As in years past, a truthful accounting of the finances of Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita shows a large loss. The true state of the finances of the Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita are not often a subject of public discussion. Arena boosters cite a revenue-sharing arrangement between the county and the arena operator, referring to this as profit or loss. But this arrangement is not an accurate and complete accounting, and hides the true economics of the arena. What's missing is depreciation expense. An example: In February 2015 the Wichita Eagle reported: "The arena’s net income for…
Discussions of public policy need to start from a common base of facts and information. An episode shows that both our state government and news media are not helping. A recent Hutchinson News article[3. Clarkin, Mary. Department of Education’s Dennis: Shocking number when looking at funding gap. Hutchinson News. April 17, 2017. http://www.hutchnews.com/news/local_state_news/department-of-education-s-dennis-shocking-number-when-looking-at/article_4abe359e-8421-53f9-a8d7-1eaa56e95423.html.] started with this: Once you wake up to where Kansas was in 1992 at funding schools and what it needs to do to get caught up, said the Kansas Department of Education’s Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis, it’s a shocker. In 1992, base state aid per pupil was…
Should the Wichita Eagle, a city's only daily newspaper and the state's largest, be concerned about the parties to its business relationships? It's a question that the Wichita Eagle should be considering. But the newspaper's top executives seem to have no concern. On February 14 I sent a message to the publisher and executive editor of the Wichita Eagle expressing my concerns about the newspaper's future landlords. That letter appears below. After several follow-up attempts by email and telephone, neither would respond. Sent I sent this message, I've found I was mistaken about the ownership of the building to where…
A letter in the Wichita Eagle illustrates harmful attitudes and beliefs of the public school establishment. The letter is titled "Wrong direction." It was submitted by John H. Wilson, was published on February 26, 2017, and may be read here. What's wrong in this letter? Here's one thing: "First, the ill-founded assertion is that parents are well equipped to identify the best school for their children. Wrong." This is an incredibly bigoted assertion. This is one of the standard arguments against school choice, that parents -- particularly minority and low-income families -- don't have the ability to make wise choices…
The Wichita Eagle editorial board writes an editorial that gives false hope to advocates of more taxation and more spending. Advocates of eliminating sales tax exemptions in Kansas point to the great amount of revenue that could be raised if Kansas eliminated these exemptions, given at about $6 billion per year, according to a recent Wichita Eagle editorial.[1. Eagle Editorial Board. Reduce sales-tax exemptions. Wichita Eagle, February 3, 2017. http://www.kansas.com/opinion/editorials/article130438759.html.] Analysis of the nature of the exemptions and the amounts of money involved, however, leads us to realize that the additional tax revenue that could be raised is much less…
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Wichita sells a hotel, more subsidy for downtown, Kansas newspaper editorialists fall for a lobbyist's tale, how Kansas can learn from Arizona schools, and government investment. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 131, broadcast October 30, 2016. Shownotes Article: Wichita, give back the Hyatt proceeds. Instead of spending the proceeds of the Hyatt hotel sale, the city should honor those who paid for the hotel -- the city’s taxpayers. Article: In Wichita, developer welfare under a cloud. A downtown Wichita project receives a small benefit from the city, with no mention…
Tip to the Wichita Eagle editorial board: When a lobbying group feeds you statistics, try to learn what they really mean. When investigating the claims of a lobbying group, Kansas Policy Institute found that the statistics -- when examined closely -- do not support the narrative the group promotes. Unfortunately, the Wichita Eagle editorial board did not examine the group's claims closely enough to determine their validity. At issue is the claim that transfers from the Kansas highway fund have lead to the loss of highway construction jobs. It's repeated not only by the state's highway construction lobbyists, but also…
The depreciation expense of Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita recognizes and accounts for the sacrifices of the people of Sedgwick County and its visitors to pay for the arena. The true state of the finances of the Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita are not often a subject of public discussion. Arena boosters cite a revenue-sharing arrangement between the county and the arena operator, referring to this as profit or loss. But this arrangement is not an accurate and complete accounting, and hides the true economics of the arena. What's missing is depreciation expense. There hasn't been much talk…
Another nonsensical editorial from the Wichita Eagle. This is contained in an editorial urging Sedgwick County government to "stop messing" with the zoo.[1. Holman, Rhonda. Stop messing with Sedgwick County Zoo. Wichita Eagle, July 20, 2016. Available at www.kansas.com/opinion/editorials/article90624332.html.] Nor is there any justification for a “non-disparagement clause” in the proposed operating agreement about the zoo director’s public statements, including a prohibition against doing anything to bring the county or society “unwanted or unfavorable publicity.” Even if the county is right -- and the society wrong -- about the constitutionality of such a gag rule on a public employee, it’s…
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: New outlets for news, and criticism of the existing. Is Kansas government "hollowed out?" Ideology and pragmatism. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 124, broadcast July 17, 2016. Shownotes Kansas Memo on Facebook A short video on using Kansas Memo and other pages of Facebook The Honest Media on Facebook Renee Erickson's Facebook post Article: In Wichita, Meitzner, Clendenin sow seeds of distrust Article: Kansas government ‘hollowed-out’ Prager U: Free Courses for Free Minds
