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A writer claims that Colorado schools are well-funded, while Kansas schools are not.

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Dr. Wolf von Laer of Students for Liberty joins Bob and Karl to talk about young people and the cause of liberty. View here. Episode 190, broadcast March 31, 2018.

A discussion on Citizens United and the influence of money in politics.

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The House school funding plan that developed last week proposes to give schools $500 million more over five years in hope of appeasing the Kansas Supreme Court.  There would be an increase in special education funding but most of the money goes to increasing base state aid.  Ironically, a constitutional amendment was also introduced that would prevent courts from setting funding in future litigation.  Many elements of both proposals and their underlying rationale have not been released at this writing but both appear to be on a fast track, so we'll do our best to put the issues in perspective. From Kansas Policy Institute.

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The Kansas Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship program allows individuals and businesses to donate to a state scholarship fund. In exchange, donors receive a partial tax credit. All of the scholarship recipients are poor and many are minority students. From The Sentinel.

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An important detail regarding Naftzger Park in downtown Wichita is unsettled, and Wichitans have reason to be wary. 

Excerpt: Recently I asked the city if this master calendar had been created, or if there was a framework for determining how many private events can be held. According to the city, decisions are ongoing, and "According to Park & Recreation officials, what can be shared now is that the City will create and maintain a master calendar of events and programming. The developer will share in the programming responsibility and host several events throughout the year. Collaborating will ensure that the park is programmed well and active." Wichitans should not take comfort in learning this. 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Dr. Tom G. Palmer of Atlas Network joins Bob Weeks to explain why the usual approach to foreign aid isn't working, and what Atlas Network is doing to change the lives of the poor across the world. View here. Episode 189, broadcast March 24, 2018.

Personal income in Kansas rose in 2017 at a rate one-third that of the nation.

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Recent use of the Wichita City Council public agenda has highlighted the need for reform. 

Would reform of the council's public agenda make a difference? Do council members listen to and consider the opinions of speakers on the public agenda?

That's a good question!

Click here for the full story. 

The state's largest Kansas teacher union, KNEA, is distorting a statement in the new cost study to deceive teachers on school efficiency; they want teachers to believe school boards and administrators aren't wasting money.  Teachers who've been using their own money to buy classroom supplies routinely witness money being wasted.  District representatives and lobbyists have testified in legislative hearings that school boards want to spend more than necessary sometimes for reasons unrelated to improving student achievement.  And there are 286 separate administrative systems with lots of duplication across Kansas for goodness sake. From Kansas Policy Institute.

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The WestEd cost study recommending that lawmakers infuse public schools with up to $2.1 billion over the next five years in an effort to increase high school graduation rates from 86 percent to 95 percent has many legislators fuming. As one House member told the Kansas City Star, that kind of cash would "bankrupt the state."

The study's failure to acknowledge that schools haven't even been spending all the money they received in prior years is also appalling. From The Sentinel.

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When the citizens of a conservative Midwestern state are facing sales tax rates "higher than in California" and income taxes at "the levels of New York," they might just welcome a good old-fashioned constitutional crisis, ideally one less bloody than the constitutional crisis out of which the state was forged more than 150 years ago. From The Sentinel.

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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. 

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: John Todd explains how cities in Kansas are seeking additional power to seize property, and tells us why we should oppose this legislation. View here. Episode 188, broadcast March 17, 2018.

An interactive visualization of the civilian labor force, employment, and unemployment, for each state.

Click here for the full story. 

Following the Wichita Mayor, the Chair of the Sedgwick County Commission speaks on economic development.

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From the Wichita Pachyderm Club: Dr. Russell Arben Fox, who is Professor of Political Science at Friends University. His topic was "Can Wichita Elect a Governor? Musings on the Kansas Political Landscape."

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As part of the newest wrinkle in the never-ending Gannon saga - yet another education cost study - a peer review of the cost-study process was included in the$285,000 package. The consultant for that review, Dr. Jesse Levin, presented the Legislature his findings of the two most recent cost-studies, the Augenblick & Myers (A&M) study from 2002 and the one performed by Legislative Post Audit (LPA) in 2006. Although Dr. Levin did a thorough analysis of those studies, the exercise serves as a testament to the reality that doing any iteration of an education study is a fool's errand that will not lead to better student achievements and outcomes. Levin's review precedes the full report that is scheduled to be unveiled at a joint House/Senate committee this week. From Kansas Policy Institute.

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City and county payrolls in the state's more populated areas grew much faster than inflation in 2017. from Kansas Policy Institute.

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Preliminary results of the WestEd cost study on school funding have media and some legislators salivating over the prospect of billions more being poured in Kansas schools, without even passing concern over the devastating tax hikes that would be required.  Media's read on the WestEd cost study says $1.8 billion to $2.1 billion more is needed - in addition to $6 billion provided last year. From Kansas Policy Institute.

