Kansas Liberty Archives - Voice For Liberty

Jun

Kansas Chamber makes legislative endorsements

Yesterday the Kansas Chamber Political Action Committee, an arm of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, released its endorsements for the Kansas Legislature. In announcing its endorsements, Kansas Chamber Interim President and CEO Kent Beisner said "We are proud to endorse a group of candidates who demonstrate a pro-jobs approach to stimulating the Kansas economy and the personal leadership to form strong public policy. These individuals are committed to reducing government spending and growing jobs in Kansas.” The release also said that the Chamber PAC endorses exceptional lawmakers and candidates who support the tenets of free enterprise. The selection process focuses…

Jun

By Bob Weeks

Kansas Democrats described as ‘imploding’

Larry J. Sabato, who is director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, is a respected national political analyst who publishes Sabato's Crystal Ball, an informative look at campaigns and races around the country. In the most recent issue Sabato takes a look at 2010 gubernatorial races and concludes that "There’s now no question that the gubernatorial turnover in November will be historic." He estimates that Republicans will add six or seven states to the count of those states with Republican governors. In Kansas, Sabato is pointed in his criticism of Kansas Democrats and Governor Mark Parkinson: Kansas: Gov.…

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Kansas sales tax study criticized

Wichita State University economist John Wong has produced a study showing that while an increase in the Kansas sales tax would kill jobs, it would result in less net job loss than a reduction in state spending. This differs from an earlier study which finds much greater job loss. The difference between the two studies, as explained in a Kansas Watchdog story (Studies Agree: A Sales Tax Increase Kills Jobs) is that one study is a static snapshot covering just one year, 2011. The other looked at the long-range consequences of the tax increase. It should not be surprising that…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Kansas news digest

News from alternative media around Kansas for March 22, 2010. Republicans on the left help defeat Health Care Freedom Amendment (Kansas Liberty) "Greg Ward, co-founder of the Kansas 9.12 Project and founder of the Kansas Sovereignty Coalition, was disappointed in the outcome, but said he was especially concerned about the actions of the Republican members who voted against the measure. 'I am amazed at the number of Republicans working to limit the liberties we have instead of limiting the overreaching government on both the federal and state level that seeks more and more control of our lives,' Ward told Kansas…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Kansas sugar tax testimony heard, bill doesn’t advance

Wednesday's meeting of the Kansas Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee heard testimony on SB 567, which would increase taxes on drinks sweetened with sugar. At the next day's meeting, the bill didn't advance out of committee. Several hundred employees of soft drink companies, many wearing clothes with logos of their companies, were in the statehouse, and many attended the hearing. In his opening remarks, Senator Les Donovan, a Wichita Republican, said that his intent is to revise the bill so that the tax is four-tenths of a cent per teaspoon of sugar instead of one cent, saying that to the…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Kansas news digest

News from alternative media around Kansas for March 16, 2010. School consolidation measures deliberated in House (Kansas Liberty) "The Kansas House tentatively approved a plan today that would allow three or more school districts to consolidate into two districts. House Bill 2704 originally included two consolidation-promoting components, but one of the components was stripped off on the House floor under the direction of Rep. Bill Light, R-Rolla." Concealed-carry bill stalls in committee (Kansas Liberty) "Legislation promoting an alteration to the state’s concealed-carry law has been sitting in the House Federal and State Affairs committee since its February hearing. House Bill…

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Kansas school funding email confuses, misleads

Kansas Liberty is reporting that an email message making the rounds is based on incorrect and misleading information. The email complains that Kansas state legislators are paid $47,780 per year, while the state spends just $4,100 per year per child for education. Actual legislator pay is less than half the figure cited. The email is simply incorrect on this. Then, what about the school spending? The number cited is base state aid per pupil. It's a starting point for a complicated formula that determines how much money the state will actually spend. One thing is certain: the state spends much…