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Increased demand by advocacy groups outstrips state resources

ANALYSIS: Kansas Action for Children says the answer to fixing the budget gap in Kansas is more taxes. Taxpayer advocates and a top economist disagree.

State government spending in Kansas increased 42.2 percent from fiscal years 2004 to 2008. But some activist and advocacy groups say that’s not enough to meet the demand for government support and services..

For example, one organization, [Read more...]

Education lobbyists urge raising taxes to give schools more money

Teachers' union, others fight to keep the cash coming. Hays school board member says 'raise my taxes' or take away tax breaks for businesses and school mandates.

Last week the Kansas Department of Labor confirmed that the state’s economy is continuing to suffer as the unemployment rate rose to the highest it has been in 26 years, but lobbyists and representatives of the K-12 school districts have kept the pressure on legislators to maintain state funding for schools despite the latest dismal economic reports.

As it stands, Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner of education for Kansas, said schools are set for a $317 decrease per pupil for the 2009-2010 school year. Schools were supposed to receive an increase in funds based on the increase in the consumer price index. [Read more...]

KRA and Kansas Libertarians line up to support accountability for the Fed

Rep. Ron Paul's attempt to increase transparency for the U.S. central bank gains local support

A bill being promoted in Congress that would increase transparency for the Federal Reserve has gained support from the Kansas Republican Assembly and the Libertarian Party of Kansas.

House Resolution 1207 would require a complete audit of the reserve by 2010, which would be completed by the Government Accountability Office. The Federal Reserve is not publicly audited and hasn't been for more than 50 years. A change was made to the law [Read more...]

Moran and Tiahrt, running neck and neck, pick up key endorsements

Thune comes out for Moran. Tiahrt wins important endorsements from Kansans for Life and the Family Research Council.

The primary campaign for the GOP nomination to fill Sam Brownback's Senate seat heated up considerably Thursday when congressmen Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt each picked up a key endorsement today.

The Kansans for Life Federal Political Action Committee announced its endorsement of Tiahrt, while South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune, who was today named the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, announced [Read more...]

Killing the roses

What does Washington's new health scheme have to do with killing the plants under a power line? As Bill Wyckoff explains, they're connected.

Everyone has something he does to relieve stress and hit the "reset" button. I don’t golf, boat or fish — except with the little ones. So getting on a tractor and mowing a pasture is as close to perfect as I can find for those Bill “reset” moments. [Read more...]