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Randy Brown: Reopen Downtown Wichita Arena TIF Public Hearing
Read more: Randy Brown: Reopen Downtown Wichita Arena TIF Public HearingIn a letter in yesterday’s Wichita Eagle, Randy Brown comments on my recent op-ed piece in the same newspaper. He is senior fellow at the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University, and also the executive director of the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government. He’s done a lot to promote openness and transparency…
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Sharon Fearey’s Bad Joke
Read more: Sharon Fearey’s Bad JokeSharon Fearey asked this question: “Do we all get free nuts or anything?”
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Wichita TIF District Reveals Lack of Confidence
Read more: Wichita TIF District Reveals Lack of ConfidenceTell me, if real estate developers require an incentive to do something, what does that tell us about their level of confidence?
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Low marks for Gov. Sebelius on Cato Institute grade card
Read more: Low marks for Gov. Sebelius on Cato Institute grade cardAmericans For Prosperity — Kansas reported last month on Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius regarding taxation and spending in Kansas. As reported in Low marks for Gov. Sebelius on Cato Institute grade card, she doesn’t fare well. While supporting some business tax cuts, spending in Kansas has been out of control for some years. This rapid…
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Kansas Tax Increase Not Ruled Out
Read more: Kansas Tax Increase Not Ruled OutThe Kansas Liberty story Lawmakers start looking for ways to meet deficit tells us that tax increases may be forthcoming in Kansas: “Both Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, and Vice-President John Vratil, R-Leawood, have not ruled out raising taxes.”
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Wichita TIF public hearing was bait and switch
Read more: Wichita TIF public hearing was bait and switchThe officials involved — council members Jeff Longwell and Lavonta Williams, who negotiated the addition of the parking with county commissioners; Allen Bell, who is Wichita’s director of urban development; and Mayor Carl Brewer — need to answer to the citizens of Wichita as to why this important business was conducted in this haphazard manner…
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Wichita Schoolchildren Face a Dangerous Future
Read more: Wichita Schoolchildren Face a Dangerous FutureA recent piece in the Wall Street Journal by Terry M. Moe illustrates the danger that Wichita schoolchildren face. Here’s an excerpt from the article Change Our Public Schools Need: Democrats favor educational “change” — as long as it doesn’t affect anyone’s job, reallocate resources, or otherwise threaten the occupational interests of the adults running…
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Wichita TIF districts mean central government planning
Read more: Wichita TIF districts mean central government planningAs the City of Wichita moves towards more government subsidy and planning instead of entrepreneurship, we should make sure we know what we’re relying on.
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Hard to believe, but not everyone in politics wants a free lunch
Read more: Hard to believe, but not everyone in politics wants a free lunchWriting in the Wall Street Journal (Governors Against State Bailouts), the governors of Texas and South Carolina argue against bailouts: “It is also taking our country in a very dangerous direction — toward a ‘bailout mentality’ where we look to government rather than ourselves for solutions.” Unfortunately, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius doesn’t agree. She’s very…
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Downtown Wichita Arena TIF District Testimony
Read more: Downtown Wichita Arena TIF District TestimonyAt the December 2, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, John Todd and I testified against the expansion of the Center City South Redevelopment tax increment financing (TIF) District, commonly known as the downtown Wichita arena TIF district. You can read John’s remarks here, or watch a video from YouTube here. Bob’s remarks are…
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Sedgwick County Commission Urged to Veto Wichita Arena TIF District
Read more: Sedgwick County Commission Urged to Veto Wichita Arena TIF DistrictFrom Darrell Leffew. The Wichita City Council voted December 2nd. to approve the TIF District for the Arena area, including a large sum for parking. As a voter and taxpayer in the County and Wichita, I respectfully request each of you on the Board of County Commission to veto that TIF. The Arena sales tax…
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Jim Skelton is Frustrated
Read more: Jim Skelton is FrustratedAt yesterday’s meeting of the Wichita City Council, council member Jim Skelton expressed his frustration with last-minute additions to the plan for the Center City South Redevelopment tax increment financing (TIF) District, commonly known as the downtown Wichita arena TIF district. The problem is two-fold: First, when plans change at the last minute, there is…