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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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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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New data from the Kansas Department of Revenue shows county property tax assessed by Kansas' 105 counties increased by 154 percent over the last 20 years.  That's 2.6 times faster than the combined change in inflation (47 percent) and population (12 percent).  To put than in perspective, had property taxes just kept pace with inflation and population, county property tax would have been $520 million less in Kansas last year, or about 37 percent lower. From Kansas Policy Institute.

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Never one to miss an opportunity to bash Gov. Sam Brownback-not even now when he's a former governor-The Topeka Capital-Journal's Tim Carpenter claims, "In 2014, the GOP-led Legislature and Gov. Sam Brownback forbid the state's 286 public school districts from guaranteeing fired educators with at least three years of experience the option of requesting that an impartial arbitrator hear evidence and issue a binding ruling."

In fact, this particular form of due process was never "forbidden," let alone due process in general. The 2014 law merely gave school districts the option to decide whether or to what extent due process would be offered. From The Sentinel.

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Wichita leaders are proud of our region's economic growth. Here are the numbers.

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Dave Trabert of Kansas Policy Institute joins Bob and Karl to discuss his new book What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan -- The Undoing of a Good Idea. View here. Episode 186, broadcast March 3, 2018.

Local governments in Kansas are again seeking expanded power to seize property. Here's a short video that explains. 

Click here for the full story. 

Tax relief opponents have repeatedly pointed to the 2012 Kansas tax plan as their primary example of why tax cuts do not work. But, other states like North Carolina, Indiana, and Tennessee contemporaneously, and successfully, cut taxes. What was different about the Kansas experience?

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It would be rash to credit a 13 percent annual drop in crime at the University of Kansas to six months of legalized campus carry, but the new law certainly did not cause an increase in crime or a spike in weapons violations. From The Sentinel.

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The disparate way the media treat alleged sexual abuse by a pastor and by a public school teacher was on full view this week for anyone who cared to see. From The Sentinel.

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Metro Monitor from Brookings Institution ranks metropolitan areas on economic performance. How does Wichita fare?

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Dr. Jim Barnett is a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for Kansas Governor. He joins Bob Weeks to make the case as to why he should be our next governor. View here. Episode 185, broadcast February 24, 2018.

This is the first in a series of appearances by gubernatorial candidates for 2018. We hope that all major candidates, of all parties as well as independents, will accept our invitation.

Wichita's economic development agency asks for assistance in developing its focus and strategies.

Click here for the full story. 

The last time the Kansas National Educational Association (KNEA) spoke up about pornography, it was to attack Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook's anti-porn legislation. From The Sentinel.

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The Wichita Eagle published a lengthy story about a myriad of tax exemptions in the state of Kansas this weekend. It's an interesting read, but it falsely gives readers the idea that every dollar in the Kansas economy belongs to the state. From The Sentinel.

Click here for the full story. 

Eric Hanushek doesn't buy the conventional wisdom on education. Spending more doesn't equal better outcomes, smaller class size doesn't mean students improve, and teachers should be evaluated and fired if they can't produce gains in the classroom. From The Sentinel. 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: The Sentinel's Danedri Herbert joins Bob Weeks to discuss the upcoming gubernatorial debate, the Kansas Legislature's website and transparency, and accountability in government. View here. Episode 184, broadcast February 17, 2018. 

Is the state's leading expert on school funding truly knowledgeable, or is he untrustworthy?

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Professor Edward Stringham joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss Bitcoin, sound money, and the role of markets in private governance. View here. Episode 182, broadcast February 10, 2018. 

Kansas ranks low among the states in growth of gross domestic product (GDP) for the third quarter of 2017.

Click here for the full story. 

New data from the Department of Education shows outstanding school district debt set a new record at $6.1 billion last year.  The average debt per-pupil (only counting enrollment at districts with debt) is $14,715. from Kansas Policy Institute. 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Wichita Area Technical College (WATC) has formed an affiliation with Wichita State University, to be called the Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, or WSU Tech. Sheree Utash, president of WATC and future president of WSU Tech, joins Karl Peterjohn to discuss these institutions. View here. Episode 181, broadcast January 27, 2018. 

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Radio Host Andy Hooser of the Voice of Reason appears with Karl Peterjohn to discuss the simulcast of his radio show on KGPT 26, the legislative session, and whether President Trump's tax breaks can save Kansas from the recent tax hike. View here. Episode 180, broadcast January 20, 2018. 

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Vice president and policy director of Kansas Policy Institute James Franko joins Karl Peterjohn to discuss Governor Brownback's State of the State Address for 2018. Topics include schools and Medicaid expansion. View here. Episode 179, broadcast January 13, 2018. 

Here are highlights from Voice for Liberty for 2017. Was it a good year for the principles of individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and free markets in Wichita and Kansas? 

 

Click here for the full story.

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Radio Host Andy Hooser of the Voice of Reason appears with Bob Weeks to discuss issues in state and national political affairs. View here. Episode 177, broadcast December 23, 2017. 

