Government spending Archives - Page 3 of 75 Voice For Liberty

Jul

Updated: National transit database

An interactive visualization of data over time from the National Transit Database. Now with data through 2017. Do you wonder how much it costs to run your transit system? The National Transit Database holds data for transit systems in the U.S. I've gathered some key statistics and presented them in an interactive visualization. In the case of Wichita, we see that "OpExp per PMT" for 2017 was $1.44. This is total operating expense per passenger mile traveled. It's not the cost to move a bus a mile down the street. It's the cost to move one passenger one mile. And,…

May

By Bob Weeks

Wichita public schools, by the charts

Data from the annual report for USD 259, the Wichita, Kansas, public school district. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for USD 259, the Wichita public school district, provides a look at trends over the years. The document, along with those from previous years, is available here. Here are some highlights from the CAFR for the year ending June 30, 2018, known as fiscal year 2018. (Click charts for larger versions.) The following chart shows data from the CAFR along with my calculations. I took two data series, "total revenue" and "sum of state and local revenue," then divided by FTE…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Wichita considers a new stadium

The City of Wichita plans subsidized development of a sports facility as an economic driver. Originally published in July 2017. This week the Wichita City Council will consider a project plan for a redevelopment district near Downtown Wichita. It is largely financed by Tax Increment Financing and STAR bonds. Both divert future incremental tax revenue to pay for various things within the district.[1. Weeks, Bob. STAR bonds in Kansas. Available at https://wichitaliberty.org/kansas-government/star-bonds-kansas/.] [1. Weeks, Bob. Wichita TIF projects: some background. Available at https://wichitaliberty.org/wichita-government/wichita-tif-projects-background/.] City documents promise this: "The City plans to substantially rehabilitate or replace Lawrence-Dumont Stadium into a multi-sport…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Naftzger Park costs up, yet again

The cost of fixing an oversight in the design of Naftzger Park in downtown Wichita is rising, and again we're not to talk about it, even though there are troubling aspects. Last week the Wichita City Council was scheduled to consider an item regarding the rebuild of Wichita City Council. That item was removed from the agenda the day before the meeting. It now appears on the agenda for the February 12 meeting, and with a higher price tag. ("Consider" is not quite the right term, as the item was on the council's consent agenda. That's where items are passed…

Facade improvement program raises issues in Wichita

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Facade improvement program raises issues in Wichita

An incentive program in Wichita should cause us to question why investment in Wichita is not feasible without subsidy. At its February 5, 2019 meeting, the Wichita City Council will consider an item regarding economic development in Delano. The owner of a building there has applied for financial assistance under the city's facade improvement program. The purpose of the facade improvement program, according to city documents, is to provide "low-cost loans and grants" to help improve the appearance of buildings "located in defined areas needing revitalization, including the City’s core area." The matter before the council this week is to…

Naftzger Park cost rising, and we’re not to talk about it

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Naftzger Park cost rising, and we’re not to talk about it

The cost of the Naftzger Park makeover is rising, will be paid for with borrowed funds, and possibly handled without public discussion. The cost of the Naftzger Park project in downtown Wichita is rising, according to an item the Wichita City Council will consider at its Tuesday February 5, 2019 meeting. According to city documents, an additional $85,000 is needed for stormwater retention, a function the former pond provided. This seems like a major oversight in the original project plans. The city has regulations regarding stormwater retention that private sector developers must follow. Didn't any city planners consider these regulations…

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Kansas agency expenditures

Data regarding State of Kansas agency spending presented in an interactive visualization. The source of this data is KanView, the Kansas transparency portal, through its download center. Data from multiple years are combined into one database. Data starts with fiscal year 2011. This visualization is experimental. I would appreciate feedback on views of this data that would be useful. Click here to access the visualization.

Efficiencies in Sedgwick County government

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Efficiencies in Sedgwick County government

A document that hasn't been made public details savings achieved in Sedgwick County over a recent period of nearly three years. A document prepared within the Sedgwick County Division of Finance details savings of $6,308,097 over a period of almost three years, starting in November 2015. That is the month when Michael Scholes joined Sedgwick County as County Manger. His last day as manager was November 30, 2018, after being dismissed by the county commission. This document is dated August 29, 2018. An example of a savings is: "Eliminated 6.0 FTEs and associated funding due to the outsourcing of EMS…

WichitaLiberty.TV: Economic development incentives

Nov

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: Economic development incentives

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: A look at some economic development incentive programs in Wichita and Kansas. Second in a series. Tax increment financing (TIF) is prominent in this episode. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 219, broadcast November 25, 2018. Shownotes Wichita TIF projects: some background. Tax increment financing disrupts the usual flow of tax dollars, routing funds away from cash-strapped cities, counties, and schools back to the TIF-financed development. TIF creates distortions in the way cities develop, and researchers find that the use of TIF means lower economic growth. Industrial revenue bonds in Kansas:…

Nov

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: Economic development incentives

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: A look at some economic development incentive programs in Wichita and Kansas. First in a series. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 218, broadcast November 18, 2018. Shownotes Industrial revenue bonds in Kansas: Industrial Revenue Bonds are a mechanism that Kansas cities and counties use to allow companies to avoid paying property and sales taxes. From Pachyderm: Economic development incentives Growing the Wichita economy. Wichita leaders are proud of our region’s economic growth. Here are the numbers. Sedgwick County’s David Dennis on economic development. Following the Wichita Mayor, the Chair of…