2.2.10 Kansas Policy Institute E-newsletter

LPA Audits Show Budget Savings Are Available
By Paul Soutar on January 28, 2010
Audits released Wednesday show Gov. Mark Parkinson and state Senate leaders are missing millions of wasted tax dollars when they claim they must raise taxes to balance the budget because spending cuts are exhausted.
Auditors presented two reports to the Legislative Post Audit (LPA) Committe. One found potential savings of $537,200 per year in the $4 million Ellinwood school district, USD355, budget. Another found $6 million to $8 million annual savings by reducing the number of judicial districts in Kansas.
These changes wouldn't come in time to save the fiscal year 2010 budget but do indicate further efficiencies could have been enacted earlier and are still possible. Audits of just two of the state's 293 school districts found $1.5 million in potential annual savings. An LPA statistical analysis of district spending indicates there's more savings to be found. (Read More)

Kansas Republican Party Treasurer Explains FEC Reporting Problems
By Earl Glynn on January 31, 2010
On Saturday in Topeka treasurer Steve Fitzgerald explained a number of reporting problems facing the Kansas Republican Party. (Read More)

State of the Union Roundup
By Paul Soutar on January 28, 2010
President Barak Obama's first State of the Union speech has generated some heat overnight. Three particularly telling observations are generating some buzz.
Supreme Court Rebuke
From David A. Patten on Newsmax:
Obama objected to the Supreme Court's ruling last week that the First Amendment does not allow Congress to restrict the rights of corporations and unions to run [...] (Read More)

Wordle: President Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address
By Earl Glynn on January 28, 2010
C-SPAN posted this Wordle tag cloud of President Obama's 2010 State of the Union address

Is Kansas a Debt Disaster?
By Paul Soutar on January 26, 2010
Kansas, like most other states, has a balanced budget requirement in the state constitution. So how could Kansas be a debt disaster? By ignoring the looming, unfunded obligations for future payments to government retirees.
A recent analysis by Forbes Magazine reaffirms what Dr. Art Hall and others have pointed out. Even though the stock market was [...] (Read More)

"Fear the Boom and Bust" a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem
By Paul Soutar on January 26, 2010
There are many ways to consider the divergent economic philosophies of John Maynard Keynes and F.A. Hayek: central planning vs. free markets, stimulus vs. limited government intervention, forced lending to unqualified borrowers vs. sensible investment.
In Fear the Boom and Bust, Econstories.tv uses a rap video to introduce the economic way of thinking. (Read More)

Rucker files motion to reconsider probable cause finding in attorney ethics case

By Earl Glynn on January 25, 2010
Phill Kline and his two deputies, Eric Rucker and Stephen Maxwell, are all facing attorney ethics complaints from the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys.
On Monday Ron Keefover, spokesman for the Kansas Judiciary, released the 7 page response from Eric Rucker to the complaint filed against him. (Read More)

Wichita Chamber Will Lobby Against Income Tax
By Paul Soutar on January 22, 2010
The Wichita Business Journal reported in today's edition that the Wichita Chamber of Commerce is beginning what will likely be a multi-year effort to repeal the personal and business income taxes in Kansas.
According to the Biz Journal article Joan Wagnon, Kansas Secretary of Revenue, says the change would lead to a major increase in sales [...] (Read More)
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