Tag: Government transparency
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What the Wichita city council could do
While the proposed Wichita city sales tax is a bad idea, the city could do a few things that would not only improve its chance of passage, but also improve local government.
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Wichita city council schools citizens on civic involvement
Proceedings of a recent Wichita City Council meeting are instructive of the factors citizens should consider if they want to interact with the council and city government at a public hearing.
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In Wichita, a public hearing with missing information
The Wichita City Council is holding a public hearing, but citizens don’t have information that would be useful if they’re interested in conducting oversight.
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In Wichita, the news is not always news the city thinks you should know
In February 2012 the City of Wichita held an election, but you wouldn’t have learned of the results if your only news source was the city’s website or television station.
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Before asking for more taxes, Wichita city hall needs to earn trust
Before Wichita city hall asks its subjects for more tax revenue, it needs to regain the trust of Wichitans.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Government accounting, Government ownership of infrastructure, and Wichita commercial property taxes
Government leaders tell us they want to run government like a business. But does government actually do this, even when accounting for its money? Then, is it best for government to own all the infrastructure? Finally, taxes on Wichita commercial property are high, compared to the rest of the nation.
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Wichita fails at open government and trustworthiness
At a time when Wichita city hall needs to cultivate the trust of citizens, another incident illustrates the entrenched attitude of the city towards its citizens. Despite the proclamations of the mayor and manager, the city needs a change of attitude towards government transparency and citizens’ right to know.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Uber not for Wichita, Wichita fails at transparency, and Wichita jobs
Uber is an innovative transportation service, but is probably illegal in Wichita. Then, the City of Wichita fails again at basic government transparency. Finally, a look at job growth in Wichita compared to other cities.
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Wichita, again, fails at government transparency
At a time when Wichita city hall needs to cultivate the trust of citizens, another incident illustrates the entrenched attitude of the city towards its citizens. Despite the proclamations of the mayor and manager, the city needs a change of attitude towards government transparency and citizens’ right to know.
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Questions for the next Wichita city attorney: Number 2
Will Wichita’s next city attorney continue to obstruct government transparency or be an advocate for citizens’ right to know?
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Questions for the next Wichita city attorney: Number 1
Will Wichita’s next city attorney ignore the plain meaning of laws in order to provide legal cover for the council and staff? Or, will the attorney provide advice that respects citizens and the rule of law?
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Kansas not good on spending visibility
The results are in, and the news isn’t good: Kansas continues to plummet in state spending transparency rankings, and it barely squeaked by with a grade of D-minus, according to a report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.