Pompeo on Obama budget
U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo appeared on Stossel and told the host that President Obama’s budget will leave the U.S. begging for money down the road. Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com
09
Mar
08
Mar
Kansas school finance lawsuit reaction
Following is news coverage and reaction to the Kansas school finance lawsuit Luke Gannon, et al v. State of Kansas. Press release from Kansas Supreme Court The court declared certain school funding laws fail to provide equity in public education as required by the Kansas Constitution and returned the case to Shawnee County District Court to enforce the court's holdings. The court further ordered the three-judge panel that presided over the trial of the case to reconsider whether school funding laws provide adequacy in public education -- as also required by the constitution. ... The court set a July 1,…
06
Mar
WichitaLiberty.TV: Wichita’s missing water, beyond politics and special interests
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: The people of Wichita have told officials that water is an important issue. What has the city done in this regard? Then, Wichita Mayor Brewer Carl says it’s time to put politics and special interests aside. Is our political leadership capable of this? Episode 34, broadcast March 9, 2014. View below, or click here to view at YouTube.
06
Mar
We can predict the loser in the Kansas school lawsuit
No matter which side wins the Kansas school finance lawsuit, we already know who loses: Kansas schoolchildren. The last time schools won a suit, the state lowered its standards for schools. Talking about school spending is easy, even though most Kansas public school spending advocates refuse to acknowledge the totality of spending. (Or if they acknowledge the total level, they may make excuses for the spending not being effective.) Advocating for more spending is easy. It's easy because the Kansas Constitution says the state must spend on schools. Parents want more spending, and so do teachers, public employee unions, and…
06
Mar
Wichita seeks to add more tax to hotel bills
The city of Wichita wants hotel guests to make a "marketing investment" in Wichita by paying a "City Tourism Fee." This Tuesday the Wichita City Council will hold a public hearing regarding the formation of a Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID). The main characteristic of the proposed TBID is that it will add 2.75 percent tax to most hotel rooms sold in the City of Wichita. The funds would go to Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau to be used to enhance that agency's marketing efforts. The tax is estimated to raise $2.5 million per year. What is the motivation…
05
Mar
Special interests struggle to keep special tax treatment
When a legislature is willing to grant special tax treatment, it sets up a battle to keep -- or obtain -- that status. Once a special class acquires preferential treatment, others will seek it too. When preferential tax treatment is granted, that is, when government says someone doesn't have to pay taxes, it's usually the case that someone else has to pay. That's because governmental bodies usually don't reduce their spending in response to the tax breaks they give. Spending stays the same (or rises), but someone isn't paying their share. Therefore, others have to make up the missing tax…
05
Mar
Regulation failure leads to tragedy in Wichita
When the Wichita City Council passed new taxicab regulations in 2012, the focus was on dirty cabs and slovenly drivers who were not acting as goodwill ambassadors for the city. Mayor Carl Brewer said he was "tired" of hearing complaints about drivers. So the council passed new regulations regarding taxicabs, including the requirement that drivers attend customer service training provided by Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau. Other regulations determine taxicab office staffing levels and level of supervision. But something very important slipped through the cracks. The Wichita Eagle has reported the city didn't competently enforce regulations designed to protect…
28
Feb
WichitaLiberty.TV: Government planning, taxes, and carbon
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: The City of Wichita held a workshop where the Community Investments Plan Steering Committee delivered a progress report to the city council. The document holds some facts that ought to make Wichitans think, and think hard. Then: What is the purpose of high tax rates on high income earners? Finally: Advances in producing oil and natural gas make for a more competitive and carbon-efficient economy. Episode 33, broadcast March 2, 2014. View below, or click here to view on YouTube.
28
Feb
Wichita Business Journal remodels, features Charles Koch interview
The Wichita Business Journal has, it its own words, "reinvented" itself, and starts its new life with features on Koch Industries and an extended interview with Charles Koch. To get started, the weekly newspaper has made its complete digital edition available to read at no charge. Click here for access. The interview with Koch is wide-ranging, covering the business interests of Koch Industries and Koch's political involvement, detailing his relationship with Americans for Prosperity. An example quote: "When you start attacking cronyism and people’s political interests, it gets nasty."
27
Feb
Where’s Wichita’s water?
As part of the Community Investments Plan process, citizens have told the City of Wichita they're concerned about future water supply. Through both the mailed survey and direct feedback obtained in citizen forums, creating a reliable source of water was the top priority, according to city documents released this week. Those who have been paying attention might be surprised that there is a water crisis, and that citizens are concerned. That's because when Bob Knight was mayor, he was told that Wichita had sufficient water for the next 50 years. That was about ten years ago. More recently, the city…