Category: Wichita city government
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When the water wall in Wichita is news in Los Angeles …
When the water wall in Wichita is news in Los Angeles … it must be a slow news day in California. Especially when the subject of the story is a fountain in Wichita. Here’s the story: At Wichita’s Water Wall, frolicking without a net.
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Wichita parks system is not a jobs program
The city has a responsibility to its citizens to operate as efficiently as possible. If it is possible to have work such as park maintenance done less expensively, the city should do so. It should have done so long ago.
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Wichita Local Government 101 announced
Local Government 101: Learn how to get involved in Wichita city government and how to influence public policy as a citizen Activist.
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In Wichita, special assessment financing gone wild
At today’s meeting of the Wichita City Council, a privately-owned condominium association is seeking special assessment financing to make repairs to it building.
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Wichita water economics
This week the Wichita City Council declined to raise the fixed portion of customers water bills by $2.00 per month. Today, Wichita Eagle editorial writer Rhonda Holman praises the council for avoiding an illogical water-rate increase. Is she and the city council right on this matter?
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Cost of Wichita water likely to rise in some way
At yesterday’s meeting of the Wichita City Council, the water department asked for permission to add $1.00 per month to water bills. It’s actually a $2.00 per month proposed increase, as $1.00 would be added to both the water charge and the sewer charge, and most people have both services.
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Wichita facade improvement program bad for Wichitans
As this city council decides whether to give a grant of $20,000 to a private business, we need to consider the effect of programs like this on all the people of Wichita. And people are telling me that they don’t like it. They wonder why, at a time when the city is struggling with its…
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Wichita facade improvement plan updated
Programs like this are government planning. It’s our city government saying that investment in certain areas of town are more desired than investment in other parts of town. Since people aren’t investing enough to fulfill the city’s plan, the city must correct this alleged market failure by giving gifts of taxpayer money.
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Wichita to consider grant to business
On Tuesday June 16, the Wichita City Council will consider whether to give a business $20,000. How is this possible? Is everyone eligible for grants like this?
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Downtown Wichita revitalization on Kansas Week
Bob Weeks discusses government-led revitalization of downtown Wichita on the KPTS public affairs television program Kansas Week on May 22, 2009.
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Wichita arts funding: not all are happy
Not everyone is happy with the way the City of Wichita funds the arts and culture. Mayor Carl Brewer is quoted as saying “Each year, somebody is not going to get some money, and then it is a personal issue.” I have to tell the mayor that when citizens pay taxes to support institutions that…
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At Wichita city council, citizens are frustrated
Yesterday’s meeting of the Wichita City Council provided a lesson in how frustrating it can be for citizens to interact with city government. You might even have to endure a slight insult from our mayor.