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State revenue drops 10.2 percent in November By Brian R. Hook
Tax receipts totaled $221.2 million in November, down 10.2 percent from last year. For fiscal 2010 through November, total receipts fell by 12.6 percent or $280.8 million (Read more).
Overland Park looks for free help to stretch budget
By Gene Meyer
Council member is proposing that Kansas' second largest city recruit unpaid volunteers to pick up some of the slack in city services that need cutting due to drop in city revenue. (Read more).
Board of Education member weighs reply to reprimand
By Gene Meyer
Board member Walt Chappell says he is not sure whether he will ask the board to rescind the reprimand. Kansas has no law specifically governing disciplinary actions by boards. (Read more).
Governor considers raising taxes or cutting tax exemptionsBy Gene Meyer and Brian Hook Gov. Parkinson is considering tax increases, new taxes or reduced tax exemptions to try and prevent any further budget cuts, but later supports tax exemptions for Cerner. (Read more). |
Ethics Commission Approves Advisory Opinion By Earl Glynn An assistant state attorney general received permission Wednesday to work for a private tobacco "Master Settlement Agreement" clearinghouse as long as he doesn't deal with Kansas matters.That was the only item before the Governmental Ethics Commission this month, but in January there will be a public hearing on a proposed regulation about filing complaints. Wednesday the Kansas Watchdog obtained the written 2009 Commission Recommendations to the Governor and Legislature, which was approved at the November meeting (Read more).
Some U.S. Senate "open records" can only be seen in DC
By Earl Glynn
Don't try to videotape anything at the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Senate, especially if the video is about "open records" available only at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. Unfortunately both the Senate and House exempt themselves from Freedom of Information Act requests and create their own rules about access to information. (Read more).
Incomplete Funding Data Used to Argue for Tax Hikes
By Paul Soutar Kansas Liberty reports that the Kansas National Education Association complained in a recent press release that K-12 education is being funded at the 2006 level and stated that legislators should increase taxes to create more school funding. Such claims are based on partial and misleading data. Base State Aid Per Pupil (BSAPP) funding has been cut but other state, federal and local funding sources have continued to increase. KansasWatchdog and others have been reporting these misleading claims for months. (Read More).
Sedgwick County Commission Asks Legislature for Taxpayer Protection By Paul Soutar Legislature for voter approval before any future property tax increases that raise the mill levy. The request is part of the county's annual legislative platform or wish list. (Read More).
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