Monday night, very few members of the Hays community attended the 2013 spring candidate forum for the Hays City Commission and USD 489 School Board elections. The event was held in the basement of the FHSU Memorial Union in Cody Commons and broadcast live on Hays Post.

 The City Commission Candidates began the forum at 6:30 p.m.

At 7:45 p.m., candidates for the USD 489 School Board answered questions. Each candidate had the opportunity to give a brief opening statement. A total of six questions was asked and each candidate  had one minute to answer each question.

Dr. Joseph Romance, a political science professor at FHSU, moderated the forum. Several questions were taken from the audience for each portion of the forum.

The event was sponsored by FHSU American Democracy Project, Student Government Association, Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, and FHSU Department of Political Science.  If you missed the candidate forum, it will be replayed 0n Eagle Community Television Channel 14 or 614 this Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and again on Monday at 1 p.m. The election is April 2.

Candidates for Hays City Commission attended the candidate forum on Monday night.  There was a small turnout in the Cody Commons in the basement of the FHSU Memorial Union. The candidates wrapped up the question and answer session with closing comments. Here are a few highlights.

Dominic Pianalto: There is a lot Hays has in its favor and I look forward to serving.

Todd Gabel: Hays is a great place to live.  I want to make it a great place.

Eber Phelps:  I have a passion for public service. I’m bullish on Hays.

Shaun Musil: I want to thank my family and my church family for their support. I want to help keep Hays a safe place to live and raise a family.

Ron Mellick:  Water and Taxes are most important. We can do anything as a city if we plan for it.

If you missed the forum, it will be rebroadcast on Eagle Community Television Channel 14 or 614 this Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. and Monday at 1 p.m. The election is April 2.

 

Candidates for Hays School Board answered questions before a small crowd at FHSU’s Cody Commons Monday night.  Candidates began with opening comments.

Rich Kraemer: After 12 years on the board, I feel I still have something to add. We need to remember that K-12 Education is a cornerstone of economic development in our community.”

Lance Bickle: I’m excited and honored to participate and I know that being on the school board is a big responsibility.  I have two daughters and they will attend school in USD 489.

Josh Waddell: I’m not one to mince words or flatter. Our school district is flawed. The morale is slipping. I want to help bring our district back on course.

Kathleen Fisher:  I want to give something back. I will be a conservative voice and focus on academics and education. If you missed the candidate forum, it will be replayed 0n Eagle Community Television Channel 14 or 614 this Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and again on Monday at 1 p.m.

 

Historic and Religious Public Displays

Last Tuesday, the House debated HB 2037 dealing with the display of religious and historic artifacts on public property. In many of our local municipal buildings and state buildings here in Kansas, we have different historical displays, some with religious significance, which the legislature believes should be protected and should have a place in our local communities. This bill protects the historic tradition religious symbols have played in our state heritage. As with many historic buildings in Kansas, including the state capitol, there are many parts of our buildings which are reflections of the history of Kansas and should be protected.

Last week in the House Federal and State Affairs committee we passed out SB 149 which calls for drug testing for welfare and unemployment benefits recipients. Under the bill the Department of Children and Families would administer tests when there is a reasonable suspicion of drug abuse. It also closes a loophole which allowed for when someone is denied a job because they fail a drug test to still get unemployment benefits.

Budget

Last year, the state passed the largest tax cut in history by significantly reducing state income tax rates and eliminating income taxes on small and corporate business owners for non-wage revenue. The goal for the 2013 Legislative Session is to continue to concentrate on lowering our state’s income tax. With last year’s ambitious tax cut and the continued drive to ratchet down the tax rates, the legislature has focused on responsible spending habits with particular attention to finding efficiencies in state government. The House Taxation and Appropriations Committees have worked in tandem to ensure the state will continue to meet its obligations while also continuing on a glide path to zero state income tax.

The House budget includes $211.4 million in additional savings over two years as compared to the governor’s recommendation and was done without making cuts to K-12 education, public safety, or state hospitals. Included in these savings is the reduced resource package, which includes $25 million in cuts, identified by state agencies themselves.

The House passed Substitute for HB 2231 on Wednesday, March 22^nd by a vote of 68-55. I voted Yes.

