Voice For Liberty
Individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and free markets in Wichita and Kansas.

 

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Have you ever noticed how statists are constantly "reforming" their own handiwork? Education reform. Health-care reform. Welfare reform. Tax reform. The very fact that they're always busy "reforming" is an implicit admission that they didn't get it right the first 50 times.
-- Lawrence W. Reed

Mystical references to "society" and its programs to "help" may warm the hearts of the gullible but what it really means is putting more power in the hands of bureaucrats.
-- Thomas Sowell

The American businessmen, as a class, have demonstrated the greatest productive genius and the most spectacular achievements ever recorded in the economic history of mankind. What reward did they receive from our culture and its intellectuals? The position of a hated, persecuted minority. The position of a scapegoat for the evils of the bureaucrats.
-- Ayn Rand

If the man doesn't believe as we do, we say he is a crank, and that settles it. I mean, it does nowadays, because now we can't burn him.
-- Mark Twain
Job growth in Wichita: Great news?
A tweet from a top Wichita city official promotes great news that really isn't so great.
 
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State tax collections updated
Now updated with data through the third quarter of 2018, quarterly state and local government tax collections. Data is from the United States Census Bureau and groups data by tax category
 
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Retiring Sedgwick County Commissioner Dave Unruh praised
The praise for retired Sedgwick County Commissioner Dave Unruh can't be based on our region's accomplishments under his guidance. That is, if people are informed and truthful.
 
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Governor's Budget is Not Structurally Balanced
Policymakers on either side of the aisle should oppose bad budgeting practices. If not, the state risks eventually cutting core government services, or raising taxes on families and businesses. So when Duane Goossen called then-Governor Sam Brownback's budget proposal as structurally imbalanced, he was right. Duane Goossen is now a cabinet Secretary in the Kelly administration. Unfortunately, that same administration presented a budget that lacked structural balance. It was wrong when Brownback did it, wrong when Sebelius did it, and it is wrong that Kelly has done it. From Kansas Policy Institute.
 
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KSNW-TV reporting on highway funding is wrong
KSNW-TV in Wichita says Gov. Laura Kelly's budget will cease highway funding transfers from the Kansas Department of Transportation. A headline reads, "Governor's new budget would leave transportation money alone." But that's not even close to being true. From The Sentinel.
 
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Tax Foundation Director Talks 'Trump Windfall' with Senate Committee
An economist at the Tax Foundation told the Kansas Senate Taxation committee states can lose competitive edge if they don't tweak tax policy related to the "Trump Windfall." From The Sentinel.
 
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The Majority Record
Many Kansas legislators are writing periodic newsletters or social media posts. The material is from the lawmakers and may not reflect the views of Voice for Liberty. Below, a post from Republican House Member Dan Hawkins of west Wichita. He is also Majority Leader.

When I was running for Majority Leader I kept hearing the desire for greater communication. Time after time I was told that we need to do a better job of getting the truth out about what is going on in the statehouse. The Majority Record is my attempt to do that. Every week I'll do my best to let you know what is really going on in the legislature. Give it a read and let me know what you think. What you like, what you want to hear more about, and even what you don't like. Don't worry, I have thick skin. 
 
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Trump's Bush League Challenge
If President Trump is going to exceed his presidential standing over his predecessors, he has to overcome his Bush league challenge, writes Karl Peterjohn.
 
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In Wichita, a gentle clawback
Despite the mayor's bluster, Wichita mostly lets a company off the hook.

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Kansas jobs, December 2018
Data released today from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, shows a mostly improving jobs picture for Kansas in December 2018.
 
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Wichita migration not improving
Data from the United States Census Bureau shows that the Wichita metropolitan area has lost many people to domestic migration, and the situation is not improving.
 
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Different look at state assessment results provides same conclusion
Much of the focus on state assessment scores is on how low-income students are performing and achievement gaps - and deservedly so. Nevertheless, the Kansas Supreme Court's current Gannon rulings all but demand a continued evaluation of overall achievement. The justices have staked out a claim that there is a causal relationship between money and outcomes. And one that is not only causal, but one whose impact is immediate. From Kansas Policy Institute.
 
