Featured Archives | Voice For Liberty

Apr

Wichita jobs and employment, February 2021

For the Wichita metropolitan area in February 2021, the number of unemployed persons is up, the unemployment rate is up, and the number of people working is down when compared to the same month one year ago. The recent trend is more positive. Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, shows the effects of the response to the pandemic in the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area for February 2021. Click charts and tables for larger versions. Total nonfarm employment fell from 306,700 in February 2020 to 282,300 in February 2021, a loss…

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Kansas tax revenue, March 2021

For March 2021, Kansas tax revenue was 12.7 percent greater than March 2020. Over the nine months of the current fiscal year, revenue is 14.0 percent higher than at the same point of the previous year. (more…)

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Updated: Presidential data explorer

Explore the economic record of presidents through the lens of data, with new views and updates. To examine the record of presidents regarding economics, I gathered data from several sources and present it in an interactive visualization. Today the interactive visualization has been updated with current data and several new views. (more…)

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Kansas GDP, fourth quarter of 2020

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Kansas economy grew at the annual rate of 4.0 percent. GDP grew in all states, with Kansas performing in the middle. (more…)

Wichita jobs and employment, January 2021

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Wichita jobs and employment, January 2021

For the Wichita metropolitan area in January 2021, the number of unemployed persons is down, the unemployment rate is up, and the number of people working is down when compared to the same month one year ago. The recent trend is positive. Data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, shows the effects of the response to the pandemic in the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area for January 2021. Click charts and tables for larger versions. Total nonfarm employment fell from 306,200 in January 2020 to 283,100 in January 2021, a loss…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

National employment, February 2021

The unemployment changed little in February 2021, but job growth was stronger than any month since October. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, reported the closely-followed jobs number rose in February 2021 by 379,000 jobs from the prior month. The unemployment rate was "little changed at 6.2 percent." Compared to the economy before the onset of the pandemic, BLS wrote: "Both the unemployment rate, at 6.2 percent, and the number of unemployed persons, at 10.0 million, changed little in February. Although both measures are much lower than their April 2020 highs, they remain…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Kansas tax revenue, February 2021

For February 2021, Kansas tax revenue was 1.7 percent greater than February 2020. Over the eight months of the current fiscal year, revenue is 14.2 percent higher than at the same point of the previous year. Tax reports from the State of Kansas for February 2021 show tax revenues falling from the previous month, but higher than the same month the prior year, despite the effects of the response to the pandemic. The fall from January is characteristic of the seasonal pattern. When reporting on Kansas tax collections, the comparison is usually made to the estimated collections. Those estimates were…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Historic buildings bill on tap

A bill designed to protect two buildings in downtown Wichita has a legislative hearing this week. Last year a citizen group gathered signatures on a petition that would prevent the City of Wichita from disposing of two downtown buildings without an approving vote of a majority of citizens. Based on having the required number of valid signatures, the petition was certified as valid. But the city sued to have the petition thrown out, contending the petition went beyond what Kansas law allows as the subject of municipal petitions. A judge agreed with the city. Now the group has a bill…

Naftzger Park event management agreement still ambiguous

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Naftzger Park event management agreement still ambiguous

This week the Wichita City Council will update an agreement from last year, but it appears important issues were not addressed. Last February the City of Wichita approved an agreement with a local business to manage events at Naftzger Park. With the pandemic upending public events, the business -- Wave Old Town, LLC -- was unable to program any events. Therefore, the city wants to add additional time to the agreement. During the delay, the city could have addressed problems with the original agreement. Some problems concern the bidding process. My concern was the uncertainty in the profit-sharing agreement, which…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Say no to special tax treatment, again

In Kansas, a company seeks to avoid paying property taxes, again. In a bill presented in the Kansas Legislature, the owner of health clubs seeks to avoid paying property taxes. The same company and its owner have tried this before. In 2014, I explained how granting this exemption was a bad idea. What has changed since then? This exemption is still a bad idea for reasons of public policy. Additionally, Brandon Steven, the owner of the health clubs, plead guilty to a gambling charge and forfeited one million dollars in earnings. The companies also owe a lot of the tax…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

GDP by metropolitan area and component

An interactive visualization of gross domestic product by metropolitan area and industry. The Bureau of Economic Analysis, an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, gathers data about economic output, known as gross domestic product. The visualization I have created presents this data in tabular and graphic form. (more…)

Feb

By Bob Weeks

National employment, January 2021

The unemployment rate fell in January 2021, but job growth was weak, and the December value was revised. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, reported the closely-followed jobs number rose in January 2021 by 49,000 jobs from the prior month. The unemployment rate fell from 6.7 percent to 6.4 percent. BLS notes that the total nonfarm employment level is "below its February 2020 level by 9.9 million, or 6.5 percent." The summary report from BLS may be found here. Of note: BLS revised recent figures, which it does as more data becomes available.…

Kansas unemployment claims trending lower

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Kansas unemployment claims trending lower

A visualization of unemployment insurance claims by state, adjusted for population, shows Kansas as having a high number of claims, but trending lower. (more…)

Wichita jobs and employment, December 2020

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Wichita jobs and employment, December 2020

For the Wichita metropolitan area in December 2020, the number of unemployed persons is up, the unemployment rate is up, and the number of people working is down when compared to the same month one year ago. The recent trend, however, is mixed. (more…)

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Kansas tax revenue, January 2021

For January 2021, total Kansas tax revenue was 9.7 percent greater than January 2020. Over the seven months of the current fiscal year, tax revenue is 15.5 percent higher than at the same point of the previous fiscal year. (more…)

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Kansas agency revenue

Data regarding State of Kansas agency revenue presented in an interactive visualization, with data through fiscal year 2020. The source of this data is KanView, the Kansas transparency portal, through its download center. Data from multiple years are combined into one database. Data starts with fiscal year 2011. (more…)

Visualization: Kansas agency revenue

Data regarding State of Kansas agency revenue presented in an interactive visualization. The source of this data is KanView, the Kansas transparency portal, through its download center. Data from multiple years are combined into one database. Data starts with fiscal year 2011 and is available through fiscal year 2020. Of this data, KanView advises: Annual Revenues represents agency receipts and deposits into funds established within the state treasury, including: taxes, agency earnings, revenue from the use of money and property, gifts, donations, federal grants, and other revenues. The function view identifies revenue for high-level activities and programs of the State…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Kansas agency expenditures

Data regarding State of Kansas agency spending presented in an interactive visualization. The source of this data is KanView, the Kansas transparency portal, through its download center. Data from multiple years are combined into one database. Data starts with fiscal year 2011. (more…)

Visualization: Kansas 2020 presidential election

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Visualization: Kansas 2020 presidential election

An interactive visualization of the 2020 general election for president in Kansas, at the precinct level. (more…)

Visualization: Kansas 2020 presidential election

An interactive visualization of the 2020 general election for president in Kansas, at the precinct level. Professor Brian Amos of Wichita State University has published precinct-level returns for the Kansas 2020 general election for the presidential and senatorial contests. I present the presidential returns in an interactive visualization. Precincts are colored by Biden vote percentage, with values less than 50 percent colored red. As you hover over a precinct, a table of data should appear. There is a filter for the total number of votes cast in a precinct. I recommend setting it to start with one, as there are…