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A Taxpayer Bill of Rights for Kansas, Please
Read more: A Taxpayer Bill of Rights for Kansas, PleaseTaxes in Kansas are high, and may increase this year. The recent school finance ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court and the passage of the downtown arena sales tax referendum in Sedgwick County are just two reasons why.
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End Corporate Welfare, Starting with Industrial Revenue Bonds
Read more: End Corporate Welfare, Starting with Industrial Revenue Bonds“While corporate welfare has attracted critics from both the left and the right, there is no uniform definition. By TIME’s definition, it is this: any action by local, state or federal government that gives a corporation or an entire industry a benefit not offered to others. It can be an outright subsidy, a grant, real…
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Guest post: The Sedgwick County Downtown Arena Sales Tax
Read more: Guest post: The Sedgwick County Downtown Arena Sales Tax(It has been suggested that the following message, which I have sent as email to all Kansas State Senators and Representatives, may be of interest to you. The article, as written and sent, does contain some minor inaccuracies, both in fact and in interpretation; but this merely shows that those of us who relied on…
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Let free markets, not laws, regulate smoking
Read more: Let free markets, not laws, regulate smokingToday, in the town of Hutchinson, Kansas, an indoor smoking ban takes effect. I hope Wichita does not pass the same law. I believe the evidence that shows smoking is tremendously harmful to the health of the smoker, and also dangerous to those around the smoker. Personally, I don’t care to be around smokers and…
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Vioxx and personal liberty
Read more: Vioxx and personal libertyA recent column by Thomas Sowell titled Free lunch ‘safety’: Part II (a link to part one is here) started with this paragraph: “The government will allow you to risk your life for the sake of recreation by sky-diving, mountain climbing or any number of other dangerous activities. But it will not allow you to…
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Prepare for sales tax-induced job effects now
Read more: Prepare for sales tax-induced job effects nowCollecting the sales tax to pay for the downtown Wichita arena may produce unintended consequences.
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Tom Daschle’s Defeat, Media Filters, and Kansas
Read more: Tom Daschle’s Defeat, Media Filters, and Kansas(Reprinted with the permission of the author, Karl Peterjohn, of Kansas Taxpayers Network.) Enclosed is a December 13, 2004 Wall Street Journal opinion piece by John Fund (How Daschle Got Blogged) demonstrating how the bloggers went past the media filters in South Dakota to help knock off Tom Daschle last month. This is relevant to…
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On Seatbelts and Helmets
Read more: On Seatbelts and HelmetsI believe there is little doubt that it is foolhardy to be in an automobile without wearing seatbelts, or to ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet. Someone inevitably claims that it is better to be thrown clear of the wreckage than to be trapped inside. But ask any race car driver — they who…
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The Real Scandal at City Hall
Read more: The Real Scandal at City HallIn 2003, local Wichita news media devoted extensive news coverage to two officials in the City of Wichita’s finance department. They were accused of improperly spending between $52,000 and $73,800 on travel. While I don’t condone this waste and I’m glad that our local news media uncovered it, the amount involved is relatively small. Furthermore,…
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Why I don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh
Read more: Why I don’t listen to Rush LimbaughThere have been periods when I listened to Rush Limbaugh, but it has been many years since I listened regularly. Now I hear his show only when I happen to be driving while it is on the air. When I do hear it, I realize that I don’t miss it.
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Remarks to City Council, May 11, 2004, Regarding AirTran Airways Subsidy
Read more: Remarks to City Council, May 11, 2004, Regarding AirTran Airways SubsidyI delivered these remarks to the Wichita City Council as they were preparing to vote on extending AirTran Airway’s subsidy for another two years. The extension passed with only one dissenting vote. Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council: I speak today in opposition to the continuation of the subsidy the City is paying to AirTran…
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Political decision-making increases conflict
Read more: Political decision-making increases conflictA recent column by economist Walter E. Williams (Why we’re a divided nation) strongly makes the case for more decision-making by free markets rather than by the government through the political process.