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Medicaid Expansion Supporters Ignore The Policy Breaks Budgets
Campaign promises appear to be the foundation of the views on Medicaid expansion instead of sound data and sound solutions. Perhaps the most well-known argument for Medicaid expansion is the belief it helps the state budget. The Kansas Policy Institute tests that argument.
 
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Opponents Say Medicaid Expansion Is Bad Medicine
Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, introduced a bill to expand Kansas' Medicaid program, and Gov. Laura Kelly said in her state of the state address earlier this week that expansion will be a priority for her administration. However, opponents say expansion would be a poison pill for the state's budget. From The Sentinel.
 
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Wichita employment to grow in 2019
Jobs are forecasted to grow in Wichita in 2019, but the forecasted rate is low.
 
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Derek Yonai: Teaching the Morality of Free Enterprise
Derek K. Yonai, JD, Ph.D., Director of the Koch Center for Leadership & Ethics at Emporia State University, spoke to the Wichita Pachyderm Club January 11, 2019, on the topic of Teaching the Morality of Free Enterprise. View here.
Trump's Bush League Challenge
If President Trump is going to exceed his presidential standing over his predecessors, he has to overcome his Bush league challenge, writes Karl Peterjohn.
 
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Spending more isn't the solution to Kansas' economic issues
There are new elected officials coming to Topeka but they'll be dealing with a lot of recurring issues, including very large budget shortfalls, continued economic stagnation and persistently low student achievement despite record-setting funding levels. Bt Dave Trabert.
 
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Wichita City Council to consider a clawback
The unrealized potential of an economic development incentive teaches lessons.
 
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Unruh recollections disputed
A former Sedgwick County Commissioner disputes the narrative told by a retiring commissioner.
 
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Taxpayers will miss Richard Ranzau
When a county commissioner's questions produce a reversal of the county manager's spending plans, you know we have good representation.
 
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The Dave Unruh legacy
Sedgwick County Commissioner Dave Unruh was first elected in 2000 and took office in 2001.

From Pachyderm: Martin Hawver
From the Wichita Pachyderm Club: Martin Hawver, dean of the Kansas Statehouse press corps. This was recorded January 4, 2019.
 
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If you aren't getting email from Voice for Liberty
Troubleshoot why you aren't getting email from Voice for Liberty or other senders.
 
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Wichita employment, November 2018
For the Wichita metropolitan area in November 2018, jobs are up, the labor force is up, and the unemployment rate is down, compared to the same month one year ago. Seasonal data shows a slowdown in the rate of job growth.
 
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Sedgwick County tops $434K in extra personnel costs
Sedgwick County has spent $434,663 in costs relating to the separations of two members of top management.
 
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2019 Legislator's Budget Guide: Reversing The Kansas Exodus
At the start of the year, Americans always seem resolved to make changes to their lives and routines. For many Kansans, those resolutions apparently mean migration to fast-growing states with governments that spend less, and tax less. From Sandlian Center for Entrepreneurial Government.
 
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Cato study disputes claims of Kansas education efficiency
One of the findings in the 2018 WestED K-12 cost study is a high level of efficiency in school spending, with efficiency in case meaning 'bang for the buck.' However, a study just released by the Cato Institute  says 30 states do better than Kansas when spending is adjusted for cost-of-living variances. From Kansas Policy institute.
 
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Year in Review: 2018
Here are highlights from Voice for Liberty for 2018. Was it a good year for the principles of individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and free markets?

Also, there were notable episodes of WichitaLiberty.TV in 2018: What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan, Dr. Tom G. Palmer and the causes of wealth, Dr. Wolf von Laer of Students for Liberty, Larry Reed of Foundation for Economic Education, Senator Tom Coburn, Congressman Ron Estes, and Lenore Skenazy.  

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Kansas agency expenditures
Data regarding State of Kansas agency spending presented in an interactive visualization.
 
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Latest Governor's Education Council
The governor of Kansas has virtually no role in public education in the state. The only mention of the governor in the state constitution is the authority to appoint members of the state board of regents.  There is no mention of the governor in K-12 education. So why do Kansas governors keep creating committees to address the shortcomings of the state's public education system? From Kansas Policy Institute.
 