 

The city has finalized a proposal for a development near Naftzger Park. It includes a few new and creative provisions. 

 

Click here for the full story.

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Attorney Richard Peckham joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss judicial selection and other judicial issues in Kansas. View here. Episode 176, broadcast December 16, 2017. 

 

The City of Wichita cracks down on panhandling. Is it too much? 

 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Former United States Senator Jim DeMint joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to talk about the Convention of States. David Schneider, regional director for Citizens for Self-Governance also appears. View here. Episode 175, broadcast December 9, 2017. 

 

It's good news that Spirit AeroSystems is expanding in Wichita. Let's look at the cost.

One thing that would also increase the credibility of economic development efforts is for Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell (and others) to stop making claims of "no more cash incentives." The city explicitly offers cash in this proposal. The city also offers to cancel a debt, which is just like cash. Forgiveness of future taxes is as good as cash, too. 

 

Click here for the full story.

During years of purported budget cuts, what has been the trend of student/teacher ratios in the Wichita public school district? 

 

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Opinions vary on economic development incentives, but we ought to expect to be told the truth of the details. 

 

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Wichita spending data presented as a summary, and as a list. 

 

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Revenue for the Wichita public school district continues its familiar trend. 

 

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News about Kansas tax receipts for November 2017, along with an interactive visualization. 

 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: United States Representative Ron Estes joins Bob Weeks to talk about the tax bill, his op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, and Susan Estes tells us what Mrs. Smith does when Mr. Smith goes to Washington. View here. Episode 174, broadcast November 25, 2017. 

The use of PEAK, a Kansas economic development incentive program, varies widely among counties. 

 

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PEAK, a Kansas economic development incentive program, redirects employee income taxes back to the employing company. 

 

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For 2016, personal income in Wichita rose, but is still below 2014 levels. 

 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss Sedgwick County government issues, including allegations of misconduct by a commission member and the possibility of a Tyson chicken plant. View here. Episode 172, broadcast November 11, 2017. 

 

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In Wichita, we see another example of how once government starts a surveillance program, the urge to expand it is irresistible. 

 

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In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Matt Kibbe of Free the People joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss FreeThePeople.org and our relationship with government. View here. Episode 171, broadcast November 4, 2017. 

 

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

 

Click here for the full story.

New data for spending in Kansas schools is available. State and local total spending, per pupil, adjusted for inflation, has been remarkably level since 2013. At the same time, schools are telling us spending has been slashed. 

 

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Wichita economic development officials use a circuitous method of estimating the population of downtown Wichita, producing a number much higher than Census Bureau estimates. 

 

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The new State of Downtown Wichita report for 2017 is missing something. What is it, and why is it missing? 

 

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Transparency issues surrounding the Wichita public school district are in the news. There are steps that are easy to make, but the district resists. 

 

Click here for the full story.

Kansas school fund balances rose this year, in both absolute dollars and dollars per pupil. 

 

Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.

The Wichita MSA economy produced fewer goods and services in 2016 than in 2015, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In real (inflation-adjusted) dollars, the Wichita metropolitan area gross domestic product fell by 1.4 percent. For all metropolitan areas, GDP grew by 1.7 percent.

Since 2001, GDP for all metropolitan areas grew by 29.3 percent, while Wichita had 12.3 percent growth.

An interactive visualization of tax collections by state governments. 

 

Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.

 

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Troubleshoot why you aren't getting email from Voice for Liberty or other senders.

 

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Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.

 

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Here are printable tables of voting on legislation that raised taxes in Kansas.

 

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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.

 

Click here for the full story.

 

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When reading the writings of former Kansas State Budget Director Duane Goossen, it's useful to have a guide grounded in reality.

For example, Goosen wrote: "We became famous, the poster state for bad tax policy."
No, Kansas became the poster state for bad spending policy. Our legislature and governor had several years to find ways to reform spending, but there was not the will to do so. One example: The budget for next year contains $47.2 million in spending because the legislature did not adopt a recommended plan to save money on purchasing health insurance for school employees. That number rises to $89.0 million the following year. 

 

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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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An interactive visualization of Kansas employment by industry.  

 

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Airport traffic data presented in an interactive visualization, updated through 2016. A few observations regarding Wichita airport traffic as compared to the nation:

Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.

 

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Is the presentation of the number of workers in downtown Wichita an innocent mistake, mere incompetence, or a willful lie? 

 

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In Rich States, Poor States, Kansas improves its middle-of-the-pack performance, but continues with a mediocre forward-looking forecast. 

 

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Should Kansans accept the results of a public opinion poll when little is known about it? 

 

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

 

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Discussions of public policy need to start from a common base of facts and information. An episode shows that both our state government and news media are not helping. 

 

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The City of Wichita says it hasn't raised its property tax mill levy in many years. For this year, the city is correct. 

 

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An interactive presentation of Kansas state school assessment scores at the state, district, and building levels. 

 

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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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