind power is very erratic.

    Watkins told a story of how a group of Kansas University students contacted him as part of their investigation of the “slothful and wasteful” practices of excess electricity consumption. Watkins told how when he attended KU, he had a radio and an electric typewriter in his dorm room, not to mention the forbidden hotplate. Today, however, these students have many electrical devices in their dorm rooms — refrigerators, microwave ovens, televisions, and computers, for example. Electrical power is a huge factor in the increased quality of life, especially for college students.

    The average age of Sunflower’s natural gas-powered plants is almost 40 years.

    While Kansas is often portrayed as having rich wind resources, the wind doesn’t always blow when power is needed. “The fact of the matter is, of the four seasons for harvesting wind, the summer in the day is the worst,” Watkins said. The highest demand for electrical power, of course, is on hot summer afternoons.

    It is the cost of the various forms of power generation that Sunflower uses that drives the decision as how to generate power and invest in capacity. These costs per kilowatt-hour are 1.5 cents for coal, 5 cents for wind, and 9 cents for natural gas.

    If the permit for the new coal plant is denied, Sunflower will be forced to build new wind and natural gas capacity. It’s estimated that the extra cost to consumers — remember these forms of generation are more expensive to build and operate than coal — is about $600 per household per year.

    Afterwards I asked Watkins a few questions. One concerned Cessna Aircraft Company chairman, president and chief executive officer Jack Pelton and his role as leader of the Kansas Energy and Environmental Policy Advisory Group (KEEP). How, I asked, does Pelton expect to build airplanes in Wichita when the wind isn’t blowing? The answer is that it’s easy for him to trade Western Kansas for a relationship with the Sebelius administration. This relationship has paid off handsomely for Pelton and Cessna, with $33 million in state money heading his way, and potential for more. My post Jack Pelton, Leader of Kansas Energy and Environmental Policy Advisory Group explains.

    Also, does the fact of Governor Sebelius’ impending departure from Kansas have any potential impact on the Kansas House of Representatives and its voting? He indicated that perhaps it would.