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In A Welfare State, One Cannot Be a Social Liberal AND a Fiscal Conservative
Unlike the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County has kept track of its tax exemptions.A hoary "moderate" mantra goes something like this, "I am a fiscal conservative but a social liberal." The former part of the equation establishes the sanity of the person speaking, the latter part establishes the hipness. The conundrum, of course, is that even in a modified welfare state like, say, Kansas, one cannot successfully be both a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. From The Sentinel.
 
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Kansas tax credit scholarship program
An op-ed in the Wichita Eagle regarding school choice prompts uninformed and misinformed comments.
 
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Kansas House committee assignments for 2019
From the office of Kansas House of Representatives Speaker Ron Ryckman, here are committee assignments for the 2019 session of the Kansas Legislature. The session starts Monday January 14, 2019.
 
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Kansas personal income rises
Kansas personal income grew in the third quarter of 2018, but slower than in most states.
 
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Sedgwick County tax exemptions
Unlike the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County has kept track of its tax exemptions.
 
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Judge Kevin Smith and foster care
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Judge Kevin Smith explains some of the problems in the foster care system in Kansas, and what we can do to improve it. View here. Episode 221, broadcast December 16, 2018.

2019 Legislator's Budget Guide: Economic Development Needs Reform
This policy proposal is part of the Sandlian Center for Entrepreneurial Government's 2019 Legislator's Budget Guide.
 
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Efficiencies in Sedgwick County government
A document that hasn't been made public details savings achieved in Sedgwick County over a recent period of nearly three years.

An example of a savin gs is this: "Eliminated 6.0 FTEs and associated funding due to the outsourcing of EMS Billing ($304,027)."

Would you like to live in a county where savings like this example are implemented? Would you like to have a manager that does things like this, and much more?

In Sedgwick County, a faction of commissioners fired a manager who did this.
 
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Commissioner Jim Howell: Why I voted
From Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Howell, an explanation of his recent vote, along with insight on current events in Sedgwick County.

In part, Howell writes: "In my opinion, the effort to terminate Yost and Scholes was not based on substantive issues but motivated by personal and political reasons. It may have been retaliatory."
 
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School spending up, test scores down
From Kansas Policy Institute, reporting on this year's tests of Kansas schoolchildren.
 
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On big contracts, Wichita has had problems
As Wichita prepares to award a large construction contract, let's hope the city acts in an ethical manner this time.
 
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It's not the bonds, it's the taxes
A Wichita Eagle headline reads "Wichita aircraft supplier plans 45 new jobs with $7.5 million bond request," but important information is buried and incomplete.
 
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Sedgwick County income and poverty
Census data show Sedgwick County continuing to fall behind the nation in two key measures.
 
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Kansas Representative Leo Delperdang
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Representative Leo Delperdang joins Bob Weeks to discuss the recent election and the upcoming session of the Kansas Legislature. View here. Episode 220, broadcast December 2, 2018.
 

Sedgwick County jobs, second quarter 2018
For the second quarter of 2018, the number of jobs in Sedgwick County grew slightly slower than the nation.

For the second quarter of 2018 there were 12,600 establishments in Sedgwick County employing 250,800 workers. That is an increase in jobs of 1.2 percent from the same time the previous year, a proportional rate which ranked 176 among the nation's 349 largest counties. For the same period, the national job growth rate was 1.5 percent. (Ranked by number of jobs, Sedgwick County is the 123rd largest county.)
 
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Economic development incentives
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: A look at some economic development incentive programs in Wichita and Kansas. Second in a series. Tax increment financing (TIF) is prominent in this episode. View here. Episode 219, broadcast November 25, 2018.


Updated: Kansas tax receipts
The Kansas Division of the Budget publishes monthly statistics regarding tax collections. I've gathered these and present them in an interactive visualization. Updated with data through October 2018.
 
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Personal income in Wichita rises, but slowly
For all metropolitan areas in the United States, personal income rose by 4.5 percent. For the Wichita metro area, the increase was 2.3 percent. Of 383 metropolitan areas, Wichita's growth rate was at position 342.

