Featured Archives | Voice For Liberty

Jul

Kansas tax revenue, June 2021

For June 2021, Kansas tax revenue was 14.8 percent greater than June 2020. Over the twelve months of the current fiscal year, revenue is 26.4 percent higher than at the same point of the previous year. There are important caveats to consider. (more…)

Jun

By Bob Weeks

Wichita employment situation, May 2021

For the Wichita metropolitan area in May 2021, the number of unemployed persons is down, the unemployment rate is down, and the number of people working is up when compared to the same month one year ago. The recent trend is exhibiting only small changes. (more…)

Jun

By Bob Weeks

Kansas GDP, first quarter of 2021

In the first quarter of 2021, the Kansas economy grew at the annual rate of 7.3 percent. Gross Domestic Product grew in all states, with Kansas performing better than most states. (more…)

Jun

By Bob Weeks

Kansas tax revenue, May 2021

For May 2021, Kansas tax revenue was 134.7 percent greater than May 2020. Over the eleven months of the current fiscal year, revenue is 27.7 percent higher than at the same point of the previous year. There are important caveats to consider. (more…)

Wichita employment situation, April 2021

Jun

By Bob Weeks

Wichita employment situation, April 2021

For the Wichita metropolitan area in April 2021, the number of unemployed persons is down, the unemployment rate is down, and the number of people working is up when compared to the same month one year ago. The recent trend is exhibiting only small changes. (more…)

May

By Bob Weeks

Airport traffic statistics, 2020

Airport traffic data presented in an interactive visualization, updated through 2020. This visualization holds data from TranStats, a service of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), which is the independent statistical agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). (more…)

May

By Bob Weeks

State government employees in Kansas

Kansas has more state government employees per resident than most states, and the trend is rising. (more…)

May

By Bob Weeks

National employment, April 2021

The national jobs report for April underperformed expectations and the unemployment rate rose slightly. The March jobs figure was revised downward significantly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, reported the closely-followed jobs number rose in April 2021 by 266,000 jobs from the prior month. The unemployment rate fell slightly to 6.1 percent from 6.2 percent. (more…)

May

By Bob Weeks

Kansas tax revenue, April 2021

For April 2021, Kansas tax revenue was 69.9 percent greater than April 2020. Over the ten months of the current fiscal year, revenue is 19.5 percent higher than at the same point of the previous year. There are caveats to consider. (more…)

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Wichita since the start of the pandemic

How has Wichita fared since the start of the pandemic compared to other metropolitan areas? (These examples are taken from my interactive visualization which holds data on all metropolitan areas in the nation. See Metro area employment and unemployment. It is updated through March 2021.) The first chart shows Wichita and other Kansas metropolitan areas, as well as the total for all metropolitan areas. It shows changes in the number of jobs and the number of people in the labor force since the first month shown. It also shows the unemployment rate. Click charts for larger versions. As we can…

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Wichita jobs and employment, March 2021

For the Wichita metropolitan area in March 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 exhibiting only small changes. 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 March 2021. Click charts and tables for larger versions. Total nonfarm employment fell from 306,200 in March 2020 to 287,600 in March 2021,…

Wichita jobs and employment, February 2021

Apr

By Bob Weeks

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…