Tax

The House tax plan would continue the governor’s drive to get personal income tax to zero. However, the House plan adds a 2% growth in revenue trigger in the roll out to ensure revenues are available to sustain the income tax drop. So, as state revenues grow above 2% from the previous year, those excess funds would be used to buy down the income tax.

The House plan would also keep the sunset on the sales tax increase which was passed three years ago.

On July 1^st the sales tax would drop to 5.7% from 6.3% statewide. Also on July 1^st .4% of the sales tax would be redirected from the state general fund to the state highway plan to fund TWORKS. This has been an important piece for many Kansans as it ensures high quality roads as well as construction jobs across the state.

Income tax deductions would also be phased out but would drop at the same rate as the income taxes. This way we preserve the deductions while buying down their value at the same speed the rates drop.

Also included in this plan is an accelerated drop in the lower income tax bracket. It is weighted so that the lower tax rate goes down twice as much as the percentage increase and the higher bracket goes down half as much. This would provide increased relief for the state’s lower income taxpayers. The House will now meet with the Senate to work out differences in the two plans which should begin early next week.

Pro-Life Legislation

This week, the House passed HB 2253, which would serve to further protect the lives of the unborn in Kansas by ensuring that no taxpayer dollars are used to subsidize abortions and by revising other abortion statutes. Through passage of the bill, the House looks to continue developing a culture of life in Kansas by defending the right to life, including that of the most vulnerable Kansans. The solemn duty of the state to defend this fundamental right is affirmed in HB 2253.

Significantly, the bill would add a statutory provision that would declare that the life of each human being begins at fertilization. The bill would prohibit the use of public funding, tax credits, tax preferences, and state-provided public health care services from being used in any manner to facilitate abortions or in facilities where abortions are performed. It also would prohibit any school district, its employees, agents, and education service providers from offering abortion services and abortion providers would be restricted from sponsoring, offering, or furnishing any course materials or instruction related to human sexuality or sexually transmitted diseases in public schools.

The House passed HB 2253 by a vote of 92 to 31. The bill is now headed to the Senate for further consideration and action.  I voted yes.

Do not hesitate to contact me if with your thoughts and concerns. I am dedicated to providing outstanding constituent service and your continued communication is vital to that process. You can stay connected by following my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TravisforKansas and website at www.travisforkansas.com. As always, feel free to contact my office at (785) 296-4683 at any time.

 

Water released from Cedar Bluff Reservoir has reached well fields for the cities of Hays and Russell.

Hays called for 1,247 acre-feet, the entire amount from an artificial recharge pool maintained by the Kansas Water Office (KWO).

The lake level is already 20 feet below normal and has dropped another 4 inches after the Hays release which started March 4.  It took less than a week for the flow along the Smoky Hill River to reach the city’s Schoenchen well field.

Water bound for the city of Russell’s well field near Pfeifer started down the Smoky Hill River last Thursday.  Public Works Director Arlyn Unrein said the release should be between 1,000 and 1,500 acre-feet.

Russell owns the rights to 2,000 acre-feet of water from Cedar Bluff. Hays has no water rights at Cedar Bluff, and was given permission from the KWO to use the artificial recharge pool.

 

The city of Hays uses an average 1.8 million gallons of water every day.  During the summer, daily water use has shot as high as 3.8 million gallons.

Most of that extra 2 million gallons of water is going on lawns and gardens, according Director of Parks Jeff Boyle.

The city has begun new initiatives demonstrating how to use water more efficiently.  “The ‘Water $mart Landscape Series’ kicks off Tuesday night,” says Boyle, “and the programs are free and open to the public.”

“We’ll have information about soil testing, plant location and species best to grow in our area, efficient landscape watering and healthy lawn care tips.”

Each program begins at 6:30p.m. at the KSU Agricultural Research Center, 1232 240th Avenue.

• March 26–Soil Health, Fertilizer and Pesticides
• April 2–Right Plants, Right Place
• April 9–Water Wise, Stormwater Runoff and Private Wells
• April 23–Lawns:  Cool Season to Warm Season Turf Conversion and Healthy Lawn Care Tips

The series is sponsored by K-State Research and Extension-Ellis County, City of Hays, Ellis County Extension Master Gardeners, and KSU Big Creek Middle Smoky Hill River Watersheds.