While the Wichita area has kept up with national personal income growth and even surpassed it in some years, that is no longer the case. Wichita's income has stalled while national income continues to grow.
 
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Sedgwick County Manager epitomizes duty, honor, country
General Michael Scholes epitomizes "duty, honor, country." I repeatedly saw this demonstrated in the past, as well as more recently as he continues to demonstrate his personal integrity, writes Karl Peterjohn.
 
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Economic development incentives
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: A look at some economic development incentive programs in Wichita and Kansas. First in a series. View here. Episode 218, broadcast November 18, 2018.

Kansas GDP growth spurt
In the second quarter of 2018, the Kansas economy grew at the annual rate of 4.7 percent, the seventh-best rate in the nation. This is a sharp jump in the rate of growth from the first quarter of 2018, when the rate was 0.5 percent, with only three states having lower rates.
 
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Kansas school salaries
This visualization holds salaries of Kansas school superintendents, principals, and teachers. The visualization shows the average for each of these categories for each school district. The values are adjusted for inflation to the most current year values. Some data is presented on a per-pupil basis using full-time equivalent student counts.
 
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From Pachyderm: Professor Mel Kahn on 2018 Election Results
From the Wichita Pachyderm Club: Wichita State University Political Science Professor Mel Kahn speaking on the results of the 2018 General Election. This informative and entertaining presentation was recorded on November 9, 2018. Introduction was by Dalton Glasscock.
 
Click here for the audio presentation.
Déjà vu scandals in Sedgwick County government
The Sedgwick County Commission scandals are an outrage for me. I must speak out against the appalling revelations that provide explicit evidence of illegal misconduct in our county government, writes Karl Peterjohn.
 
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KPI launches first episode of "Choosing Freedom"
Choosing Freedom with Dave Trabert is an initiative of Kansas Policy Institute, and will air weekly on multiple stations across the State. Choosing Freedom will cover the most pressing issues impacting our personal freedoms in Kansas.
 
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The Pete Meitzner era in Wichita
Wichita City Council Member Pete Meitzner (district 2, east Wichita) is running for a position on the Sedgwick County Commission.

He's running on his record of economic development. His website says: "Pete's seven years on the City Council has proven to be a large part of the positive momentum we have recently experienced."

Let's take a look at the record. Click here to view a presentation of the numbers.


From Pachyderm: Robert L. Bradley, Jr.
From the Wichita Pachyderm Club: Robert L. Bradley, Jr. He is CEO and Founder of Institute for Energy Research, visiting fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London, and an adjunct scholar at both the Cato Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute. His topic at the Pachyderm Club was "The Contra-Capitalist Corporation (In Search of Heroic Capitalism)." 
 
Click here for the audio recording and visual presentation.
Pete Meitzner for Sedgwick County?
In normal times, Republicans may be reluctant to vote for a Democrat for the Sedgwick County Commission. But these are not normal times, and a vote for Pete Meitzner sends a message that we just don't care about our economy.
 
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Kansas highway pavement conditions
What is the condition of Kansas highways?
 
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Kansas highway spending
A look at actual spending on Kansas highways, apart from transfers.
 
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Kansas school spending, through 2018
Charts of Kansas school spending presented in different forms.

One of the most important charts shows state spending per-pupil, adjusted for inflation. It shows the total of state and local spending, which is useful because in 2015 the state made a change in the way revenue is allocated between state and local sources. It also shows base state aid per pupil, which is an important number as it is the starting point for the school funding formula.

Why is total state and local spending higher than base state aid? Weightings add to the base to compensate school districts for things like at-risk children, English language learners, and other items. These weightings have grown over time, so as base state aid has generally fallen, total spending has generally risen.

A second chart shows the ratio of total state and local spending to base state aid.

This is not simply a technical matter. In discussions of school policy, sometimes only the base aid figure is used. As it has fallen, some formulate an argument that school spending has been cut. That is easily refuted by looking at total state and local spending.
 
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Author Lenore Skenazy, "America's Worst Mom"
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Author Lenore Skenazy talks about today's children and the free-range kids movement. View here. Episode 212, broadcast October 7, 2018.


