State of the State KS Archives

31Dec By Bob Weeks1 Comment

Quick takes

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Friday December 31, 2010

This Week in Kansas. On This Week in Kansas guests Rebecca Zepick of State of the State KS, Kansas Public Radio Statehouse Bureau Chief Stephen Koranda, and myself discuss the upcoming session of the Kansas Legislature. Tim Brown is the host. This Week in Kansas airs on KAKE TV channel 10, Sunday morning at 9:00 am. Tax increment financing. "Largely because it promises something for nothing -- an economic stimulus in exchange for tax revenue that otherwise would not materialize -- this tool [tax increment financing] is becoming increasingly popular across the country. ... 'TIFs are being pushed out there right now based upon the but for test,' says Greg LeRoy. 'What cities are saying is that no development would take place but for the TIF. ... The average public official says this is f...

10Dec By Bob Weeks3 Comments

Quick takes

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Friday December 10, 2010

This Week in Kansas. On This Week in Kansas guests Rebecca Zepick of State of the State KS, Joe Aistrup of Kansas State University, and myself discuss Kansas House of Representatives leadership, Governor-elect Brownback's appointments, and voter ID. Tim Brown is the host. This Week in Kansas airs on KAKE TV channel 10, Sunday morning at 9:00 am. Cato scholar to speak on economic freedom. Today's meeting (December 10) of the Wichita Pachyderm Club features noted Cato Institute scholar, Principal Attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, and author Timothy Sandefur. He will discuss his recent book The Right to Earn a Living: Economic Freedom and the Law. A description of the book at Amazon.com reads: "America's founders thought the right to earn a living was so basic and obvious that it d...

17Nov By Bob WeeksNo Comments

Quick takes

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Wednesday November 17, 2010

Kansas Senator Lee to tax court. State of the State KS reports that Kansas Senator Janis Lee has been appointed by Governor Mark Parkinson to the Kansas State Court of Tax Appeals. Lee is a Democrat from Kensington in northwest Kansas. This action opens another position in the senate -- another three pending vacancies need to be filled due to senators who won election to other offices -- and others are likely to follow as incoming governor Sam Brownback fills his cabinet. Lee scored 13 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index for this year, which is a voting record more in favor of economic freedom than some other Senate Democrats -- and some Republicans such as Senate President Steve Morris, for that matter. Lee's replacement will be selected by the Democratic Party precinct committee...

8Nov By Bob Weeks3 Comments

Politics

Political attacks not all bad

"Dr. Mel Kahn, a political science professor at Wichita State University, gave a lecture Friday on why he believes negative campaigning is essential to democracy. Kahn said that a recent study shows that there are sometimes more lies in positive ads than in negative commercials, and as long as ads are based on evidence, they help people know what’s going on in a world full of political spin." The lecture was at the Wichita Pachyderm Club as covered by State of the State KS. Kahn also said that since accountability is important to democracy, he was pleased to see the activation of those who disagreed with the policies of the current administration, saying this is the essence of democracy. He quoted John Stuart Mill: "Attacks and criticism make a real contribution. In other words, if the...

29Oct By Bob WeeksNo Comments

Quick takes

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Friday October 29, 2010

This Week in Kansas. Rebecca Zepick of State of the State KS, Malcolm Harris of Mammon Among Friends and Friends University, and myself join host Tim Brown to discuss politics, elections, shale gas, and Wichita's aircraft industry. "This Week in Kansas" airs in Topeka on WIBW TV channel 13 Saturdays at 11:30 am, and in Wichita on KAKE TV channel 10 Sundays at 9:00 am. Business jets and elections. Speaking of Malcolm Harris, his recent blog post Business jets and elections provides an accurate look at the past two years, with Harris noting that our economic problems are long-term in nature, but President Obama provided short-term solutions, and then lost his focus. As for the future, Harris writes: "Moreover, without significant policy changes there is a very real threat in the medium te...

9Oct By Bob Weeks1 Comment

Quick takes

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Saturday October 9, 2010

This Week in Kansas: Tomorrow on KAKE Television's "This Week in Kansas" Kansas Policy Institute President Dave Trabert will be a guest speaking about economic development in Kansas. This is an important topic as Kansas is in "whack-a-mole" mode as we -- case by case -- defend our industry from poaching by other states. This Week in Kansas airs at 9:00 am on KAKE channel 10. The Winfield Daily Courier has other notes on this upcoming episode. Sue Schlapp: Wichita Eagle Opinion Line Extra today: "At a past Wichita City Council meeting, council member Sue Schlapp got on her soapbox about needing less government in our lives. Then last week she turned around and voted for the community improvement district tax for the Broadview Hotel. Is this talking out of both sides of her mouth?" I'm g...

7Sep By Bob Weeks16 Comments

Politics

Wink Hartman, Libertarian Party candidate?

As reported by Rebecca Zepick on State of the State KS, former Republican Congressional candidate from the fourth district of Kansas Wink Hartman may be considering another run for that position, this time as nominee of the Kansas Libertarian Party. Zepick reported the news Saturday in the story Hartman Considering Re-Entering Race For Congress Against Pompeo and Goyle. She appeared later that day by telephone on KNSS Radio's Jim Anderson Program, as did several others involved in this story. Anderson's radio program proved to be a sounding board for several issues surrounding this race. For example: All the Republican Party candidates pledged, several times, to support the winner of the Republican primary. A caller to Anderson's radio show brought up this point, and reminded Anderso...

22Mar By Bob Weeks1 Comment

Kansas news media

Kansas news digest

News from alternative media around Kansas for March 22, 2010. Republicans on the left help defeat Health Care Freedom Amendment (Kansas Liberty) "Greg Ward, co-founder of the Kansas 9.12 Project and founder of the Kansas Sovereignty Coalition, was disappointed in the outcome, but said he was especially concerned about the actions of the Republican members who voted against the measure. 'I am amazed at the number of Republicans working to limit the liberties we have instead of limiting the overreaching government on both the federal and state level that seeks more and more control of our lives,' Ward told Kansas Liberty." House, Senate committees take a stand against increasing taxes (Kansas Liberty) "The House Appropriations Committee adopted a budget plan today that could patc...

16Mar By Bob Weeks1 Comment

Politics

Kansas news digest

News from alternative media around Kansas for March 16, 2010. School consolidation measures deliberated in House (Kansas Liberty) "The Kansas House tentatively approved a plan today that would allow three or more school districts to consolidate into two districts. House Bill 2704 originally included two consolidation-promoting components, but one of the components was stripped off on the House floor under the direction of Rep. Bill Light, R-Rolla." Concealed-carry bill stalls in committee (Kansas Liberty) "Legislation promoting an alteration to the state’s concealed-carry law has been sitting in the House Federal and State Affairs committee since its February hearing. House Bill 2685 would require any state building that posts a sign prohibiting concealed-carry to have adequate...