Kansas Watchdog Archives - Voice For Liberty

Aug

SEC orders Kansas to stop doing what it did under Sebelius and Parkinson

The Securities and Exchange Commission found that Kansas mislead bond investors. It ordered the state to implement reforms, which it has. According to a press release from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the State of Kansas "failed to disclose that the state’s pension system was significantly underfunded, and the unfunded pension liability created a repayment risk for investors in those bonds." This refers to a series of eight debt, or bond, issues in 2009 and 2010. Collectively they were worth $273 million. The SEC press release explains: According to the SEC’s order against Kansas, the series of bond offerings were…

Apr

By Guest Author

In Kansas, tax giveaways for job creation found ineffective

From Kansas Watchdog. Study: State tax giveaways to big business don’t really bring jobs By Travis Perry, Kansas Watchdog BIG SUBSIDIES: Kansas has forked over millions in tax breaks since 2009, but new research says it has been ineffective at accomplishing its main goal: Creating new jobs. OSAWATOMIE, Kan. -- By the time theMcQueeny Group signed up for tax breaks through Kansas’ primary economic development engine, vice president Rod Slump said the business was already looking to make a move. Tax breaks provided through Promoting Employment Across Kansas were just icing on the cake. Like numerous other firms who have relocated to Kansas…

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Kansas not good on spending visibility

For more about this issue, see Open Records in Kansas. 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. Post by Voice For Liberty.

Mar

By Guest Author

Could lower open records fees threaten Kansans’ safety?

Travis Perry of Kansas Watchdog reports that governmental agencies fear that fulfilling records requests will cost too much and eliminate a necessary revenue stream. But there are solutions that may not be under consideration. For example, instead of supplying accident reports singly as they are requested, law enforcement agencies could simply make all such reports available. I can hear the objections, such as it will cost too much for each agency to maintain a website for the purposes of making reports available. But each agency doesn't have to establish and maintain a website. The state (or someone else) could easily…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

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,…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Kansas legislative documents

As the Kansas Legislature begins its 2014 session today, citizens who want to keep track of the happenings have these resources available. Video and audio The Kansas Legislature doesn't broadcast or archive video of its proceedings except in rare instances of committee hearings. Travis Perry of Kansas Watchdog reports on this issue in Camera shy: KS legislators sidestep transparency and Eye in the sky: Kansas legislative leader won’t require streaming video. Both the House and Senate broadcast audio of their proceedings. But you must listen live, as the broadcasts are not made available to the public in any other way.…

Jan

By Guest Author

Kansas trails surrounding states in economic freedom

Kansas trails surrounding states in economic freedom By Travis Perry, Kansas Watchdog AVERAGE: In a recent study of economic freedom in North America, Kansas ranked in the middle of the pack nationwide, but trails most surrounding states. OSAWATOMIE, Kan. -- The Sunflower State scored middle of the pack in a recent study of economic freedom in North America, and while policy analysts sayKansas is trending in the right direction, the state still has some ground to cover. Breaking down the data released last month by the Canada-based Fraser Institute, an independent, nonpartisan research and educational organization, Dave Trabert, president of the conservative Kansas Policy Institute, said the state’s black eye…

Jan

By Guest Author

2013 year in review: Top 10 stories from the Sunflower State

2013 year in review: Top 10 stories from the Sunflower State By Travis Perry, Kansas Watchdog OSAWATOMIE, Kan. -- It’s over, done, finalized, finito. With the final days and hours of 2013 ticking to a close, we figured it’s a good time for reflection on what the last 12 months have brought the Sunflower State. So, without further delay, Kansas Watchdog presents its Top 10 stories of 2013. 1. Wayward welfare dollars An in-depth investigation into howKansans spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in government welfare money came to a shocking conclusion: a striking number of transactions appear to be going toward anything but…

Oct

By Guest Author

Study: Kansas premiums to spike following Obamacare rollout

From Kansas Watchdog. Study: Kansas premiums to spike following Obamacare rollout By Travis Perry ON THE RISE: A new report from the Heritage Foundation says Obamacare premiums are significantly higher in Kansas compared to average rates before the rollout of the new health care law. By Travis Perry, Kansas Watchdog OSAWATOMIE — Good news: Kansas landed in the top 10 in a recent study conducted by the conservative Heritage Foundation! Bad news: It’s for massive insurance premium hikes because ofObamacare. Kinda puts a damper on things, huh? As I said, before dashing your optimism with harsh reality, Kansas is among the top 10 states to…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Money flows to Kansas elections

Kansas Watchdog, in its article Tracking the PACs -- big money flowing into crucial Senate contests, lays out the action of political action committees seeking to influence Kansas voters in the August primary election. The issue of third-party money involvement has been a concern to many, with Democrats and moderate Republicans railing against "special interest" money, frequently referring to the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Americans for Prosperity. The claim is that these organizations are attempting to buy an election. Thanks to Earl Glynn's reporting in Kansas Watchdog, we see that both sides have PACs that funnel money to, or…