From Pachyderm: Economic development incentives
A look at some of the large economic development programs in Wichita and Kansas.

Here's video of a presentation I gave at the Wichita Pachyderm Club this week on economic development incentives. The video was produced by Paul Soutar of Graphic Lens. View here.

Wichita economy shrinks, and a revision
The Wichita economy shrank in 2017, but revised statistics show growth in 2016. For 2017, the Wichita metropolitan area GDP, in real dollars, fell by 1.4 percent. Revised statistics for 2016 indicate growth of 3.8 percent for that year. Last year BEA reported growth of -1.4 percent.
 
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GDP by metropolitan area and component
An interactive visualization of gross domestic product by metropolitan area and industry. An example from the visualization compares Wichita metro GDP growth to that of the nation's metropolitan areas.
 
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The use of sales tax proceeds in Wichita
Must the City of Wichita spend its share of Sedgwick County sales tax proceeds in a specific way?

Excerpt: We often hear that half the city's share of the sales tax is pledged for Kellogg construction. In actuality it is pledged to "Wichita road, highway and bridge projects."

But really, it isn't even pledged to that. The pledge is in the form of a city ordinance. It may be changed at any time at the will of four council members.

Yes, the ordinance says the city intends to continue using the tax revenues in the same way "as a matter of faith and trust." Unfortunately, that trust has been destroyed in many ways, one being council members who tell us things that aren't true.
 
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Wichita Wingnuts settlement: There are questions
It may be very expensive for the City of Wichita to terminate its agreement with the Wichita Wingnuts baseball club, and there are questions.
 
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Kansas state and local taxes
Among nearby states, Kansas collects a lot of taxes, on a per-resident basis.
 
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Wichita, not that different
We have a lot of neat stuff in Wichita. Other cities do, too.

Excerpt: It's great to love your city. But we can't afford to be lulled into complacency - a false recognition of achievement - when all the data says otherwise.
 
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Wichita checkbook updated
As part of an ongoing transparency project, I asked the City of Wichita for check register data. I've made the data available in a visualization using Tableau Public. This visualization is updated with data through August 31, 2018.
 
Click here for the full story and data.
Local government employment in Kansas
Kansas has nearly the highest number of local government employees per resident, compared to other states.

For all local government employees, Kansas had 50.59 per thousand residents in 2016, higher than all states (and areas) but the District of Columbia and Wyoming. These employees had an annual payroll of $2,141.16 per resident. Ten states were higher.
 
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Wichita school spending, according to the Wichita Eagle
A recent editorial by the largest newspaper in Kansas misinforms its readers. Opinions may vary on spending more or less on schools. But our state's largest newspaper isn't giving its readers the information they need to form an informed opinion.
 
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Ranked-choice voting in Kansas
A look at ranked-choice voting and how it might have worked in the Kansas Republican gubernatorial primary election in August 2018.
 
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Visualization: Kansas school spending by district
An interactive visualization of spending by Kansas school districts.
 
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VIDEO: Kansas candidate briefings
Recently Kansas Policy Institute, along with Americans for Prosperity and Kansas Chamber of Commerce, held a series of briefings for candidates for the Kansas Legislature. The presentations in Wichita were recorded, and are available here:

Click here for the full story. 
Kansas government employees
Kansas has a lot of government employees when compared to other states, and especially so in education.

Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.
Kansas tax collections
If Kansas government doesn't have enough money to meet spending requests, it's not for the lack of collecting taxes.


Wichita and Midwest income
How much do Wichitans earn at their jobs, compared to other cities?

This data is of interest as recently James Chung told an audience that "average income" is $10,000 higher in Midwest comparable cities than in Wichita. He didn't define the term "income," he didn't define the comparable cities, and he didn't provide any sources of data. But mention of this is a good time to look at income in Wichita and other cities.

Click here for the full story. 
Airport traffic statistics, 2017
Airport traffic data presented in an interactive visualization, updated through 2017. A few observations regarding Wichita airport traffic as compared to the nation:
  • Since 2014, passenger traffic at the Wichita airport is slightly higher, while rising sharply for the nation.
  • The number of departures has been declining in Wichita, while level and now increasing for the nation.
  • The number of available seats on departing flights from Wichita has been mostly level, while rising sharply for the nation.
To view and use the interactive visualization, click here .


Sedgwick County jobs
Sedgwick County had fewer jobs in 2017 than in 2016.

From December 2016 to December 2017 Sedgwick County employment was level, changing by 0.0 percent. According to the BLS news release, that ranked 317 of the 347 largest counties.

Using the monthly average job count, Sedgwick County had 248,772 (monthly average) jobs in 2016. For 2017 that fell to 247,022, a decline of 1,750 jobs or 0.7 percent.

As can be seen in the chart of change in job levels, 2017 continues a trend of slower job growth in Sedgwick County, with the growth trend turning negative.

Click here for the full story. 


Downtown Wichita business trends
There has been much public and private investment in Downtown Wichita. What has been the trend in business activity during this time?

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Lawrence has it. Wichita doesn't.
Despite promises, Wichita fails to inform citizens on important activities of its government.

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State government tax collections
An interactive visualization of tax collections by state governments.

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Business patterns in Kansas counties
Census data shows that some counties in Kansas are growing faster than others. In the chart, we can see that some Kansas counties are doing better than others. Notably, Sedgwick County shows a decline in employees and payroll in 2016.

Click here for the full story. 


Intrust Bank Arena loss for 2017 is $4,222,182
As in years past, a truthful accounting of the finances of Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita shows a large loss.

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Wichita property tax rate: Down
The City of Wichita property tax mill levy declined for the second year in a row.

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Employment in metropolitan areas
An interactive visualization of labor force, employment, and unemployment rate for all metropolitan areas in the United States.

The example from the visualization shown below shows the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area and All Metro Areas. Data is through January 2018. Of note regarding Wichita:
  • Since the Great Recession ended, the unemployment rate in Wichita has fallen, as it has nationwide.
  • At the same time, employment (the number of people working) in Wichita, has been steady or rising slightly. Nationwide, employment has been growing.
  • At the same time, the civilian labor force in Wichita has been mostly falling, while rising nationwide. 
Click here for the full story. 
Sedgwick County's David Dennis on economic development
Following the Wichita Mayor, the Chair of the Sedgwick County Commission speaks on economic development.

Click here for the full story. 

Mayor Longwell's pep talk
A column written by Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell ignores the reality of Wichita's economy.

Excerpt: I sincerely hope the mayor is not aware of the poor performance of the Wichita-area economy. Because if he is aware, and he promises to "continue our growth pattern," we're in for continued trouble. Did you know that the Wichita-area economy shrank from 2015 to 2016? That is, we produced fewer goods and services in 2016 than in 2015, after accounting for inflation. Is this the growth pattern the mayor promises to continue?

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Kansas government data may not be available
There is a movement to increase the transparency of government in Kansas, but there's much to be done, starting with attitudes.

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Cost per visitor to Wichita cultural attractions
Wichitans might be surprised to learn the cost of cultural attractions. The price of adult admission to the Wichita Art Museum is $7.00, or free on Saturdays thanks to the generosity of Colby Sandlian, a Wichita businessman.

But the cost of admission is much higher. For 2016, Wichita city documents report a cost per visitor of $54.71
 
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Wichita WaterWalk contract not followed, again
Wichita city hall failed to uphold the terms of a development agreement from five years ago, not monitoring contracts that protect the public interest.

Beyond this, we now know that neither the city nor the WaterWalk developer followed the terms of the deal. The annual reports were not supplied by the company, and they were not requested by the city. As it turns out the annual reports purport to show that the city was owed no money under the profit sharing agreement.

But that's not the point. The issue is that the city did not enforce a simple aspect of the agreement, and the private-sector company felt it did not need to comply. Taxpayers were not protected, and we're left wondering whether these agreements were really meant to be followed.
 
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Downtown Wichita jobs, sort of
The claim of 26,000 workers in downtown Wichita is based on misuse of data so blatant it can be described only as malpractice. 
 
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Accountability in Kansas public schools
Critics of school choice say there is no accountability outside the traditional public schools. Here are the standards Kansas used to hold its schools accountable.
 
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